Page 10 - Compound of Compounds

In the final longer chapter, he shows us how to prepare four waters, the first being
aqua fortis, nitric acid which dissolves silver, which is then converted into the second
water, aqua regia, which dissolves gold. The third water is prepared by dissolving
mercury in the second water to make a concentrated solution of a mercury salt. This
third water is distilled gently to form a heavy, fourth water, the living water, or the
Virgin’s milk, the Vinegar of the philosophers. This is made to act upon powdered gold
or silver where it must form an amalgam, this is the Philosophical Mercury, the primal
matter from which the Philosopher’s Stone is made. It is heated in a vessel and the
Crow’s Head is obtained, the black earthy stage. This is then acted upon by more of
the Philosophical Water, and gradually moistened and left in on slow heat for many
days. It is taken out, ground to a powder and the process repeated many times, till the
blackness becomes a brilliant white, foliate earth. This is then converted into the White
Elixir and finally into the Red Elixir.

This book gives a very clear outline of the practical process. The author must have
been well acquainted with laboratory practice to have been able to write such an
explicit account.

This book, written in the thirteenth or early fourteenth century and thus one of the
earliest works of European alchemy, is remarkably clear and straightforward. It
outlines the alchemical process, placing it within a theoretical framework, then
demonstrating how to carry out the work in practice, avoiding allegory and
obfuscation. It would be interesting if some chemist or alchemist today might try to
repeat the detailed instructions of the experiment. One can see why it inspired and had
such an influence on later generations of alchemists.

One is not surprised that the author feels he must express his satisfaction with his
book.

Mark my words, appraise their mysteries, for in this short treatise I have
gathered and explained the innermost secrets of Alchemy; all is stated plain
and simple, without omission, all in brief instructions, and I bear witness
before God that in the books of the Philosophers, there is hardly anything
better to be found.

Whether this was written by Albertus Magnus or some other now unknown writer,
the book presents such an exciting and clear account of the nature of alchemy, that one

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