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my comments in what cases I used them. It cannot be contradicted that gold can in general heal all sicknesses, as all
the books of hermetic physicians testify. And whoever will read the history of cases cured by the potable gold of
Anthony of London will find astounding things in them, observed and cured both by himself and others who had the
potable gold brought to them from far-away countries. Of that a whole treatise has been written and printed in
Hamburg. Even so there are some who do not think much of it, saying that this solution is not philosophical, etc. I
will not discuss this here, while no one knows yet for sure by what means he dissolves the gold, even if there are
several descriptions available, pretending to indicate the process. I believe, however, that he did not make his secret
public to the extent that the sparrows could whistle it from the rooftops, for he would be a bad fencer who did not
keep one stroke for himself. One thing is sure, it is no small science to know how to process gold correctly so as to
turn it into a medicine without a corrosive.
What to think of potable gold that is supposed to be strengthened with the blood of Venus (copper) and Mars (iron),
is not difficult to decide. I consider it nonsense, because the sulphur of iron and copper is not the sulphur of gold.
Therefore, no such effect can follow, and I wonder that some wealthy physicians also publish articles about it, trying
to convince people that cow dung is grease. Although both come from the cow, they are therefore not the same.
Dung may well be spread, but plants do not melt thereby.
Basil also wrote something about it, and I have in my possession the original of his writing. I believe, however, that
his views are quite different from the literal meaning. That gold has first to be enriched or activated by iron and
copper, is hard to believe, for it is evident that both have impure and leprous Bodies which cannot protect
themselves from the least corruption. If their blood were so pure that the Sun's blood were thereby raised to a higher
degree, it would follow that they themselves could first keep themselves from corruption and destruction. Indeed, it
is said: Medice, cura teipsum (Physician, heal thyself!)
If now it is true that each thing has its own seed, and must have its own seed if it is to be an autonomous Body, it
must necessarily follow that gold must have a special seed, copper and iron other special seeds. Even so, it cannot be
denied that the seed of metals is identical as far as their remote potentiality is concerned, and that it refined by
cooking. Nevertheless, digestion produces a ripe fruit and seed different from the others, and the artist will never be
able to cook gold from copper, even if he were doing it till Doomsday. Well, as this does not belong here, I will not
deal with it at the present but wait for another opportunity. I am only relating it so that no one should be misled into
thinking that gold can be increased in virtue by the lesser metals. The contrary can rather be proven,, namely, that
the pure blood of gold is infected by the impure and leprous iron and copper. Then it is quite useless to medicine.
Therefore one has to be very careful about such potable gold and not to believe what anybody fancies, but he must
diligently read the writings of the Philosophers and reflect upon them with special care, even if they are only
understood according to the letter.
Joannes Agricola - Treatise on Gold
Chapter 4.
Back to Agricola page .
Chapter 4.
How to Prepare the Quintessence of Gold
Take some of the brown calx reverberated with sulphur, 3 or 4 Lots. Mix it with the crystalline coagulated dry water,
6 Lots. This water does not dissolve the metal in the common way but separates the good from the bad. It destroys
the bad and the course, turning it into earthdust and slime, while increasing the good in its nature, This conjunction
done, very carefully close the glass with lute, then set it in a gradation-fire in sand for 8 weeks, day and night, in
steady heat, but only so much that the calx does not melt and shows just a slight brown glow. In that steady heat the
crystalline water will open the gold completely, turning it into dust and ashes.
When now the gold has all turned into ashes, give it a stronger fire for three weeks. Then take it out, open the glass
and pour it over these ashes the vinegar of Nature, which the Philosophers call Nature's fire. The vinegar will soon
revivify the ash, extract its Soul, beat the earth and feces down and leave them at the bottom of the glass. You can
do the same with silver and other metals. In this way metals can be totally anatomized and decomposed, bringing
them into their crystalline and essential form.
Whoever wants to follow Nature further, may add to this essence of gold the essence of antimony, which may be
quite sweet and transparent, nicely smelling and tasting, and also penetrating. This essence will soon be tinged and
attract the tincture of the gold. Enclose the latter in a glass and set it in warm ashes. It will turn into a red transparent
glass or salt, quite stable and fixed in the fire, quite transparent. It might well be called the arcanum of gold. It is also
possible to add the essence of vitriol instead of the essence of antimony and coagulate further, as just said.
N O T E
I thought above that there is not one laboratory worker barely able to distill water who would not know a special
arcanum for processing potable gold or the quintessence! Therefore more processes have arisen then there are hours
in the year. They are all useless words and breadless arts which spoil more than they help, and each wants to arrange
the hat after his head. Accordingly, I think less than nothing of those processes. Yet there is so much shouting about
them that it fills all corners of the world. And now as almost everybody knows that medicine that an excellent
medicine lies hidden in gold, everybody wants to extract it. Indeed, it is to be considered a great gift of God if this
noble jewel is granted to a man. Those who strive after this high secret are not to be blamed but should rather be
praised, provided they do not associate with sophists, thereby cheating people out of their money and ruining their
health. Our author had likewise taken great pains and had strenuously reflected on how he could obtain this jewel we
can easily see by his various labors that he tried in different ways. Among others, he also indicated this process on
how to prepare the quintessence of gold. As I see it, however, this is not a quintessence but only a wearisome
calcination and extraction with the arcanum of tartar or vitriolized tartar. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]