Page 29 - Book of Composition

King Calid : We have hitherto sufficiently disputed of the nature and
colour of this stone. And now let us reason of its natural composition, of
its touching, and also of its weight and taste.

Morienus : The touching of this stone is soft, and greater softness is in it
than in its body, but its weight is very heavy : and the taste of it is most
sweet and pleasant, and its nature is airy.

King Calid : Therefore what is its smell before and after its confection?

Morienus : Before its confection it is stinking, and after its confection the
smell of it is good, according to this which the wise man said : “surely
this water takes the smell from the dead body, for the smell of it is bad,
and likened to the smell of sepulchres”, whereupon also the wise man
says : “whosoever shall make white the soul, and shall cause it again to
ascend, and shall keep the body well, and shall take all obscurity from it,
and shall extract its evil smell from it, shall be able to melt it into a body,
and in the hour of commixtion very great miracles will appear.”
Whereupon certain of the philosophers, while they conferred together
before Maria, said unto her: “Maria, you are blessed, because the Divine
hidden secret has been revealed unto you.”

King Calid : Expound unto me the changing natures, that is, how that
which is lowest ascends highest, and that which is highest descends
lowest, and in what sort one of them is joined to another, so that they
may be mingled one with another. Also what this is which causes them to
be mingled, and also how the blessed water may come to water, and
bedew those things, and to cleanse them from their stinking smell. For
this is a smell which is likened to the smell of sepulchres and graves, in
which the bodies of dead men are buried.

Morienus : This is that thing, of which Azinabam the philosopher writes
worthily, for he said, “Oriambe, by what names may this thing naturally
be called, and he said, ‘This thing may naturally be called Vulphi, that is
an animal. And afterward its smell is made pleasant and good, neither
does any obscurity or stink remain in it’.”

King Calid : Let these words suffice us concerning the common
inquisition of this thing, and now I would know, whether this thing may
be found very cheap or very dear, and therefore show unto me the truth
thereof.

Morienus : Mark what the wise men have said : that is, that Magistery
hath been accustomed to be made of one thing only. Therefore use this in

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