An Open Entrance to the Closed Palace of the King

[BeautifulEvil]

I wanted to get some discussion going on this particular text: http://www.rexresearch.com/alchemy/opntranc.htm

I found this section of the text to be interesting:

Chapter XI
Concerning the Discovery of the Perfect Magistery

There are those who think that this Art was first discovered by Solomon, or rather imparted to him by Divine Revelation. But though there is no reason for doubting that so wise and profoundly learned a sovereign was acquainted with our Art, yet we happen to know that he was not the first to acquire the knowledge. It was possessed by Hermes, the Egyptian, and some other Sages before him; and we may suppose that they first sought a simple exaltation of imperfect metals into regal perfection, and that it was at first their endeavour to develop Mercury, which is most like to gold in its weight and properties, into perfect gold. This, however, no degree of ingenuity could effect by any fire, and the truth gradually broke on their minds that an internal heat was required as well as an external one. So they rejected aqua fortis and all corrosive solvents, after long experiments with the same -- also all salts, except that kind which is the first substance of all salts, which dissolves all metals and coagulates Mercury, but not without violence, whence that kind of agent is again separated entire, both in weight and virtue, from the things it is applied to. They saw that the digestion of Mercury was prevented by certain aqueous crudities and earthy dross; and that the radical nature of these impurities rendered their elimination impossible, except by the complete inversion of the whole compound. They knew that Mercury would become fixed if it could be freed from their defiling presence --- as it contains fermenting sulphur, which is only hindered by these impurities from coagulating the whole mercurial body. At length they discovered that Mercury, in the bowels of the earth, was intended to become a metal, and that the process of development was only stopped by the impurities with which it had become tainted. They found that that which should be active in the Mercury was passive; and that its infirmity could not be remedied by any means, except the introduction of some kindred principle from without. Such a principle they discovered in metallic sulphur, which stirred up the passive sulphur in the Mercury, and by allying itself with it, expelled the aforesaid impurities. But in seeking to accomplish this practically, they were met by another great difficulty. In order that this sulphur might be effectual in purifying the Mercury, it was indispensable that it should itself be pure. All their efforts to purify it, however, were doomed to failure. At length they bethought them that it might possibly be found somewhere in Nature in a purified condition --- and their search was crowned with success. They sought active sulphur in a pure state, and found it cunningly concealed in the House of the Ram. This sulphur mingled most eagerly with the offspring of Saturn, and the desired effect was speedily produced --- after the malignant venom of the " air" of Mercury had been tempered (as already set forth at some length) by the Doves of Venus. Then life was joined to life by means of the liquid; the dry was moistened; the passive was stirred into action by the active; the dead was revived by the living. The heavens were indeed temporarily clouded over, but after a copious downpour of rain, serenity was restored. Mercury emerged in a hermaphroditic state. Then they placed it in the fire; in no long time they succeeded in coagulating it, and in its coagulation they found the Sun and the Moon in a most pure state. Then they considered that, before its coagulation, this Mercury was not a metal, since, on being volatilised, it left no residue at the bottom of the distilling vessel; hence they called it unmatured gold and their living (or quick) silver It also occurred to them that if gold were sown, as it were, in the soil of its own first substance, its excellence would probably be enhanced; and when they placed gold therein, the fixed was volatilised, the hard softened, the coagulated dissolved, to the amazement of Nature herself. For this reason they wedded these two to each other, put them in a still over the fire, and for many days regulated the heat in accordance with the requirements of Nature. Thus the dead was revived, the body decayed, and a glorified spirit rose from the grave; the soul was exalted into the Quintessence --- the Universal Medicine for animals, vegetables, and minerals.

[phliosehea]

Chapter XI
Concerning the Discovery of the Perfect Magistery
...They saw that the digestion of Mercury was prevented by certain aqueous crudities and earthy dross; and that the radical nature of these impurities rendered their elimination impossible, except by the complete INVERSION of the whole compound.

Paracelsus- The Treasure of Treasures: ...This is the true and genuine Balsam, the Balsam of the Heavenly Stars, suffering no bodies to decay, nor allowing leprosy, gout, or dropsy to take root. It is given in a dose of one grain, if it has been fermented with Sulphur of Gold.
Ah, Charles the German, where is your treasure? Where are your philosophers? Where your doctors? Where are your decocters of woods, who at least purge and relax? Is your heaven REVERSED?

Let's make sure we're all fishing on the right side of the boat.

[BeautifulEvil]

Yes, good point phliosehea.

[solomon levi]

This is what has been called the Flamel path by PON.

Antimony trisulphide is the offsrping of saturn.
Mars/iron is the house of the Ram.
The stellar martial regulus is made.
But before amalgamation with common mercury can occur,
one requires the doves of Diana, not Venus.
This refers to two parts silver being added to one part stellar regulus.
Now with this lunar, martial regulus, an amalgam with mercury can be had.
This is the philosophical mercury (sophic mercury) to which our gold is added and digested.

I am writing from study alone, no practica in this matter yet.
But the authors are unanimous in this - Flamel, Sendivogius, Ripley, Philalethes,
Fulcanelli (unless you buy the C option), Artephius... see Bacstrom's Alchemical Anthology.

[phliosehea]

Careful with those courses...don't let anyone tell you what something is and take it as gospel.

[solomon levi]

I haven't taken any courses. I've just studied. Like I said, it's unanimous.
We even have Starkey's lab notes and Newton's.
This is pretty much common knowledge now.

[phliosehea]

Well it's up for debate whether Newton finished the stone (I believe there are some papers of his where he suggests that he never found it)...to be honest I'm not sure one way or the other. But I don't believe George Starkey is Philalethes...he may well have been alchemically inclined but I just don't see him as Philalethes (based on his writings). Especially in light of Starkey's death from the plague, yet the anonymous writer/alchemist Philalethes was still around and putting out new works after Starkey died. http://www.answers.com/topic/eirenaeus-philalethes
Either way, all true alchemists can be found East of Eden.

[solomon levi]

Yes. I don't know that Starkey was Philalethes either.
The Hartlib group had such a circle of wonderful minds. How fortunate.
Winthrop Jr. is a good candidate for Philalethes as well.

[phliosehea]

Well it's true that (what is unanimous) Mars/Iron is in the house of the Ram. This can be confirmed beyond the sources you listed...however, I do not believe that common metals are a worthwhile path (and here I am only giving my opinion)...it doesn't seem fitting that the way to God is found in a dead thing. But then again we should consider the phrase "whoever can kill and revive will profit from our science"(A.Magnus)...Perhaps we're looking for something that is first alive...certainly no metal would be fitting...

[solomon levi]

here's a related article:

http://www.levity.com/alchemy/markh_1.html

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