Treaty of Mercury and the Stone of the Philosophers

By George Riplee

My very dear son, I will instruct you in this blessed science which was hidden by the ancient Philosophers, to which God has deigned to grant such great favor in consideration of their good works, and in virtue of their prayers, and in whose name after having addressed ours to him several times, we are about to reveal to you such an important secret.

Conceive therefore that our matter is the first Being of all things that are in the earth, and what is estimated of low price and of very little consequence, as you will know it more clearly thereafter, because if water is incorporated with the earth it will nevertheless be esteemed of all the other things that we see, but if it is fixed with the fire it will rise to the supreme degree of Nature, and by this means you can know the manner in which water becomes the greatest and lowest of all created Beings, especially as it is a very constant maxim, as we have said above, that it is of very low price, because our earth contains in it the said water, and that in this dirty and stinking earth, you will find pure and clear water, which is our Sperm and our Quintessence, which dirty and stinking earth for then can be of no use and of no value whatsoever. As to what I said that water was the first of Beings, we can prove it in various ways.

Understand, my son, that without this water we cannot make bread or anything else that God has created in Nature. Already you understand easily that water is the first matter of all the things which are born or which are generated in the world. And you will easily know that nothing believes or increases without the help of the four Elements. And therefore all that is elemental must have been made by the virtue of the four Elements, in the same way as the origin of all incipient or growing things is by means of water.

However do not think that this means common water, but that water which is the matter of all natural things, and from which each of them is produced in its own way, and therefore understand that the air first arises from water, fire from air, and earth from fire. Now, to speak to you more familiarly and as a friend, and going still further, I will declare to you little by little this Magisterium of the Sages, lest by our haste what the common Proverb brings to us: That he who goes too quickly , often arrives too late at home. This is why, to satisfy your desire, I will now speak of the first matter which the Philosophers call Quintessence, and to which they give many other names to better hide it, because it is very certain that the four Elements meet in it in their greatest exaltation. From there you must understand that if you want to have the Quintessence of the man, it is first necessary that you have the man, and of this matter you will have nothing else.

Be careful to observe this truth well. For I tell you that if you wish to have the Stone of the Philosophers, you must first have the quintessence of the mineral, vegetable or animal Stone. Assemble therefore each species and each genus with its similar, so that one is not without the other, and that there is nothing contrary to the species, or improper to the genus.

Take care, therefore, to use foreign and remote things, for from bones stones are not made, just as from Cranes Geese are not begotten. Surely if you consider this, you will receive considerable fruit from it by the grace of God, by means of which we will pass still further to tell you of this holy water, which is called water of Sun and Moon, which water is hidden in the depths of our earth, touching which earth you must observe that everything that generates necessarily needs a male and a female to receive whose being the agent and the patient are produced, and without whose aid no generation can ever be made. Whence it follows that you cannot claim any fruit from things whose kinds are different.

However, if you have this water from the Sun and the Moon, it will convert into it the other bodies and their natural humidities by means of the heat of the Sun and the Moon, and will make them perfect like them, as well as a child. in the womb of its mother by means of cooking with a temperate heat converts the menses into its nature and its kind, that is to say into flesh, blood, bone and life, with all the other properties of a living body, of which it is not appropriate to say more at this time. And thus you will understand that our water will be converted into a perfect kind with things of its kind, for it will first freeze into an oily substance, which by means of a temperate heat will then be converted into gum, which likewise by the means of perfect heat the Sun will finally turn to stone. Therefore understand now that of one thing you have three, I mean, an oil, a gum and a stone.

Also learn that when the water is turned into oil, then you have a perfect mind, but when the oil has turned into a hard gum, then you have a perfect soul and mind. And when that perfect spirit and soul has turned to stone, then you have a perfect body, soul and spirit together. It is what the Philosophers call their Stone, their Elixir and the perfect Medicine of the human body, provided it be fermented with its kind and its Quintessence. Know my son, that there are various quintessences, one of which serves for human bodies, and the other for the Elixir, for the conversion of imperfect bodies from metals. For you must notice that the generation and increase of the metals is not like the increase of the human body, because each genus suits its genus, and each species its species.

Notice again, that the first matter of man, by which are engendered flesh, blood, bones and life, is the spermatic humor which is the only cause of generation, by means of the vital spirit which is locked up there. And when matter engenders and freezes into a body, draw the quintessence from it, with which you will nourish this body. However, my son, to tell you something more, notice that the water or the matter, or the sperm from which the man is generated is not what makes the increase of the body, because if it is well nourished with its natural element, then the first matter will be increased by it, as well as the body itself, namely the first matter in quality, and the body in quantity.

The first matter is that which is called Quintessence: but yet learn that the Quintessence is one thing, and the matter of increase is another, and that the increase of metals (as I have already said above) above) is not the same as the growth of the human body. Whatever the Quintessence which makes the increase of the human body, can also become a Medicine useful to the body of metals, and therefore, as it has been said, the Quintessence is one thing, and the increase is another. You see therefore why our water is called the first matter and the sperm of the metals, since it is from it that all metals are begotten, and therefore you need it at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. end of your operation, since it is the cause of all generation, since by its freezing it is converted into all sorts of metal species, that is to say, into the first matter of their species, this is why it is called the sperm of the metals, and the metallic brandy, especially as it gives health and life to diseased metals and those who are dead, and marries the red man with the white woman, I mean the Sun and the Moon. She is still called virginal milk, for until she is united with the Sun and the Moon, or with any other body whatsoever, except only those of her kind, she may still be called Virgin. , but as soon as she is joined with the male and the female, and they make a kind of marriage together, at the same time she ceases to be a virgin, because she clings to them, and becomes a and the same with the Sun and the Moon, which it conjoins together, and to which it unites for their generation. But as long as it remains a virgin, it will be called virgin milk, holy water, brandy, and many other names as well.

Now my son, to tell you something from the Mercury of the Philosophers, learn that when you have put your brandy with the red man (which is our Magnesia) and with the white woman, who is called Albificus, and that they will all be conjoined together, so that they form one and the same body, assuredly it is then that you have the Mercury of the Philosophers. For after it is joined in this matter with the male and the female, this water is called not only the Mercury of the Philosophers, but their water of life, the blood of the red man, his flesh, his body and his bones.

Conceive therefore that there are several kinds of milk, namely virgin's milk, woman's milk, and also man's milk, which as soon as they are allied together, and the woman shall have become pregnant by conception, it is for when this child is due to feed on milk. Thus it is easy to conceive that this milk is not a virgin's milk, but rather it is the milk of the man and the woman, with which the child must always feed until he is has become more robust, at which time it must continue a stronger and more ample nourishment. The food I mean is the fermentation that gives it its shape, by virtue of which it can hope for a virile work. For until the child, that is to say, our stone, has quite received its form, and it has been fermented with its like, which means, with the blood of the Green Dragon , and the red blood of the Red Dragon, whether the Stone is white or also whether it is red, it can never do a perfect work. Conceive then, my son, that the first water is that water and that milk which God formed from Nature, and that it is truly the cause of generation, as we have remarked above. For then, after the conjunction which is made of this marriage, they generate the water of life and the milk of the Philosophers, with which or with which you will increase and nourish your Stone unceasingly.

I could tell you much more about this first matter, but what I have told you about it is enough to avoid all sorts of obscurities in my words; come finally, with the help of God, to the practice of this Stone of the Philosophers. Notice then, my son, to put exactly these three materials (which are nevertheless only the same thing) in a glass vessel, and that you let them gently putrefy. Finally put the still on your ship, and draw in all the water you can distill. Which distillation you will make in a bain-marie, then putting your vessel on the fire of ashes, making a slow fire there for twelve hours: then withdraw your matter from the vessel, and grind it alone, without mixing any water that you have drawn by distillation.

Then being well crushed, put it back in the vase, pouring over it the distilled water, and after having corked it well, put it in the bath for three days, then distill it in the same bath, as you have done before, then it will be much blacker than before. This you will reiterate three times, and not crushing it any more afterwards, you will always pour over it the water that you distil from it; and at each distillation, you will give it a suitable fire for six hours or more, until it becomes moderately dry. Then put your water there again, and dissolve it again in the bath with the blind yoke. And in all the distillations that you will make of it, you must separate the phlegm, that is to say, rejecting at the beginning the first six or seven drops of water from each distillation. Observing this command, you will cause it to drink of its own water, seven times as much as it weighed in the beginning. Then it will be of a white color, and all the more white as it will have drunk more of its own water. And it's called the White Elixir.

Besides that our water is called Homogeneous, and several other names, notice also that this water and this first matter engender both the red and the white Stone. Learn also that when this first matter is pushed to perfect whiteness, then the end of one is the beginning of the other; that is to say, of the red Stone, which is our red Magnesia, and the virgin copper, as we marked it at the beginning. Make sure, my son, to understand the meaning of these words. Our virgin copper is our gold: I do not, however, say that copper is gold. Likewise, our copper is our living sulphur: but not all living sulfur is ours. In the same way Quicksilver is our Mercury: I am not saying, however, that vulgar quicksilver is our quicksilver: but as I said above, this brandy, which is our Sperm and our first matter is our Mercury and our spirit of life, which is drawn from this blessed land of Ethiopia, which is called Magnesia, and to which many other names are still given.

For the rest, notice my son, that there is no perfect generation without corruption, because corruption causes purity, and purity causes generation. Consider then that our tincturing venom gives tincture and equally receives it unceasingly, and this is what we call our body, our soul and our spirit; and when joined and united together, they become one and the same, out of which there will never be anything.

This is why we hold that this one should not pass entirely for sage who believes that it is possible to find another Medicine transmutable in Sol or Moon. Which Medicine indeed will not be of much use to us, if it is not mingled with the body, for then it will perfect its work according to the form in which it was born; for it has never received being except to become corporeal. Moreover, know that there is as much difference between the first matter (which is called Sperm of the metals) and the Medicine, as there is between the said Medicine and the gold.

For Sperm will never be Medicine without a body, nor Medicine metal without corporifying. There is still a lot of difference between the Elixir and the Medicine, as well as between the Sperm of the man and the woman, with the child that is generated from them in the womb. You see now that the Sperm is one thing and the child another, although they both come from the same root and the same genus, and are one thing, one operation and finally one. single vessel, given various names. It being true that the child is born of man and woman, although man is one thing and woman another, even though they are all of one gender. This is also what you should hear in the composition of our Stone. As for what I said above, that corruption is the cause of generation, it is a truth, for you must know that everything in its first matter is corrupt and bitter, and that this bitterness and this corruption is called dyeing venom, which nevertheless gives life to all living things. What you will know clearly, have you rightly examined the natures of things.

And make, my son, a serious reflection, that when Lucifer, this Angel of haughtiness, revolted mainly against God, and that he had transgressed the commandment of the Most High, this blow became annoying to him, very hard and bitter, do not no less than the fall and infidelity of our first Fathers Adan and Eve, which was soon punished with ensuing death, which caused unbearable corruption and bitterness to them, as well as to us, in this even corruption has spread. I could bring you many other similar examples, if need be. But passing them over in silence to speak of what has more to do with us, notice carefully that all the precious fruits which are born from the earth, their first matter is bitter and harsh, so that it still retains some mark of that first corruption, and previous decay, which bitterness nevertheless by means of the continual action of mild and natural heat is converted into extreme sweetness.

Now, my son, if you have understanding, what I have just told you in a few words should suffice for you to be able to penetrate further into the hidden mysteries of Nature, and conceive my thought. So remember well that according to the old Proverb, he who has not tasted bitter things, has not deserved to taste those which are sweet and pleasant.

To tell you now something more touching our Brass, know that the word Brass means a stable thing, or permanent water. And what must still be considered in the nature of our Brass, are the four mysterious letters of its name, which are called B.R.A.S. Which word is properly English, and signifies in our Language, Brass. In the first place, the letter B, signifies the first body of our work, which is our sweet and bitter olive, and our permanent brass in its form. Secondly, the R marks the root of our work and the source of the radical, permanent mood, which is our tincture and red rose, which putrefies all things to give them being according to their origin. Then the A, lets you know our father Adam, the first of men, from whom was born Eve, the first of women. Hence you can learn that in our magisterium there is a male and a female alike. Notice then that our brass is the beginning of our work, our gold and our olive, as much as it is the first matter of metals, just as man is the origin of man and woman. Finally the S, means the soul of our life, I mean this spirit of life that God inspired in Adan, and in all the other creatures, which is called quintessence.

Further, I tell you, my son, that by these four letters we mean the four Elements, without which nothing is generated in Nature. These letters again signify the Sun and the Moon, which are the cause of all living things, of their germ and increase. And therefore in this name composed of four letters consists all our operation, because in our bronze is the male and the female, from which, is born that which one calls Begotten.

Notice, then, my son, what is signified by our soft brass, which is called our Sandiver, or our Salt Nitre, which is also called Dragon's Blood, Sol and Moon; finally our Mercury and our water of life, and various other names of which the Philosophers have spoken obscurely and under Enigmas. You must therefore know that our first material is neither common gold nor silver, nor of the nature of corrosives, nor of any other foreign things which those who are misguided use today, and who do not seem walk only by groping in the darkness. Finally, take care not to use anything of a different kind, because you must be sure that you can only reap what you have sown. For the rest, conceive that our Stone is perfect and complete in its own way, it will then be a hard stone which does not dissolve easily. However, if you join his female to it, she will turn into oil, which is called the oil of the Philosophers, the incombustible oil, and many other names.

Know also that there are various kinds of fermentation, some bodily, others spiritual. The bodily in quantity, and the spiritual in quality. Bodily fermentation increases the weight and quantity of Medicine; yet it has not so much power as Medicine itself, or spiritual fermentation, for it increases Medicine only in quantity, and not in virtue: but spiritual fermentation increases it in both ways. , in force that where the bodily has power over a hundred, the spiritual has power over a thousand. Besides that whenever it is fermented by spiritual qualities, it always retains the same name of Medicine; but when it is fermented with a bodily substance, it is called Elixir. There are therefore various ways of fermenting, just as there is a difference between Medicine and Elixir; for one is spiritual, and the other is bodily. Learn also that while the ferment will be spiritual, it will always be in gum and liquid oil, which cannot easily be transported from one place to another: but when your Stone is in Powder, it will be a Stone that you can carry. all over your purse. Therefore you now see the difference between the Medicine and the Elixir. There is no less between the Elixir, gold and silver; especially since gold and silver are difficult to fuse, unlike the Elixir, which melts at the same time and easily in the flame of a candle. From where you will know only too well there is difference of our composition, with the temperament of icelle.

Finally, to say something about eating and drinking which serves them as food, imagine that their meat is taken from aerial stones, and their drink is drawn from two perfect bodies, which are the Sun and the Moon. The drink that comes from the ground is called Potable Gold; that which comes from the moon is called the milk of the Virgin.

Now, my son, we have spoken to you clearly enough if you do not lack divine grace; for the drink which is drawn from the Ground is red, and that which is drawn from the Moon is white, and hence one is called Potable Gold, and the other Virginal Milk; one also is male and the other female, although both originate from the same source and the same genus. Think then of the words that I have just said to you, otherwise if you lose your way in the darkness, it is not possible that harm will happen to you for want of intelligence. Make sure you are diligent in the circulation of the Philosophical wheel, that is, so that you know how to draw water from the earth, air from the water, fire from the air, and land of fire, and that all these things at last be extracted from one stem and root, that is, of their own kind, and that you feed them with their own meat and natural food, of which their life may be sustained non-stop. Whoever therefore has understanding, understands what I said, not having allowed me to say more. And you, my son, if you have heard and understood what I have represented above, I have no doubt that you carefully hide such great and considerable secrets.

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