Chapter VII. Of the Separation and Further Treatment of our Philosophical Seed
CHAPTER VII.
Of the Separation and Further Treatment of our Philosophical Seed.
THE putrefaction of our subject being thus
completed, it exists under two forms: the moisture which was extracted, and the residuum, being our Philosophical Earth and Water. The water contains its seminal virtue, and the earth is a proper receptacle, wherein it may fructify. Let the water, then be separated and kept for use; calcine tile earth, for an impurity adheres to it which can only be taken away by fire, and that, too, of the strongest degree: for here there is no danger of destroying the seminal quality, and our earth must be highly purified before it can ripen the seed. This is what Sendivogius means when he says: Burn the sulphur till it becomes sulphur incombustible. Many lose in the preparation what is of most use in the art; for our mercury is acuated by the sulphur, else it would be of no use. Let, therefore, the earthy part be well calcined, and return the mercury on the calcined earth; afterwards draw it off by distillation; then calcine, cohobate, and distil, repeating the process till the mercury is well acuated by
the sulphur, and the sulphur is purified to a whiteness, and goes on to red, a sign of its complete purification, where you have the Philosophical Male and Female ready for conjunction. This must now be managed with judgment, as the noble child may be yet strangled in the birth; but all things are easy to an ingenious artist, who knows the proportion of mixture required and accommodates his operations to the intentions of Nature, for which purpose we shall faithfully conduct him according to our ability.