Metallic Salt of the Philosophers

Salt maketh fixed and volatile according as in its degree it is ordered and prepared. For the Spirit
of Salt of Tartar, if it be drawn per se and without addition, maketh all metals volatile by resolution
and putrefaction and resolveth them into a true vive or current Mercury, as my practice declares.

Salt of Tartar per se fixeth most firmly, especially if the heat of Calx vive be incorporated with it,
for both then have a singular degree of fixing.

So also the vegetable Salt of Wine both fixeth and maketh volatile according to the diverse
preparation thereof, as its use requireth, which certainly is a great Mystery of Nature and a
wonder of the philosophic Art.

If a man drink Wine and out of his urine a clear Salt be made, that is volatile and maketh other
fixed things volatile and carrieth them over the helmet with it, but it fixeth them348 not, and
although the man drink nothing but Wine, out of whose urine the Salt was made, yet it hath
another property than the Salt of tartar or of the feces of Wine. For there is made a transmutation
in the body of man, so that out of a vegetable, that is out of a Spirit of Wine, an animal Spirit of
Salt is made. Horses, by the corroboration of their natural virtue, do transmute oats, hay and such
like and convert it into fat and flesh; so doth the bee make honey out of the best of flowers and
herbs. So understand of other things. This key and cause consisteth only in putrefaction, from
whence such a separation and transmutation taketh its original.

The Spirit of common Salt, which is drawn after a peculiar manner, maketh Gold and Silver
volatile; if a small quantity of the Spirit of Dragon be added to it, it dissolveth it and carrieth it over
with it per alembicum, as also doth the Eagle with the Dragon's Spirit, which dwelleth in stony
places; but if anything be melted with Salt before the Spirit be separated from its body, it fixeth
much more than it volatiliseth.

If the Spirit of common Salt be united with Spirit of Wine and both be three times distilled over
together, then it waxeth sweet and loseth its acrimony. This prepared Spirit doth not corporeally
dissolve Gold; but if it be poured on a prepared Calx of Gold it extracteth its highest tincture and
redness, which, if it be rightly done, it reduceth pure and white Luna into the same colour,
whereof its body was before it was extracted. Also the old body will again attain its colour by the
love of enticing Venus, being descended from the same original, state and blood.

Know also that the Spirit of Salt destroyeth Luna and reduceth it into a spiritual essence, from
whence afterwards Luna potabile may be prepared, which Spirit of Luna is appropriated to the
Spirit of Sol as man and wife by the copulation and conjunction of the Spirit of Mercury or its oil.

The Spirit lieth in Mercury; seek the tincture in Sulphur and the coagulation in Salt; then have you
three matters, which may again produce some perfect thing, that is the Spirit of Gold fermented
with its own proper oil. Sulphur is plentifully found in the propriety of most precious Venus, which
inflameth the fixed blood gotten of her. The Spirit of the philosophic Salt gives victory to
coagulation, although the Spirit of Tartar and Spirit of Urine, together with the true acetum, may
do much; for the Spirit of Vinegar is cold and the Spirit of Calx vive is very hot, therefore are they
esteemed and found to be of contrary nature. This I faithfully declare. Seek your matter in a
metalline substance, make thereof Mercury, which ferment with Mercury; then a Sulphur, which
ferment with its proper Sulphur, and with Salt reduce it into order; distil them together and conjoin
them all according to their due proportion, then will it become one thing, which before came from
one; coagulate and fix it by a continual heat, then multiply and ferment it three times.

The Key of the process discovering the Tincture is thus. When the Medicine
and Stone of the philosophers is made and perfectly prepared out of the true Lac Virginis, take
thereof one part, of the best and purest Gold, melted and purged by Antimony, three parts and
reduce it into as thin plates as possibly you can; put these together into a crucible wherein you
use to melt metals. First give a gentle fire for twelve hours, then let it stand three days and nights
continually in a melting fire; then are the pure Gold and the Stone made a mere Medicine of a
subtile, a spiritual and penetrating quality. For without the ferment of Gold the Stone cannot
operate or exercise its tingeing quality, being too subtle and penetrative; but being fermented and
united with its like ferment, the prepared tincture obtaineth an ingress in operating upon other
bodies. Then take of the prepared ferment one part to a thousand parts of melted metal, if you will
tinge it, then know for a very certain truth that it shall be transmuted into good and fixed Gold; for
one body embraceth the other, although they be not alike, yet by the force and power added to it,
it is made like unto it, like having its origin from its like.

Note well that out of Black Saturn and friendly Jove a Spirit may be extracted, which is afterwards
reduced into a sweet oil as its noblest part, which Medicine, particulariter, doth most absolutely
take way the nimble, running quality from common Mercury and bringeth him to a melioration.

Having thus attained the matter, nothing remains but that you look well to the fire, that you
observe its regimen, for herein is the highest concernment and the end of the work. For our fire is
a common fire and our furnace is a common furnace, although some philosophers, to conceal the
art, write the contrary. The fire of the lamp with the Spirit of Wine is unprofitable; the expense
thereof would be incredible. Fimus Equinus spoileth it, for it cannot perfect the work by the right
degree of fire.

Many and various furnaces are not convenient, for in our threefold furnace only the degrees of
heat are proportionately observed. And as our furnace is common so is our fire common and as
our matter is common, so is our Glass likened to the Globe of the Earth.
(From 'The Rocicrucian Secrets' Mss )

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