An Hermetic Work.

the impure from the pure , and ripen the unripe ; to make the bitter become a little sower or Acid , and the soAver SAveet , and so to turn sharp into mild , mild into sharp , sower into sweet , and sweet into sower . Also I understand you say this universal medicine cannot prolong life beyond its prefixed time , but only preserves it from all venome and deadly sickness , Avhich agrees Avith the vulgar belief , That the Life depends only upon the Avill of God . But passing by these things , my question is still , Avhether

a man ' s former nature may be converted into another new nature ? So that a slothfid man may be changed into a diligent nimble man , and a Melancholy man by nature be made a merry man ; or the like . Elias . Not at aU Sir , for no Medicine hath power to transform the nature of man in such a manner , no more than Avine drunk by divers men changeth the person ' s naturebut only provokes or deduceth Avhat is in man potentiallinto Act ; For the

, y universal Medicine works by recreating the vital spirits , and so restoreth that health AA'hich Avas suppressed for a time . In the same manner the heat of the Sun never transmutes the Herbs and EloAvers , but stirs up their potential powers to become actiA'e . For a man of melancholy temper is again raised up to his natural melancholy disposition , and a merry man to become merry . And so in all desperate diseases , it is a present and most excellent preservative . Nayif there coidd be any prolonging of Life

, , Then Hermes , Paracelsus , Trevisan , and many others having had the said' Medicine would never have undergone the Tyranny of death , but have prolonged their lives perhaps to this very day : It were therefore the part of a mad Lunatick to believe that any Medicine in the Avorld could prolong life longer than God limits . Physician . Worthy Sir , I agree UOAV cheerfully to all yon have said touching the Universal Medicine , being no less regular than fundamental ; Vet till I can prepare the

same my self , it profits me not : Indeed some illustrious men have written of it so cautiously in dark iEnygmas , that A'ery feAV can understand their progress to the end ; and if one coidd purchase all these Authors , this short life might be therein consumed , and not attain the thing . It remains therefore only to pray ancl labour , Ora 4 " labora , Beits dat omni horce , Work and pray , God gives every clay . Elias . Seldom indeed can this Art of Arts be pickt oiit of Books without

demonstration from some true Adeptist . But waving this , let us come to Transmutation of Metals , by the most noble Tincture of Avhich many have written , but 'tis true , feAV Disciples attain this Arcanum .

Physician . Tom * convincing Arguments , and my fore going Experiments , I believe all you say : for Dr . Kufjfler Avith the Tincture of one ounce of gold , projected on tAvo ounces of Silver , transmuted , as is said , an ounce ancl half into the purest gold , ancl a third of the remainder into Avhite gold , and the rest was still the purest Silver imaginable . Ancl Van Eelmont ' s experiment proves the same , But especially Alexander Seotus , and Count Busses' Experiment , well knoAvn at Prague , ancl as here you may see the

inscriptions done before the Roman Emperour Ccesar Ferdinando the Third ; Where with one grain of Tincture were transmuted three pound of Mercury into the noblest pure gold . Tet I confess I never saw a true Adeptist , or projection made , and therefore cannot so absolutely conclude these things to be true . Elias . My Friend , The art will remain true whether you believe it or not . For Example . In the singular exalted sulhurous virtue in the Loadstone ( by its onl

_ p y touch ) derives a sympathetick virtue into the sul phurous Iron to become another Magnet or Loadstone by its touch . So doth it happen in the Philosopher ' s Stone , iu the winch is all that the Avisemen seek . Now in regard their writings are so numerous and "ark : it is to be Avished one Laeonick short E pitomy were extracted out of all for the said Art to be clearly manifested in a short time , with little labour ancl expence ; and so a most easie Transite made to the best AuthorsBut look hereAvdl sheAV

. , I UOAV you the true matter of Philosophers to confirm your belief . Ph ysician . Is this glassy yellow Masse it indeed ? I fear you do but jest or dally with me . Elias . Tea truly , thou hast UOAV in thy hands the most pretious thing in the