Page 46 - Treatise on Salt

returns to it of itself again.

Alchemist. Is it possible to separate the body, soul, and spirit?

Vision. Do not perplex yourself about anything but the water, and the
foliated earth; you will not perceive the spirit, for it swims always upon
the water.

Alchemist. What do you mean by this foliated water?

Vision. Have you not read, that there appears in our philosophical sea, a
certain little island? That earth must be pulverised; and then it will
become like unto a thick water mixed with oil; and that is our foliated
earth, which you must unite by an exact weight, with its own water.

Alchemist. What is that exact weight?

Vision. The weight of the water must be plural, and that of the foliated
earth, white or red, must be singular.

Alchemist. Oh my lord, your discourse seems too obscure to me at this
first beginning.

Vision. I make use of no other terms, nor other names than those which
the philosophers have invented, and have left us in their writings. And all
that company of happy persons whom you behold, were while they lived
true philosophers; some of which were great princes, and some again
kings, or powerful monarchs, who were not ashamed to set their hands to
the work, in order to seek out by their labour, and sweat, the secrets of
nature, the truth of which they have left us in their writings. Read
therefore their books with diligence and assiduity, and do not load them
with injuries for the future: but observe their most learned traditions and
maxims; shun all sophistries, and all the deceitful alchemists, and at last
you’ll enjoy the concealed mirror of nature.

The vision having finished this discourse vanished in an instant; and
the alchemist waking immediately began to consider with himself what
had passed, but knew not what judgement to make thereof; but as all the
words of the vision remained fresh in his memory, he forthwith repaired
to his chamber to set them down in writing. After that, he read attentively

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