In Pursuit of Gold: Alchemy in Theory and Practice

«Owing to the disparagement cast on the art of alchemy in modern times by those who have failed to unearth its secrets, it has been by-passed by science, and has become obscured to the point where few people even clearly understand what it stands for.» — Lapidus abre su introducción con el diagnóstico de partida: la alquimia quedó al margen de la ciencia por obra de quienes no dieron con sus secretos, y de ahí que hoy pocos sepan siquiera de qué se trata.

«If asked what is alchemy, the short answer might be the search for the "Philosophers' Stone".» — Lapidus da la respuesta breve a la pregunta por el objeto del arte: la búsqueda de la piedra filosofal.

«This, however, is no stone, but a powder with the power to transmute base metals into gold or silver.» — y en la misma plana la acota: lo que llaman piedra no es piedra, sino un polvo con poder de transmutar los metales viles en oro o plata. Es la definición que gobierna el libro entero y la que el glosario final repite bajo *lapis philosophorum*.

«Thousands of books have been written on the subject throughout the centuries, in many languages and in many parts of the world.» — Lapidus mide la extensión de la literatura del arte: miles de libros a lo largo de los siglos, en muchas lenguas y en muchas partes del mundo.

«It may possibly be conjectured that this is how the unfortunate Incas of Peru produced such great quantities of gold; or again it may be hazarded that from the same source came the gold with which King Solomon decorated his temple so lavishly in biblical times.» — Lapidus arriesga dos conjeturas sobre el origen de grandes masas de oro —el de los incas del Perú y el del templo de Salomón— y las marca como tales con *conjectured* y *hazarded*, sin sostenerlas.

«The "Philosophers' Stone" was also called the "Elixir of Life", which has the virtue of being able to cure any of the diseases of mankind, thus assuring perfect health and a longevity far beyond the normal span that is hoped for by man.» — Lapidus identifica la piedra con el elixir de la vida y le atribuye dos virtudes: curar cualquier enfermedad del hombre y prolongar la vida mucho más allá del término normal.

«Artephius, an alchemist of the twelfth century, wrote in his treatise entitled The Secret Book that up to that time he had already lived a thousand years by aid of the Elixir.» — Lapidus refiere lo que Artefio dice de sí mismo en el Secret Book —haber vivido mil años por auxilio del elixir— y lo presenta como testimonio del propio alquimista, no como dato propio.

«Among others famed for longevity in more modern times, there was the mysterious Count de St. Germain, who never appeared to grow older in appearance.» — Lapidus suma al conde de Saint-Germain a la lista de longevos famosos, por la vía de que nunca aparentaba envejecer.

«In the seventeenth century, King Frederick the Great named him, " the man who does not die".» — Lapidus atribuye a Federico el Grande el mote con que nombró a Saint-Germain; la datación es del propio texto, que sitúa a Federico en el siglo XVII.

«The men who wrote them were always in fear of the dangers that would inevitably follow anyone rash enough to expose his knowledge too frankly.» — Lapidus explica la oscuridad de los tratados por el miedo de sus autores a las consecuencias de exponer lo que sabían con demasiada franqueza.

«Human greed has always been a deterrent against open declarations of success in the art, and therefore the philosophers thought it best either to remain silent, which many did, or else record their knowledge in the curious symbolic forms which each decided for himself; and what a chaos and babel has ensued from all these treatises!» — y remata la explicación con la codicia humana como freno: de ahí el silencio de muchos y las formas simbólicas que cada quien decidió por su cuenta, con el caos consiguiente.

«It is from such writings that today we derive the word "gibberish", coming as it does from works by the eighth century Arabian adept known as Geber, who wrote the truth in a fashion that few can follow.» — Lapidus deriva la palabra inglesa *gibberish* del nombre de Geber, el adepto árabe del siglo VIII que, según él, escribió la verdad de un modo que pocos pueden seguir.

«It is important to remember that, if alchemy is a true science, and an art mastered by men of past ages, who were simple-minded by comparison with present knowledge and standards of research, how much easier ought it to be today to uncover all their secrets with our resources, equipment and materials.» — Lapidus enuncia el argumento que sostiene la empresa del libro: si el arte es verdadero y lo dominaron hombres de menos recursos, con los medios de hoy debería ser más fácil descubrir sus secretos.

«However there must be some prior belief in the feasibility of attaining the goal sought, for without this, one could not persevere undaunted.» — y pone su condición: sin creencia previa en que la meta es alcanzable, nadie persevera.

«Although admittedly not easy to discover, many adepts in alchemy wrote that the art was really quite easy and, when once known, "child's play and woman's work".» — Lapidus recoge la fórmula con que muchos adeptos describían el arte una vez conocido —juego de niños y trabajo de mujeres— y de ella deriva que la simplicidad misma pudo ser la causa del fracaso de tantos.

«Modern science has not yet reached the state of all knowledge, and those secrets of nature that are known are indeed still a very minute part of the whole.» — Lapidus acota el alcance del saber moderno: lo conocido de la naturaleza es todavía una parte mínima del todo.

«It is therefore unwise, to say the least, to deny the basis for this lost art, because the road to it has not yet been systematically investigated.» — y de ahí saca su regla de prudencia: negar la base del arte perdido es imprudente mientras el camino no se haya investigado de modo sistemático.

«Many godfearing men, who had nothing to gain by deception, testified on their death-beds to the truth of alchemy.» — Lapidus apela al testimonio de lecho de muerte de hombres temerosos de Dios que nada ganaban con engañar.

«Moreover, they confirmed that they had completed the work more than once themselves and furthermore that anyone could do it, at any time and anywhere, at very little cost.» — y precisa qué declararon esos testigos: haber completado la obra más de una vez, y que cualquiera puede hacerla, en cualquier momento y lugar, a muy bajo costo.

«They also wrote that, because of its simplicity, fools would ridicule the art, were the materials and processes to become known.» — Lapidus explica el ocultamiento por la simplicidad misma: los adeptos preveían que los necios ridiculizarían el arte si materiales y procesos se hicieran públicos.

«It is generally imagined by those who are rather vague about the subject that alchemy has some connection with occultism, yoga or witchcraft, and possibly magical practices; and booksellers quite often group alchemical books with these subjects together on their bookshelves.» — Lapidus señala la confusión corriente que emparenta la alquimia con el ocultismo, el yoga, la brujería y la magia, y la atribuye también al modo en que los libreros agrupan los títulos en el anaquel.

«To suppose this is to make nonsense of all alchemical writings, for it is a purely chemical knowledge.» — y objeta esa lectura con el argumento más fuerte del libro: suponerla vuelve sinsentido todos los escritos alquímicos, porque se trata de un saber puramente químico.

«It is well known that the art has been equated with religious or psychological ideas by some people who have failed to understand the treatises, and still persist in trying to read these meanings into the writings.» — Lapidus atribuye la equiparación del arte con ideas religiosas o psicológicas a quienes no entendieron los tratados y siguen leyendo esos sentidos en ellos.

«"Our principles know it is but one, and that is in metals. Even those metals which you may buy commonly, the best of them; you must be a master and not just a scholar, namely as it is wisely said in Norton: 'To know how to destroy their whole composition, that some of their components may help in the conclusion'."» — pasaje de *Ripley Revived* que Lapidus cita en la introducción: la materia es una y está en los metales, y dentro de él una cita de segundo grado atribuida a Norton sobre destruir la composición entera para que algunos de sus componentes sirvan al fin.

«Take good notice of what was said by Norton in 1678 in the above quotation from Ripley Revived.» — Lapidus fecha en 1678 la cita anterior y la adjudica a Norton dentro de *Ripley Revived*; la bibliografía final data ese título en el mismo año pero lo pone bajo Eirenaeus Philalethes, de modo que la obra se atribuye a dos manos distintas en dos planas distintas y aquí no se arbitra.

«"This is according to nature, and it is the true ground of all generation, for out of kind, nothing doth engender; a man begetteth a man, not a lion» — segunda cita de *Ripley Revived*: la generación no sale de género ajeno, y el hombre engendra hombre y no león.

«nor doth a lion beget a sheep; a rose does not beget a thorn, nor a nettle a gilliflower» — continuación de la misma serie de ejemplos del tratado citado, con el león, la rosa y la ortiga.

«but it is so plain a thing, that I need say no more, and leave it as the foundation stone on which you shall build whatever you intend.» — y su cierre, que el tratado citado ofrece como piedra fundacional de todo lo que el lector emprenda.

«Several metals are mentioned in alchemical works, with a number of names attached to them, planetary and otherwise, of which the planetary were in most common use. Here they are given so that they may be recognised later on.» — Lapidus anuncia la tabla de nombres planetarios de los metales y declara para qué la pone: para que el lector los reconozca más adelante.

«Gold Sol, sun, the greater luminary, the king. Silver Moon, luna, the lesser luminary, the queen. Copper Venus. Lead Saturn. Tin Jupiter. Iron Mars. Mercury Quicksilver, metalline water.» — la tabla misma de correspondencias metal-planeta que abre el libro; el troceo colapsa la disposición en columnas y las dos voces del par quedan seguidas en una sola línea.

«There is one other metal which is not very common and which will be discussed later in this book, namely Antimony.» — Lapidus reserva desde la introducción el lugar del antimonio, el metal fuera de la serie planetaria que el libro tratará después y sobre el que descansa toda su práctica.

«That which has been outlined in this introduction has been beautifully summed up in the opening paragraph to the treatise attributed to Hermes entitled The Golden Tract included in the composite book known as the Hermetic Museum first published in 1678.» — Lapidus remite el resumen de su introducción al párrafo inicial del *Golden Tract*, tratado que atribuye a Hermes y que sitúa dentro del Hermetic Museum, fechado en 1678.

«"Ancient as well as modern philosophers, most beloved reader, and devoted seeker after true wisdom, when through the Grace of God they reached the goal of their desires, have endeavoured to make their discovery known to their fellow inquirers in all parts of the world» — arranque del *Golden Tract* según lo reproduce el volumen: los filósofos antiguos y modernos que alcanzaron su meta quisieron darla a conocer a los demás buscadores del mundo entero. El tramo se corta aquí porque el impreso parte *world-not* con guion de fin de renglón.

«not only because they wished to inform them that the thrice great and good God had enlightened their minds, blessed the labour of their hands, and shown to them the greatest and most profound secret of earthly wisdom (for which benefit all praise, honour and glory are justly due to Him) but also that they might afford assistance to beginners in the art, by which they too might attain to the knowledge of this most holy mystery.» — continuación del mismo tratado, con los dos motivos que declara: dar noticia de que Dios les alumbró el entendimiento y prestar auxilio a los principiantes del arte.

«Such men there have been in all countries; among the Egyptians, Hermes Trismegistus holds the highest place; then come Chal deans, Greeks, Arabs, Italians, Gauls, Englishmen, Dutchmen, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, Hungarians, Hebrews and many others.» — lista de naciones del *Golden Tract*, con Hermes Trismegisto en el lugar más alto entre los egipcios; el troceo imprime *Chal deans* partido, por Chaldeans.

«Though the aforementioned sages wrote in different times, and in different languages, yet their works exhibit so marvellous an agreement, that any true philosopher may easily see that all their hearts have been gladdened by God in the discovery of this stone, and that they all had performed this work with their own hands.» — argumento de concordancia del mismo tratado: escribieron en tiempos y lenguas distintas y aun así sus obras concuerdan, señal de que todos hicieron la obra con sus propias manos.

«Now, as the truth of their views is perceived by their agreement, so the disagreement of certain others marks them as false philosophers.» — y su reverso, en el mismo pasaje: el desacuerdo de otros los marca como falsos filósofos.

«For not knowing the foundation of this glorious art, and making up fanciful theories out of their own minds, they exhibit their ignorance to all» — cierre del pasaje del *Golden Tract*, que atribuye a los falsos el urdir teorías fantasiosas por desconocer el fundamento del arte.

«So much has been written about alchemy during past centuries that everything possible that could have been said about the subject has been reiterated again and again in a multitude of ways.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo primero, *The Confusion of Alchemy*, con la premisa de que ya se dijo todo lo decible sobre el arte, reiterado de mil maneras.

«Therefore it is not surprising that this has resulted in the complete secret art being exposed many times over, although of course never in any one treatise.» — y de ahí deriva su tesis de método: el secreto entero quedó expuesto muchas veces, pero nunca dentro de un solo tratado.

«Infact, some adepts in alchemy have written so many treatises that, from these alone, one may gather the whole secret if their works are properly pieced together in an orderly fashion.» — Lapidus sostiene que hay adeptos cuya obra completa basta para reunir el secreto si se ordenan sus piezas; el troceo imprime *Infact* pegado.

«But only with experiment may one find enough clues in one author's writings to build up a complete picture, cast out the blinds and pit falls, and realise that, after all, the art is not so difficult.» — y pone la condición que separa su libro de los comentarios eruditos: solo con experimento se juntan las pistas suficientes, se descartan los engaños y se ve que el arte no es tan difícil.

«Although spread chaotically over thousands of volumes, it will indeed emerge that in one page only in a book, the whole theory and practice of the art of alchemy could lie revealed.» — Lapidus reduce el arte a una sola plana escondida en algún libro: toda la teoría y la práctica podrían estar en ella, dispersas de manera caótica entre miles de volúmenes.

«Notwithstanding, the reader is warned against haphazard reading of alchemical books, for this will lead to mental confusion, and finally desperation of ever learning anything.» — Lapidus advierte contra la lectura desordenada de libros de alquimia, que lleva a la confusión mental y a desesperar de aprender nada.

«One tends to read voraciously any alchemical book that comes to hand.» — y nombra la tentación propia del investigador ya metido en el asunto: leer con voracidad cualquier libro que caiga en las manos.

«This one book, closely studied, is however all that is necessary for practical experiment.» — frente a esa voracidad, Lapidus prescribe lo contrario: un solo libro estudiado de cerca basta para el experimento práctico.

«Every treatise on alchemy is so artfully written that at every reading a different conception arises in the mind: what seemed so clear and helpful yesterday will seem an utter misconception tomorrow and thus it often transpires that a correct understanding is replaced by an error.» — Lapidus describe el efecto de la escritura alquímica sobre el lector: en cada relectura nace una idea distinta, y lo que ayer parecía claro mañana parece un despropósito, de modo que una comprensión correcta queda sustituida por un error.

«A well-known modern scientist who had actually written books on alchemy which were mainly quotations and commentary, albeit in fragmentary form, when asked by the present author why he had not experimented himself, sadly remarked, "If I only knew what materials to take in hand to commence with, I would gladly do so.» — Lapidus cuenta un intercambio propio con un científico moderno, autor de libros de alquimia hechos de citas y comentario, que al ser preguntado por qué no experimentaba respondió que lo haría de saber con qué materiales empezar. La primera persona es del libro —*the present author*— y el volumen no dice si es Lapidus o Skinner.

«The books by this author are now on library shelves along with many others, all filled with quotations and commentary which lead the readers nowhere, since the modern authors know nothing of practical alchemy.» — y de ahí su objeción a la bibliografía moderna: son libros de citas y comentario que no llevan al lector a ninguna parte, porque sus autores no saben de alquimia práctica.

«The metallurgist's outlook on metals differs greatly from the alchemist's view. The latter looks upon metals as living things while they are still unmade into some permanent form, in just the same manner as a farmer will look upon corn before it is made into bread Both contain the seed of growth.» — Lapidus separa la mirada del metalúrgico de la del alquimista: para el segundo los metales son cosas vivas mientras no se les dé forma permanente, como el grano antes de hacerse pan. El troceo omite el punto tras *bread*.

«The farmer knows the differing conditions by which plants may be made to multiply, and the alchemist likewise must know what treatment the metals demand from nature to give forth their special and characteristic result, and the virtues of the right metal needed to produce the Philosophers' Stone.» — y extiende el símil del labrador: así como este conoce las condiciones que multiplican la planta, el alquimista debe conocer qué trato pide el metal a la naturaleza y qué virtudes tiene el metal correcto para producir la piedra.

«Although the techniques of the old masters of alchemical science were not quite up to the standard of today's scientists, they were aware of many secrets that for the present are completely lost.» — Lapidus reconoce la inferioridad técnica de los viejos maestros frente a la ciencia de hoy y a la vez les atribuye secretos que por ahora están perdidos.

«Now to properly understand how the alchemist's mind worked, it's necessary to know that he believed that metals have a life of their own,» — Lapidus enuncia la premisa que hay que aceptar para entender cómo pensaba el alquimista: que los metales tienen vida propia, al par de animales y vegetales.

«This being so, since in every department of nature there is a constant progression of birth, growth and increase, this natural evolutionary law applies to metals as well.» — y de ahí extiende a los metales la ley de nacimiento, crecimiento y aumento que rige en todos los departamentos de la naturaleza.

«Alchemists maintain that nature does not stop at metals.» — Lapidus adjudica a los alquimistas la respuesta a su propia pregunta retórica de por qué habría de detenerse la naturaleza en los metales.

«The alchemist constantly reiterates the expression that what takes nature a thousand years, he can bring about in a very short time.» — Lapidus recoge el axioma más repetido del arte: lo que a la naturaleza le lleva mil años el alquimista lo hace en muy poco tiempo.

«Metals, they stated, were made from earth and water, but this water was a " dry water, which did not wet the hand ".» — y llega al primer escollo del libro: los metales se hacían de tierra y agua, pero de un agua seca que no moja la mano.

«Their dry water was not water so much as the vapour given off by metals and, this being hard to come by, was a secret so deeply hidden that men spent their whole lives experimenting without ever discovering it.» — Lapidus da su lectura del agua seca —no agua, sino el vapor que desprenden los metales— y la señala como el secreto en que se consumieron vidas enteras. Es la clave que su propia práctica desarrollará con el antimonio.

«The first work of the alchemist was to reduce the solids into liquid or water and, again, the water into solids. "Dissolve and coagulate" was the old axiom of alchemical practice.» — Lapidus reduce la primera obra al viejo axioma *solve et coagula*, aquí en su forma inglesa: sólidos a agua y agua a sólidos.

«Thus the artificer dissolved and congealed or coagulated, and mixed the atoms of various principles into one neutral matter, or third thing rarely mentioned, and when mentioned it was called mercury.» — y nombra el producto de esa alternancia: una materia neutra, un tercer término rara vez mencionado, al que cuando se menciona se le llama mercurio.

«This mercury disarmed everyone who thought it was just ordinary mercury.» — con la trampa que trae el nombre, según Lapidus: desarmó a todo el que lo tomó por mercurio común.

«All this work was carried out in a natural manner; no fires or furnaces like the metallurgist uses.» — Lapidus fija el régimen térmico del arte por vía negativa: nada de fuegos ni hornos como los del metalúrgico.

«The masters said of fire that it kills the life in metals even as corn made into bread is not fit for planting in the earth to grow again.» — y le da el fundamento que atribuye a los maestros: el fuego mata la vida del metal, como el grano hecho pan ya no sirve para sembrar.

«One point now must finally be made clear; alchemy does not mean the art of making gold or silver, or precious stones for that matter, since these latter are also possible by the same processes, for man cannot make or create anything that is nature's work.» — Lapidus niega que la alquimia sea el arte de hacer oro, plata o piedras preciosas, porque el hombre no puede hacer ni crear nada que sea obra de la naturaleza.

«What man may do, provided he has the requisite knowledge, is to change things from one form into another, but not out of their genus, which is quite a different matter.» — y acota qué sí puede el hombre: cambiar las cosas de una forma a otra, pero no sacarlas de su género.

«Likewise, he can only produce gold and silver by transmuting other metals into these, and the "know-how" is known as alchemy.» — con lo que define la alquimia como el saber hacer de la transmutación de otros metales en oro y plata, y no como una creación.

«As for the Elixir of Life, conferring immortality is the prerogative of God alone, but to quote from an old book:» — Lapidus reserva la inmortalidad a Dios y, hecha esa salvedad, cede la palabra a un libro antiguo que no nombra.

«"By virtue of this quintessence, Artephius testifieth that he lived above a thousand years; Flamel also recordeth it, that it triumptheth over all the miseries of the world, Laznioro is more bold, and saith, that if in the agonies of death, a man should taste but a grain of it, all mortal pestilence would depart from him."» — el pasaje citado, con tres testimonios encadenados sobre la quintaesencia: Artephius diciendo haber vivido más de mil años, Flamel registrando que triunfa sobre todas las miserias del mundo y Laznioro sosteniendo que un grano en agonía aparta toda pestilencia mortal. Los tres nombres van tal cual los imprime la plana, *triumptheth* y *Laznioro* incluidos.

«As already pointed out, the first difficulty to be met with in alchemical writings has always been the multiplicity of names for most items, purposely invented to mislead.» — Lapidus vuelve sobre la primera dificultad del género: la multiplicidad de nombres para una misma cosa, inventada a propósito para despistar.

«They say it is a metal, water, vinegar; at different times, blood and blood red, milk and milky white like cream, silvery, clear, or opaque.» — la serie de descripciones contradictorias que Lapidus reúne bajo el nombre de mercurio: metal, agua, vinagre, sangre, leche, plateado, claro u opaco.

«Were they being deliberately misleading, or were all these descriptions the truth? No wonder their child's play became a great mystery!» — Lapidus plantea la disyuntiva sin cerrarla de inmediato: engaño deliberado o descripciones todas verdaderas.

«In fact, each of these names could describe what the matter in the flask appeared like during the processes that took place at various stages of the alchemical process.» — y resuelve por la segunda vía: cada nombre describe el aspecto que toma la materia en el matraz en una etapa distinta del proceso.

«Their mercury, they warn, must be prepared and is permanently fixed, not to be separated from any metal once it is joined to it.» — Lapidus da los dos rasgos con que los adeptos distinguen su mercurio: ha de ser preparado y queda fijado de modo permanente, sin separarse ya del metal al que se une.

«Ordinary or vulgar mercury, as they term it, will however volatilise or run out of amalgams when heat is applied.» — frente a él, el mercurio vulgar se volatiliza o se escurre de las amalgamas al aplicar calor.

«Thus we must conclude that although vulgar mercury fits their description perfectly, yet it would be an error to use this.» — y de esa diferencia saca Lapidus la conclusión práctica: aunque el mercurio vulgar encaje con la descripción, usarlo sería un error.

«There is another important item of which to take note. When the alchemists speak of "Our Gold" or "Our Mercury" or "Philosopher's Mercury", they are really speaking of metals that they have processed as, for example, corn made into flour, might be termed "Our Corn", thus indicating that the item referred to was not in its original state,» — Lapidus explica el posesivo de los alquimistas —*our gold*, *our mercury*— como marca de que la cosa ya pasó por proceso, con el símil del grano hecho harina.

«If all this seems complicated, the reader may be assured that it is not so; patience and perseverence are all that are needed and everything will fall into place and become clear.» — Lapidus tranquiliza al lector: bastan paciencia y perseverancia para que todo caiga en su sitio.

«Skimming over anything, or turning to the end pages will not help at all, for like any other science, alchemy demands careful study, and a careful grasp of what is explained.» — y niega el atajo: hojear o irse a las últimas planas no sirve, porque la alquimia pide estudio cuidadoso como cualquier otra ciencia.

«These preliminary explanations will later make every thing clearer, and the determined alchemist will save many long years of wasteful experiments, and money.» — Lapidus declara lo que su libro promete ahorrar a quien lo siga: años de experimentos inútiles y dinero.

«we would like to present the explanatory treatise by Philalethes entitled A Brief Guide to the Celestial Ruby. It may further help the reader to grasp the import of what follows in the rest of the book.» — Lapidus anuncia el primer texto ajeno que reproduce, *A Brief Guide to the Celestial Ruby* de Philalethes, y dice para qué lo pone: para que el lector capte lo que sigue en el resto del libro.

«A Brief Guide is one of many treatises to be found in the Hermetic Museum published in 1678 in two volumes.» — Lapidus sitúa ese tratado dentro del Hermetic Museum y fecha la compilación en 1678, en dos volúmenes.

«republished in facsimile in 1893,1953 and 1973; and there the reader will find the treatise in full.» — Lapidus remite al lector a las tres reimpresiones facsimilares del Hermetic Museum que registra —1893, 1953 y 1973—, donde encontrará el tratado completo. El tramo arranca aquí porque el impreso parte *have-been* con guion de fin de renglón.

«"The Philosophers' Stone is a certain heavenly, spiritual, penetrative, and fixed substance, which brings all metals to the perfection of gold and silver, and that by natural methods, which yet in their effects transcend nature.» — definición con que abre el *Brief Guide* de Philalethes según lo reproduce el volumen: sustancia celeste, espiritual, penetrante y fija, que lleva todos los metales a la perfección del oro y la plata por métodos naturales cuyos efectos exceden a la naturaleza.

«"It is prepared from one substance, of which the art of chemistry is conversant, to which nothing is added, and from which nothing is taken away, except that its superfluities are removed. [The superfluities are a useless sediment.]» — y su regla de una sola sustancia, a la que nada se añade y nada se quita salvo lo superfluo. El corchete final —que explica lo superfluo como sedimento inútil— es una interpolación puesta dentro del tratado citado y sin firma: la portada anuncia *Additions and Extractions* de Skinner, pero el volumen no marca cuáles son.

«"No one will question the utility of our art, if he believes that it enables us to transmute base metals into gold. That base metals are capable of such transmutation, is clear; nature has destined them all to become gold, but they have not been properly matured.» — Philalethes funda la utilidad del arte en la transmutación y en una premisa de maduración: la naturaleza destinó todos los metales viles a ser oro y no acabaron de madurar.

«If then that which hinders their perfect digestion be removed, they will all become gold; for crude, cold, and moist mercury is the common first substance of gold as well as of other metals.» — de donde el mismo tratado saca su consecuencia: quitado lo que estorba la digestión perfecta, todos se harán oro, porque el mercurio crudo, frío y húmedo es la primera sustancia común del oro y de los demás metales.

«Hence all other metals may be perfected into gold by the aid of our art, which being projected upon imperfect metals, has power to quicken the maturing process by as much as itself exceeds the standard maturity of gold.» — y define la acción de la piedra proyectada como una aceleración de la maduración, proporcional a cuánto excede ella misma la madurez propia del oro.

«How potent then must be the spiritual nature of our stone, which can effect more in one hour by a bare projection than nature in the course of the ages.» — cierre de ese argumento en el tratado de Philalethes: la potencia de la naturaleza espiritual de la piedra se mide porque hace en una hora, por sola proyección, más que la naturaleza en el curso de las edades.

«"If that substance which nature supplies be taken in hand by art, dissolved, coagulated and digested, its perfection is increased from a monadic to a denary virtue; by repeating the same process, it is increased a hundred-fold, and then a thousand-fold, etc.» — Philalethes describe la multiplicación en el *Brief Guide*: la sustancia que da la naturaleza, disuelta, coagulada y digerida, pasa de virtud monádica a denaria, y repitiendo el proceso a céntupla y a milésima.

«This wonderful medicine penetrates each smallest part of the base metal in proportion of 1 to 1000, and tinges them through and through with its noble nature.» — y fija la proporción de la medicina sobre el metal vil, uno a mil, tiñéndolo de parte a parte con su naturaleza noble.

«A reproach is sometimes levelled at our art, as though it claimed the power of creating gold; every attentive reader will know that it only arrogates to itself the power of developing through the removal of all defects and superfluities, the golden nature, which the baser metals possess in common with that highly digested metalline substance.» — Philalethes niega el reproche de que el arte pretenda crear oro: solo se arroga desarrollar, quitando defectos y superfluidades, la naturaleza áurea que los metales viles ya tienen en común con la sustancia metálica muy digerida.

«"Those foolish people who seek for the substance of our stone outside the domain of metals will never arrive at any satisfactory conclusion.» — y acota el lugar donde buscar: quien busque la sustancia de la piedra fuera del dominio de los metales no llegará a conclusión alguna.

«For as a lion is always born of a lion and a man of a man, so all things owe their birth to that which they are like.» — con el argumento de semejanza que el mismo tratado da como razón: el león nace de león y el hombre de hombre, y todo debe su nacimiento a lo que se le parece.

«Thus you see that the stone which is to be the transformer of metals into gold must be sought in the precious metals, in which it is enclosed and contained.» — de donde Philalethes sitúa la piedra dentro de los metales preciosos, encerrada y contenida en ellos.

«It is called a stone by virtue of its fixed nature, and it resists the action of the fire as successfully as any stone.» — y explica el nombre de piedra por su naturaleza fija y por resistir al fuego con el mismo éxito que cualquier piedra.

«In species, it is gold, more pure than the purest; it is fixed and incombustible like a stone, but its appearance is that of a very fine powder, impalpable to the touch, fragment as to smell, in potency a most penetrative spirit, apparently dry, and yet unctuous, and easily capable of tingeing a plate of metal.» — descripción sensible de la piedra en el mismo tratado: oro en especie, más puro que el más puro, fijo e incombustible, con apariencia de polvo finísimo, impalpable, aparentemente seco y sin embargo untuoso.

«"How is this stone to be obtained? It does not exist in nature, but has to be prepared by art, in obedience to nature's law.» — Philalethes responde a su propia pregunta con una negación y un límite: la piedra no existe en la naturaleza y hay que prepararla por arte, en obediencia a la ley natural.

«Its substance is in metals, but in form it differs widely from them; and in this sense, the metals are not our stone.» — y distingue sustancia de forma: la sustancia está en los metales, la forma difiere mucho, y en ese sentido los metales no son la piedra.

«It is necessary then to reduce metallic bodies to their homogeneous water which does not wet the hands, and that from this water there may be generated a new metallic species, which is nobler by far than any existing metal, viz., our Celestial Ruby.» — con lo que el tratado formula su operación central: reducir los cuerpos metálicos a su agua homogénea que no moja las manos y engendrar de ella una especie metálica nueva, el rubí celeste que da título a la pieza.

«"The whole process which we employ closely resembles that followed by nature in the bowels of the earth, except that it is much shorter.» — Philalethes describe el arte como imitación abreviada del trabajo subterráneo de la naturaleza.

«Nature produces the metals out of cold and humid mercury, and by assiduous digestion; our art takes the same crude and humid mercury, and conjoins it with mature gold, by a secret artifice; the mixture represents a new and far more potent mercury which by digestion, becomes not common gold, but one more noble, which can transmute imperfect metals into pure gold.» — y da el paso en que el arte se aparta de ella: conjuntar por artificio secreto el mercurio crudo y húmedo con oro maduro, para obtener un mercurio nuevo y más potente.

«"Thus you see though our stone is made of gold alone, yet it is not common gold; the latter must be dissolved in our mineral water which does not wet the hands; this water is mercury, extracted from the red servant, and is capable of accomplishing our work without any further trouble.» — el mismo tratado insiste en que su oro no es el oro común y nombra el disolvente: el agua mineral que no moja las manos, mercurio extraído del *red servant*.

«It is the one true natural first substance, to which nothing is added, and from which nothing is subtracted, except certain superfluities, which however it will cast off without any aid by its own inherent vital action.» — y repite la regla de la sustancia única, que expulsa lo superfluo por su propia acción vital sin ayuda de nadie.

«"Consider these signs, that which dissolves is spirit; that which coagulates is body. A body cannot enter a body so as to cause dissolution, but a spirit can enter it, attenuate, and clarify it.» — Philalethes da el signo con que se reconoce cada cosa: lo que disuelve es espíritu, lo que coagula es cuerpo, y un cuerpo no puede entrar en otro cuerpo mientras que un espíritu sí.

«For every agent has a tendency to assimilate to itself that which it acts upon, and every natural effect is conformed to the nature of the efficient; hence water is necessary if you would extract water from earth.» — y funda esa regla en la asimilación del paciente al agente: por eso hace falta agua si se quiere extraer agua de la tierra.

«" When I speak of water, I do not mean aquafortis, or any other corrosive whatsoever, for these waters, instead of dissolving metal only corrode, mar, and corrupt them, without destroying their old form to which task they are insufficient, as they are not of a metallic nature.» — el tratado excluye expresamente el agua fuerte y todo corrosivo, porque corroen y corrompen el metal sin destruir su forma vieja, al no ser de naturaleza metálica.

«No, our water is the water of mercury, which dissolves homogeneous metallic bodies, and mingles with them in indissoluble union, abides with them, is digested with them, and together with them become the spiritual whole which we seek.» — y define por contraste la propia: agua de mercurio que disuelve cuerpos metálicos homogéneos, se une a ellos de modo indisoluble y se digiere con ellos hasta el todo espiritual buscado.

«For everything which dissolves a substance naturally, still preserving the specific properties of the thing dissolved, becomes one with it, coalesces with it, and is thickened by it, thus nourishing it; as we see in the case of a grain of wheat, which when dissolved by the humid earthy vapour, thereby takes up that vapour as its radical moisture, and grows together with it into a plant.» — con el símil del grano de trigo disuelto por el vapor húmedo de la tierra, que lo toma como humedad radical y crece con él en planta.

«"Common gold, if mixed with common mercury, or anything except its own essential, is not dissolved, because such waters are too crude, cold and impure; for which reason, being utterly unlike gold, they cannot amalgamate with it, or attain with it to a far nobler degree of development.» — Philalethes explica por qué el oro común no se disuelve en aguas ajenas a su esencia: son demasiado crudas, frías e impuras, y por desemejanza no amalgaman con él.

«Our mercury, indeed, is cold and unmatured, in comparison with gold, but it is pure hot and well digested in respect of common mercury, which resembles it only in whiteness and fluxibility.» — y sitúa su mercurio en un punto medio: frío e inmaduro frente al oro, puro, caliente y bien digerido frente al mercurio común, con el que solo comparte blancura y fluidez.

«Our mercury is in fact a pure water, clean, clear, bright, and resplendent, worthy of all admiration.» — con el elogio que cierra la descripción: agua pura, limpia, clara, brillante y resplandeciente.

«"Our stone is produced from one thing, and four mercurial substances, of which one is mature; the others pure but crude, two of them being extracted in a wonderful manner from their ore by means of the third.» — Philalethes da la receta en cifra: una cosa y cuatro sustancias mercuriales, una madura y las otras puras pero crudas, dos de ellas extraídas de su mena por medio de la tercera. Es el pasaje que Lapidus recapitula enseguida como el secreto del primer proceso.

«The four are amalgamated by the intention of a gentle fire, and there subjected to coction day by day, until all become one by natural, and not manual conjunction.» — y prescribe la amalgama por fuego suave y cocción diaria hasta que todo sea uno por conjunción natural y no manual.

«"Afterwards the fire being changed, these volatile substances should be fixed and digested by means of heat which becomes a little more powerful every day, (i.e., by means of fixed and incombustible sulphur of the same genus) until the whole compound attains to the same essence, fixity and colour.» — con el cambio de régimen que sigue: fijar y digerir lo volátil con calor algo mayor cada día, hasta que el compuesto entero alcance una misma esencia, fijeza y color.

«"There are many degrees or phases of this our process, which I may describe as follows. The first is calcination. Calcination is the first purgation of the stone, the drying up of its humours, through its natural heat, which is stirred into vital action by the eternal heat of water, whereby the compound is converted into a black powder, which is yet unctuous and retains its radical humour.» — Philalethes nombra la primera fase, la calcinación, como purgación inicial de la piedra que convierte el compuesto en polvo negro todavía untuoso, con su humor radical conservado.

«This calcination is performed for the purpose of rendering the substance viscous, spongy, and more especially penetratable; for gold in itself is highly fixed, and difficult of solution even in our water, but through this calcination, it becomes soft and white, and we observe it in its two natures, the fixed and the volatile, which we liken to two serpents.» — y declara su finalidad: volver la sustancia viscosa, esponjosa y penetrable, hasta observarla en sus dos naturalezas, la fija y la volátil, que el tratado compara con dos serpientes.

«" When the substances are first mixed, they are at enmity with each other, by reason of their contrary qualities, for there is the heat and dryness of the sulphur fiercely contending with the» — el tratado describe la enemistad inicial de los componentes por sus cualidades contrarias, con el calor y la sequedad del azufre contra el frío y la humedad del mercurio; el tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«They can only be reconciled in a medium which partakes of both natures, and the medium in which heat and cold are reconciled is dryness which can co-exist with both.» — y da el medio en que se reconcilian calor y frío: la sequedad, que puede coexistir con ambos.

«Thus cold and heat are brought to dwell peaceably together in the dryness of the earth, and the dryness and the moisture in the coldness of the water.» — con el reparto que sigue en el mismo pasaje: frío y calor conviven en la sequedad de la tierra, sequedad y humedad en la frialdad del agua.

«"Calcination then is the beginning of the work, and without it there can be neither peaceable commixtion, nor proper union.» — Philalethes hace de la calcinación el comienzo mismo de la obra, sin el cual no hay mezcla pacífica ni unión propia.

«The first dealbation reduces the substance to its two principles, sulphur and mercury; the first of which is fixed, while the other is volatile.» — y describe la primera dealbación como la reducción de la sustancia a sus dos principios, azufre fijo y mercurio volátil.

«They are compared to two serpents, the fixed substance to a serpent without wings, and the volatile substance to a serpent with wings.» — con la imagen que el tratado adopta: la serpiente sin alas para lo fijo y la alada para lo volátil.

«One serpent holds in his mouth the tail of the other, to show that they are indissolubly conjoined by community of birth and destiny, and that our art is accomplished by the joint working of this mercurial sulphur, and sulphureous mercury.» — y lo que la mordedura recíproca significa en su lectura: que están conjuntas de modo indisoluble por comunidad de nacimiento y destino, y que el arte se hace por el obrar conjunto de azufre mercurial y mercurio sulfúreo.

«Hence the whole compound is at this stage called 'Rebis', because they are two substances, but only one essence. They are not really two, but one and the same thing."» — cierre del extracto de Philalethes: el compuesto se llama en esta etapa Rebis por ser dos sustancias y una sola esencia, y el tratado remata que no son en realidad dos sino una misma cosa.

«Here you have another straightforward account of the first process of alchemy leading on to the beginning of the second.» — Lapidus retoma la palabra y clasifica el extracto: otra exposición llana del primer proceso que enlaza con el comienzo del segundo.

«This is all the present author intends to present of the Brief Guide, for to give more at this juncture is but to lead to confusion.» — y declara por qué corta ahí el tratado ajeno: dar más en ese punto solo llevaría a confusión. El sujeto es *the present author*, fórmula que el volumen usa sin decir si nombra a Lapidus o al editor anunciado en la portada.

«There is a good deal more, but its involved nature, much of which is padding, is best left alone until one is more advanced.» — y califica lo que deja fuera del *Brief Guide*: mucho más material, enredado y en buena parte relleno, que conviene dejar para cuando el lector esté más avanzado.

«Perhaps it would help to recapitulate what has been said in the above work. Understand then that the alchemist takes four mercurial substances, namely four metals, as these are all alleged to have mercury as their base, and he reduces them to their two fundamental principles.» — Lapidus traduce la cifra del tratado a operación: el alquimista toma cuatro sustancias mercuriales, es decir cuatro metales, por tener todos mercurio por base, y los reduce a sus dos principios fundamentales.

«In other words, we gather that most important secret that the end of the first process delivers into our hands two products made from the chaos or mixture of the four, and these are named sulphur and mercury.» — y nombra el resultado del primer proceso: dos productos sacados del caos o mezcla de los cuatro, llamados azufre y mercurio.

«Take good notice now that really we have only one mass of matter, which may be easily divided into two, the sulphur and the mercury.» — con la salvedad que Lapidus subraya: en realidad hay una sola masa de materia, divisible en esas dos.

«This sulphur and mercury are the elements with which all the books of the philosophers busy themselves. In the above Brief Guide it is revealed to the reader that here we have the "Rebis" or two things, so often mentioned, and we are also introduced to the two serpents constantly met with in the writings of the adepts.» — Lapidus señala que ese par es aquello de que se ocupan todos los libros de los filósofos, y remite al Rebis y a las dos serpientes que el extracto acaba de presentar.

«More than this, they are often referred to as "our gold and silver"; the latter is also termed "our mercury" because basically the sulphur is red in colour, and the mercury white; they are also called the red man and his white wife.» — y da la clave de lectura de los nombres: el azufre es rojo y el mercurio blanco, de donde el hombre rojo y su mujer blanca que dan título al capítulo séptimo.

«Other names include Sun and Moon, king and queen, earth and water, male and female, and a few animals' names besides. Be ready therefore to recognise this pair whenever they are met with in alchemical literature.» — Lapidus cierra la lista de sinónimos del par —sol y luna, rey y reina, tierra y agua, macho y hembra, y algunos nombres de animales— y pide al lector reconocerlo dondequiera que aparezca.

«To a great extent we have now cleared the ground of a good many blinds, stumbling blocks and misconceptions. This will bear fruit when we come to examine a complete treatise on the art of alchemy.» — con lo que Lapidus cierra el capítulo primero declarando despejado el terreno de engaños y escollos, antes de pasar al examen de un tratado completo.

«The time has come to provide a few hints for experiments and research work in the art of alchemy.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo segundo, *Sophic Fire*, anunciando el paso de la teoría a las indicaciones de experimento e investigación.

«The student is here warned not to undervalue the information that is being revealed, nor to imagine that the explanations now given are of little account.» — y advierte al estudiante que no tenga por poca cosa lo que se le está revelando.

«A wrong move may lead to anxious months of waiting for something which will never happen to take place.» — porque un paso en falso, según Lapidus, cuesta meses de espera ansiosa por algo que nunca ocurrirá.

«The farmer might just as well wait for crops that will never emerge from the ground.» — con el símil agrícola que el libro repite: sería como el labrador esperando cosechas que no van a brotar.

«The prize is indeed fabulous, so the experimenter should not expect to find recipes as from a cookery book.» — Lapidus acota lo que su libro no da: recetas de libro de cocina, por fabuloso que sea el premio.

«This is not said facetiously, but purposely, because it has often been told that the whole art consists of first cooking, and later roasting; and this fact appears quite true.» — y sin embargo recoge la fórmula corriente de que todo el arte consiste en cocer primero y asar después, que da por bastante cierta.

«To commence it is necessary to become acquainted with the following factors, each of which will be elucidated as we proceed.» — Lapidus anuncia la lista de factores que el resto del libro irá elucidando.

«(a) The principles or metals necessary to take in hand. (b) The proportions of the ingredients which form the compounds. (c) The kind of heating apparatus suitable for continuous use. (d) The necessary vessels, their sizes and shapes. (e) The correct temperatures to follow in the working. (f) The periods of time during which to expect changes to take place. (g) The colours and signs to be expected at each stage.» — la lista misma, en siete incisos: metales, proporciones, aparato de calentamiento, vasos, temperaturas, tiempos y colores. Es el índice de la parte práctica del volumen.

«First it is advisable for the novice to try to gain some modern knowledge of metallurgy.» — Lapidus prescribe al novato lo primero, y es de manual moderno: adquirir conocimientos de metalurgia.

«With the aid of a simple textbook on the subject of metals, he can become acquainted with their characteristics (with which one has to work) and how they react to one another. One should know the colours they give off when wet and dry, their weight density and melting points, and how they agree or disagree when amalgamated with one another.» — y detalla qué debe saber de los metales —colores en húmedo y en seco, densidad, puntos de fusión y cómo se avienen al amalgamarse—, con lo que ancla la práctica del libro en la química de su tiempo.

«Three are essential; and these are the salt, sulphur and mercury-or the secret fire, sulphur and mercury.» — Lapidus responde al primer inciso de su lista y nombra los tres principios en dos formulaciones equivalentes, poniendo *secret fire* en el lugar de la sal.

«Gold or silver is the sulphur, mercury is prepared from antimony and iron, or a regulus of these two.» — y traduce los tres a materiales concretos, que es lo que distingue a este libro de los tratados que examina: oro o plata por azufre, y mercurio preparado a partir de antimonio y hierro o de un régulo de los dos.

«The secret fire might be the name given to the mercury when prepared, or might be a kind of water which acts as a catalyst.» — Lapidus da dos lecturas del fuego secreto sin escoger entre ellas: el nombre del mercurio ya preparado, o una especie de agua que obra de catalizador.

«These two names are always purposely mixed up, that is, one often being named for the other so that mistakes may be made, but in truth they are two different things.» — y señala la confusión deliberada entre ambos nombres en los tratados, sosteniendo que en verdad son dos cosas distintas.

«The secret fire which might be termed the fiery water dissolves the metals; this latter is a salt nitrate, often termed vinegar, to be found everywhere, easily, and never valued; yet never mentioned in any alchemical treatise by name.» — Lapidus identifica el fuego secreto o agua ígnea con un nitrato salino al que se llama vinagre, hallable en todas partes, fácil, nunca valorado y jamás nombrado por su nombre en tratado alguno.

«(A natural product found everywhere and in everything.)» — y el paréntesis con que cierra el punto, que insiste en su ubicuidad sin nombrarlo. El volumen mantiene la reticencia justo donde promete claridad.

«"From The Marrow of Alchemy by Philalethes: "Take of the red man one (iron); of the white wife three (antimony); and mix (which is a good proportion); then of the water four let there be . . . The mixture is our lead, which unto motion will be moved by a most gentle heat, which . . . This makes the regulus and will produce the mercury; and with the same proportion, add one part gold, which is the sulphur."» — receta de proporciones que Lapidus toma de *The Marrow of Alchemy* de Philalethes, con los corchetes que identifican al hombre rojo con el hierro y a la mujer blanca con el antimonio; el volumen no dice de quién son esos corchetes.

«Do not add the sulphur until the regulus is made.» — Lapidus añade por su cuenta la advertencia de orden: el azufre no entra hasta que el régulo esté hecho.

«A modern electrical hot-plate, with thermometer, and thermostat (one which must be reliable, for the fire must never go out from start to completion, through many months of watching). A hot-plate which will continue to function correctly when left for many days; and one on which the temperature may be raised as the processes are passed through. Heat used to start from 100°F. to 300°F. plus.» — Lapidus especifica el aparato de calentamiento —placa eléctrica con termómetro y termostato fiable, capaz de andar meses sin apagarse— y el rango de trabajo de 100 a más de 300 grados Fahrenheit.

«temperature is a great secret, as too cold may never achieve the desired objective, and too hot will spoil the work. Too hot drives all the liquid upward and the solid matter dries out for want of it.» — y hace de la temperatura el gran secreto: demasiado frío nunca llega al objetivo y demasiado caliente echa a perder la obra, porque empuja todo el líquido hacia arriba y deja secarse la materia sólida.

«Strong heat-resisting glass flasks with long necks, up to six inches. Glass retorts, scales, funnels, stone pestle and mortar and similar equipment used in modern chemistry.» — Lapidus lista los vasos: matraces de vidrio resistente de cuello largo, retortas, balanzas, embudos, mortero de piedra y demás equipo de la química moderna.

«The closures to flasks must be airtight and perfect, else all will fail. Use modern rubber bungs or the glass may explode with the rarefying liquid, as the rubber bung is forced out instead of the flask exploding.» — con la precaución que da la razón del tapón de hule: es el tapón el que salta y no el matraz el que revienta.

«Nature is simple in all her ways, and this art being a purely natural process, it is necessary that one holds in mind that everything that is carried out should be simple.» — Lapidus deriva su regla operativa de un principio sobre la naturaleza: siendo el arte proceso puramente natural, todo lo que se haga ha de ser simple.

«In this art, nature brings about all the changes herself, after the conditions have been set, exactly as the farmer grows his produce.» — y reparte el trabajo entre el operador y la naturaleza: puestas las condiciones, los cambios los hace ella, como con el labrador y su cosecha.

«Digesting or cooking is all that nature needs, and not the heat of a furnace, at least not until the stone is made.» — con lo que Lapidus excluye el calor de horno hasta que la piedra esté hecha: basta digerir o cocer.

«A furnace is required later, but that should not be used except for the transmutation in which metals are melted in a crucible, with the Philosopher's Stone, and changed into gold or silver.» — y acota el único empleo del horno: la transmutación, con los metales fundidos en crisol junto con la piedra.

«Otherwise it is only dissolving and coagulating, "opening and shutting" as the alchemists term it, and this is best carried out on a hot-plate.» — Lapidus repite el par abrir y cerrar como sinónimo alquímico de disolver y coagular, y lo remite a la placa caliente.

«These are doubtful, depending upon the correct heat, the proportions used, and other factors, but most adepts say forty-two days to the black stage, ninety days to the white stage, and five months to the red stage which signifies completion.» — Lapidus da los tiempos que atribuye a la mayoría de los adeptos, advirtiendo que son dudosos: cuarenta y dos días al negro, noventa al blanco y cinco meses al rojo, que señala la terminación.

«Sir George Ripley, Canon of Bridlington, who flourished in the days of Edward IV, wrote some books on the art, of which the chief one, a lengthy poem, was entitled The Twelve Gates of Alchemy.» — Lapidus presenta a Ripley como canónigo de Bridlington en tiempos de Eduardo IV y le adjudica el poema de las Doce Puertas como su obra principal.

«The titles of the gates taken altogether, give the whole secret and details of the working, from the beginning to completion.» — y sostiene que los títulos de las puertas, tomados en conjunto, dan el secreto entero y el detalle de la operación de principio a fin.

«Note however that nowhere is there given the names of any actual metals to be used in the art of alchemy!» — con la reserva que Lapidus añade de inmediato: en ninguna parte del poema se nombra metal alguno de los que el arte usa.

«1. Calcination Reducing the principles to atoms, but not by burning. 2. Dissolution Dissolving the metals, time and nature doing the work. 3. Separation Separating the light parts from the heavy parts. 4. Conjunction Joining the principles. Amalgamating the elements. 5. Putrefaction The first change to be seen. Blackness appearing. 6. Congealation» — primeras seis puertas con la glosa de una línea que el volumen da a cada una: calcinación, disolución, separación, conjunción, putrefacción y congelación. El tramo se corta en la sexta porque la lista cruza el cambio de plana.

«The liquidised matter congeals, or solidifies. 7. Cibation When the matter in the vessels appear dry, it is wetted again. 8. Sublimation Extraction by volatilisation or distillation. 9. Fermentation Adding the required precious metal as a yeast to empower the powder or stone to transmute. 10. Exaltation Raising the power or virtue enabling it to transmute. 11. Multiplation Raising the quantity and quality of the powder or stone. 12. Projection The work of transmutation into gold and silver.» — y las seis restantes, de la cibación a la proyección; el impreso escribe *Multiplation* por multiplicación, y así se conserva.

«If these twelve processes appear formidable to the beginner, remember the alchemists' saying, that it is "child's play and woman's work"!» — Lapidus desdramatiza la lista repitiendo la fórmula de los adeptos que ya había citado en la introducción.

«Much of the work is done by nature; we are also told that "there must be no laying on of hands", or moving the vessel, once the conditions are set.» — y añade la prohibición que gobierna toda la práctica del libro: puestas las condiciones, no ha de haber imposición de manos ni movimiento del vaso.

«Next, in order to mislead the student, some cunning adepts have denied that metals are the basic matter of the Philosophers' Stone. There must be no doubt at all on this point, for to make gold and silver from any other matter is absolutely senseless. This piece of guile has wasted the lives of many searchers.» — Lapidus objeta a los adeptos astutos que negaron que los metales sean la materia básica de la piedra, y les carga el costo: vidas enteras perdidas.

«Another difficulty has been the claim of some treatises that "one only thing" is the matter of the stone, while others claim any number up to seven. The reader is advised to ignore these quibbles.» — y desatiende la disputa sobre si la materia es una sola cosa o hasta siete, que califica de sutileza vana.

«Indeed when the stone is made, it all comes to one thing, and only three metals are used.» — con su propia respuesta: hecha la piedra todo viene a una sola cosa, y se usan tres metales.

«Finally, it is of the utmost importance to remember there are three stages or processes to pass through before the completion of the Philosophers' Stone.» — Lapidus fija en tres las etapas o procesos que hay que atravesar antes de terminar la piedra.

«Well, the answer is that processes are mentioned at various times, but rarely whether they are the first, second or third; and this must be specially noted, that the first or starting point is hardly ever mentioned, for this beginning is the greatest secret of all, and it is hidden, suppressed and ignored by all the philosophers.» — y explica por qué eso importa: los tratados mencionan procesos sin decir cuál es primero, segundo o tercero, y el punto de partida casi nunca se menciona porque es el mayor secreto, escondido, suprimido e ignorado por todos los filósofos.

«If a hint is ever dropped, it is never indicated which matter they are talking about.» — con el matiz que remata la queja: aun cuando se suelte una pista, nunca se indica de qué materia se habla.

«Yet note well, whole treatises have been written about this first hidden matter, which is nothing else but the preparation known as the "Secret Fire" which is not a metal at all, but the very necessary catalyst for melting all the metals.» — Lapidus identifica esa primera materia oculta con la preparación llamada fuego secreto, que no es metal sino el catalizador necesario para fundir todos los metales.

«To sum up, to make the Philosophers' Stone, three items are used, but never vulgar mercury or quicksilver. Then there is a water or "secret fire" which is the catalyst and which some adepts have called mercury.» — resumen de Lapidus: tres cosas, jamás el mercurio vulgar o azogue, y además un agua o fuego secreto que hace de catalizador y a la que algunos adeptos llamaron mercurio.

«The adepts, in their books, always speak of salt, sulphur and mercury, which principles in use are none of the three we know under those names.» — Lapidus advierte que sal, azufre y mercurio de los libros no son ninguna de las tres cosas que hoy llevan esos nombres.

«In the various stages of alchemy, the metals have so changed their appearance, colours and texture, becoming a slime, powder or soot, that they can hardly be called metals at all, and the artful masters of the art have taken full advantage of this to mislead and mystify the tyro.» — y explica de qué se aprovecharon los maestros para despistar: en las distintas etapas los metales cambian tanto de aspecto, color y textura —limo, polvo, hollín— que apenas pueden llamarse metales.

«When some wrote that metals are not used in alchemy, they felt that evasive information of this kind was speaking the truth, but this half-truth was a downright lie to the student, who knew that an apple is still an apple even when changed into a pie.» — Lapidus objeta esa evasiva con el símil de la manzana que sigue siendo manzana dentro del pastel: la media verdad de quienes escribieron que los metales no se usan resultaba mentira franca para el estudiante.

«Most of the old writers on alchemy have treated the subject of the art as though it was one continuous process from beginning to the end, but as already said, it is performed in three stages; each when finished is preparatory to the next.» — Lapidus objeta a los viejos autores el tratar el arte como un proceso continuo, cuando a su juicio se hace en tres etapas y cada una prepara la siguiente.

«However, very rarely did they put these in the correct order, the first stage was almost always ignored, and they mostly started at the last!» — y añade el defecto de orden: rara vez las pusieron en la secuencia correcta, casi siempre omitieron la primera y empezaron por la última.

«A quotation which confirms this is taken from a book entitled Ripley Revived, a commentary on Ripley by Philalethes who lived in the seventeenth century:» — Lapidus presenta *Ripley Revived* como comentario a Ripley por Philalethes y lo sitúa en el siglo XVII, adjudicándole aquí la autoría que en la plana 6 daba a Norton.

«"And in the first place, we shall treat of the regimen of mercury, which is a secret hitherto not discovered by any philosophers; for they verily do begin their work at the second regimen, and so give the young practitioner no light in the magistery in the capital signs of blackness;» — Philalethes anuncia en el pasaje citado que tratará del régimen del mercurio, secreto que dice no haber descubierto filósofo alguno, y objeta a los demás empezar por el segundo régimen sin dar luz sobre los signos capitales de la negrura.

«on this point that good Marquis of Trevisan was silent . . . and therefore he passeth over in silence the first and most intricate regimen which is forty or fifty days ere it is fully complete, in which time the poor practitioner is left to uncertain experiments and so remains a great space, and this secret before me no man has ever yet found discovered."» — y nombra al marqués de Trevisano entre quienes callaron el primer régimen, de cuarenta o cincuenta días, dejando al practicante pobre en experimentos inciertos.

«The blackness spoken of here is the result of the work of the first stage, in which the metals turn into a black slime.» — Lapidus glosa la negrura del pasaje como resultado de su primera etapa, en la que los metales se vuelven un limo negro.

«This indeed is the key spoken of which opens the door to all the rest of the work, for knowing this, one has the general idea of how to do the whole work, because the truth is that all the stages follow the same routine.» — y le da el valor de llave del resto de la obra, con el argumento de que todas las etapas siguen la misma rutina.

«The first book chosen is entitled The Sophic Fire by John Pontanus, a master of alchemy who lived in the Middle Ages.» — Lapidus anuncia el primer tratado que reproduce entero, *The Sophic Fire* de John Pontanus, a quien sitúa en la Edad Media.

«This particular book is taken from among a great number, because it is succinct, direct to the heart of the subject, and without evasion and prevarication.» — y da su criterio de elección: sucinto, directo al corazón del asunto y sin evasivas ni rodeos.

«More than this, this treatise truthfully points out to the searcher a book that stands out like a welcome beacon to point the way to success in the art.» — Lapidus añade una segunda razón: el tratado señala otro libro que sirve de faro, que resultará ser el Secret Book de Artefio.

«"I, John Pontanus, have travelled through many countries, that I might know the certainty of the philosophers' stone: and I found many deceivers, but no true philosophers, which put me upon incessant studying, and making many doubts, till at length I found out the truth.» — arranque del tratado de Pontanus según lo reproduce el volumen: viajó por muchos países buscando la certeza de la piedra y no halló más que embaucadores.

«But when I had attained the knowledge of the matter in general, yet I erred at least two hundred times, before I could attain to know the singular thing itself, with the work and practice thereof.» — Pontanus cifra sus errores en al menos doscientos entre conocer la materia en general y dar con la cosa singular, su obra y su práctica.

«"First, I began with the putrefaction of the matter, which I continued for nine months together, and obtained nothing.» — y abre el inventario de sus fracasos con nueve meses de putrefacción sin resultado.

«I then for some certain time tried a 'Balneum Marie' [a warm water bath, but in vain.» — el baño maría como segundo intento fallido; el corchete explicativo que traduce el término queda abierto en el impreso, sin cerrar.

«After that, I used a fire of calcination for three months space, and still found myself out of the way.» — y tres meses de fuego de calcinación como tercero.

«I essayed all sorts of distillations and sublimations, as the philosophers, Geber, Archelaus, and all the rest of them have prescribed, and yet found nothing:» — Pontanus agota destilaciones y sublimaciones según las prescriben Geber, Archelao y los demás, sin hallar nada.

«In sum, I attempted to perfect the whole work of alchemy by all imaginable and likely means-as by horse-dung [this is a specification of a heat used, baths, ashes, and other heats of divers kinds, all which are found in philosophers' books, yet without success.» — cierre del inventario, con el estiércol de caballo entre los calores probados; el corchete intercalado glosa que se trata de una especificación de calor.

«I yet continually for three years together studied the books of the philosophers, and that chiefly in Hermes [he is known as the father of alchemy, whose concise words comprehend the sum of the whole matter» — Pontanus cuenta tres años de estudio de los filósofos, sobre todo de Hermes, a quien el corchete del volumen llama padre de la alquimia.

«Therefore our operation which brings the matter into being, in the first, second, and third work [take good notice of three stages, which processes are rarely mentioned anywhere, is not any of those things mentioned above and found in the books of the philosophers.» — Pontanus separa su operación en tres obras de lo que traen los libros de los filósofos; el corchete intercalado pide notar las tres etapas, que es la tesis de Lapidus metida dentro del tratado ajeno.

«Shall I demand then, what it is that perfects the work, since the wise men have thus concealed it?» — Pontanus plantea la pregunta por lo que perfecciona la obra, notando que los sabios lo ocultaron.

«Truly, being moved with a generous spirit, I will declare it, with the complement of the whole work.» — y anuncia que lo declarará por generosidad, con el complemento de la obra entera.

«"The Lapis Philosophorum, therefore, is but one, though it has many names, which before you conceive them, will be very difficult.» — Pontanus sostiene que la piedra es una sola aunque tenga muchos nombres, y advierte de la dificultad de concebirlos.

«For it is watery [liquid], airy [volatile], fiery, earthy: it is salt, sulphur, mercury, and phlegm; it is sulphureous, yet is argent vive [twice here, quicksilver is mentioned]; it has many superfluities, which are turned into the true essence by the help of our fire.» — la serie de predicados contrarios que Pontanus le aplica —acuosa, aérea, ígnea, terrestre; sal, azufre, mercurio y flema—, con los corchetes del volumen traduciendo dos de ellos.

«'Our fire ' is not just ordinary fire and notice that the subject mentioned here is 'fiery'.» — aquí la voz cambia dentro de las comillas: es el comentarista del volumen quien interrumpe a Pontanus para decir que *our fire* no es fuego ordinario y para preguntar si será el mismo sujeto ígneo. El impreso no cierra las comillas del tratado antes de intercalarlo.

«This 'our fire' is the greatest secret of alchemy, and usually known in the art as the 'Secret Fire'.» — y el mismo comentario nombra el fuego secreto como el mayor secreto del arte, que es la tesis que el capítulo entero desarrolla.

«He that separates anything from the subject or matter, thinking it to be necessary, wholly errs in his philosophy.» — Pontanus niega la separación: quien aparta algo del sujeto por creerlo necesario yerra por entero en su filosofía.

«[This is said because most adepts write that one must separate the clean from the muddy or dirty matter, but one must know what is clean and what is dirty.» — el corchete del volumen explica contra qué va esa negativa: los adeptos mandan separar lo limpio de lo turbio sin decir qué es lo uno y qué lo otro.

«In the first stage everything is changed into wet mud, or dry soot, even gold and silver look like this.» — y añade el dato de laboratorio que sostiene la objeción: en la primera etapa todo queda hecho lodo húmedo u hollín seco, oro y plata incluidos.

«That which is superfluous, unclean, filthy, feculent, and in a word, the whole substance of the subject is transmuted or changed in a perfect, fixed, and spiritual body, by the help of our fire, which the wise men never revealed, and therefore it is, that few attain to this art, as thinking that to be superfluous and impure, which is not.» — Pontanus sostiene que la sustancia entera del sujeto, incluso lo que parece inmundo, se transmuta en cuerpo perfecto, fijo y espiritual por obra de su fuego, y atribuye a esa confusión que pocos alcancen el arte.

«In alchemy, a fixed metal is one that remains the same no matter what is done with it, or however treated.» — definición de metal fijo puesta por el comentarista dentro del tratado, sin firma.

«Now Pontanus proceeds to speak of the character of 'our Fire', which is not fire but acts, in fact, more powerfully than any fire.» — y el enlace con que el comentarista devuelve la palabra a Pontanus, sosteniendo que ese fuego no es fuego y obra con más fuerza que cualquier fuego.

«"It behoves us now to enquire after the properties of 'our fire', and how it agrees with our matter, according to that which I have said, viz. that a transmutation may be made, though the fire is not such as to burn the matter, separating nothing from it, nor dividing the pure parts» — Pontanus enuncia la propiedad decisiva de su fuego: transmuta sin quemar la materia, sin separar nada de ella y sin dividir lo puro. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«from the impure, as the philosophers teach [now you can understand why it is hopeless to study most of the alchemical treatises, for most of them are written to mislead, unless you already know the stumbling blocks, but our fire transmutes and changes the whole subject into purity.» — continuación de la misma frase en la plana siguiente, con un corchete del comentarista intercalado a media oración que declara inútil estudiar los tratados sin conocer de antemano los escollos.

«Nor does it sublime after the manner- of Geber's sublimation, nor the sublimations or distillations of Arnoldous, or others: but it is perfected in a short time.» — Pontanus distingue su operación de las sublimaciones de Geber y de las de Arnoldo, y le atribuye brevedad.

«[Pontanus continues to say how misleading most adepts are in their works, and goes on to explain the characteristics of 'our fire'.]» — corchete de enlace del comentarista, que resume lo que salta del tratado; es una de las extracciones que el volumen practica sin declarar cuánto omite.

«"It is a matter mineral, equal, continuous, vapours or fumes not, unless too much provoked; partakes of sulphur, and is taken otherwise than from matter.» — Pontanus describe su fuego como materia mineral, igual y continua, que no humea si no se la provoca demasiado, participa del azufre y se toma de otro modo que de la materia.

«It destroys all things, dissolves, congeals, coagulates and calcines, adapted to penetrate, and is a compendium, without any great cost.» — y le atribuye destruir, disolver, congelar, coagular y calcinar, apto para penetrar y barato.

«And that is the fire, with a gentle heat, soft or remiss, by which the whole work is perfected, with all the proper sublimations.» — con el régimen que le corresponde: calor suave o remiso, con el que se perfecciona toda la obra y sus sublimaciones.

«[Take good notice of what follows, and go no further than this book, else you are lost in a maze of instructions which will utterly confuse.]» — corchete del comentarista que manda al lector no ir más allá de este libro, so pena de perderse en un laberinto de instrucciones.

«They who read Geber, with all the rest of the philosophers, though they should survive a hundred thousand years, yet they would not be able to comprehend it, for that this fire is found by a profound cogitation only, which being once apprehended, may then be gathered out of books and not before.» — Pontanus sostiene que el fuego se halla solo por cogitación profunda, y que una vez aprehendido puede recogerse de los libros, pero no antes.

«"The error, therefore, in this work, proceeds chiefly from a not knowing or understanding of the true fire, which is one of the moving principles that transmutes the whole matter into the true philosophers' stone; and therefore diligently find it out.» — Pontanus atribuye el error de la obra al desconocimiento del fuego verdadero, uno de los principios motores que transmutan la materia entera.

«Had I found that first, I had never been two hundred times mistaken in the pursuit of the matter I so long sought after.» — y vuelve sobre su propia cuenta de doscientos errores, que dice haberse ahorrado de conocerlo antes.

«For which cause sake, I wonder not that so many, and so great men, have not attained unto the work.» — de donde no le extraña que tantos y tan grandes hombres no llegaran a la obra.

«They have erred, they do err, and they will err; because the philosophers, Artephius only excepted, have concealed the principle or proper agent.» — Pontanus exceptúa solo a Artefio del cargo de haber ocultado el principio o agente propio. El volumen reimprime este mismo pasaje más adelante, y el locator corresponde a su primera aparición.

«And unless I had read Artephius, and sensibly understood his speech, I had never arrived to the complement of the work.» — y reconoce su deuda: sin leer a Artefio y entender su lenguaje no habría llegado al complemento de la obra.

«"Now the principal part is this: Let the matter be taken and diligently ground with a philosophical contrition, put upon the fire, with such a proportion of heat that it only excite or stir up the matter; and in short time that fire, without any laying on of hands, will complete the whole work, because it putrefies, corrupts, generates and perfects the whole work, and makes the three principal colours, viz. the black, white and red to appear.» — Pontanus da la parte principal de la práctica: molida la materia y puesta al fuego con calor que apenas la excite, ese fuego sin imposición de manos putrefacta, corrompe, engendra y hace aparecer los tres colores.

«And by the means of this our fire, the medicine will be multiplied by the addition of the crude matter, not only in quantity, but also in quality or virtue.» — y la multiplicación por añadido de materia cruda, no solo en cantidad sino en calidad o virtud.

«Therefore seek out this fire with all thy industry, for having once found it, thou shalt accomplish thy desire, because it performs the whole work, and is the true key of all the philisophers, which they never yet revealed.» — Pontanus llama a ese fuego la verdadera llave de todos los filósofos, nunca revelada; el impreso escribe *philisophers*. El pasaje se reimprime más adelante en el volumen y el locator es el de su primera aparición.

«Consider well of what I have spoken, otherwise it will be hid from thine eyes.» — con la advertencia que cierra el punto: si no se considera bien lo dicho, quedará oculto a los ojos del lector.

«"Being moved with generosity, I have written these things, that I might speak plainly, this fire is not transmuted with the matter, because it is nothing of the matter, as I have before declared» — Pontanus repite que su fuego no se transmuta con la materia porque no es nada de la materia.

«and these things I have thought fit to speak, as a warning to the prudent sons of art, that they spend not their money unprofitably, but may know what they ought to look after; for by this only they may attain to the perfection of the secret, and by no other means."» — y cierra el tratado con su destinatario y su fin: los hijos prudentes del arte, para que no gasten su dinero en vano.

«The above short treatise speaks of one matter only, and is presumably the most important key to the whole art.» — Lapidus retoma la palabra y lee el tratado como referido a una sola materia, que presume la llave principal del arte entero.

«For this "Sophic Fire ", or "our fire", is the great secret without which nothing can be achieved.» — y hace del fuego sófico el gran secreto sin el cual nada se logra.

«This Secret Fire, by which it is now known, is not a fire at all, is vital, and acts as a catalyst; it moves the matter onwards to its completion from beginning to end, but always with the aid of an exterior heat which must be gentle; "the heat of a summer's» — Lapidus define el fuego secreto por lo que no es —no es fuego— y por lo que hace: es vital, obra de catalizador y mueve la materia de principio a fin, siempre con un calor exterior suave. El tramo se corta al cruzar el cambio de plana, y la comparación sigue en la siguiente.

«In fact, so powerful is this Secret Fire that one is advised to leave the work to nature, without the " laying on of hands".» — continuación del mismo pasaje en la plana siguiente: de tan poderoso, aconseja dejar la obra a la naturaleza sin imposición de manos.

«Note that Pontanus calls this Secret Fire "Argent Vive", and mercury, among other things.» — Lapidus registra los nombres que Pontanus le da al fuego secreto: argent vive y mercurio, entre otros.

«Now ordinary mercury is "the villain of the piece " in every book ever written on the art, and if ever crude mercury is mentioned at all, it is always with the warning that the searcher can expect only failure if this metal is used.» — y separa de él al mercurio ordinario, que llama el villano de la obra en todo libro escrito sobre el arte.

«Once again, remember the old writers were always on their guard lest they should inadvertently divulge any information of too much significance.» — Lapidus repite el motivo de la cautela de los viejos escritores frente a divulgar algo de demasiado peso.

«Nevertheless, true bits of knowledge are strewn about everywhere, and it behoves the searcher to pick them up.» — y de ahí saca su método de lectura: hay migajas verdaderas esparcidas por todas partes y toca al buscador recogerlas.

«Therefore what follows are curious extracts which have been taken from many important books, which tell the researcher in the plainest manner al that he needs to know. In fact what the " secret fire " is; what mercury is (or rather what the alchemist calls his mercury), in short the universal solvent of all metals.» — Lapidus anuncia la serie de extractos que sigue y lo que se propone aclarar con ellos: qué es el fuego secreto y qué llama el alquimista su mercurio, en suma el disolvente universal de los metales.

«Now to the first extract-from the Epistles of Ali-Puli, entitled the Concentrated Centre of Nature:» — y nombra el primero: las Epístolas de Ali-Puli, tituladas *Concentrated Centre of Nature*.

«"I say to you, my students in the study of nature, if you do not find the thing for which you are seeking, in your own self, much less will you find it outside yourself.» — Ali-Puli enuncia en el extracto la regla de buscar dentro: quien no halle la cosa en sí mismo mucho menos la hallará fuera.

«Understand the glorious strength resident in your own selves. Why trouble to enquire from another?» — y objeta la consulta a otros frente a la fuerza que sitúa en el propio buscador.

«In man named after God, there are things more glorious than to be found anywhere else in the world.» — Ali-Puli sostiene que en el hombre, llamado según Dios, hay cosas más gloriosas que en ninguna otra parte del mundo.

«Should anyone desire to become a master, he will not find a better material for his achievement anywhere than in himself.» — y hace del propio operador la materia del maestro.

«Oh, man know thyself. In you resides the treasure of all treasures. Unknowingly this is the great wonder of the world.» — con el precepto délfico y el tesoro de todos los tesoros, que es la gran maravilla del mundo ignorada.

«It is in reality a burning water, a liquid fire, more potent than all fire. In its crude state, it dissolves and absorbs solid gold.» — y el extracto se vuelve descripción de sustancia: agua ardiente, fuego líquido más potente que todo fuego, que en crudo disuelve y absorbe el oro sólido.

«It reduces it into a fatty black grey earth, and a thick slimy salt water, without fire or acid, and without any violent reaction, which no other thing in the world can accomplish.» — con el efecto que Ali-Puli le atribuye: reduce el oro a tierra grasa negra y gris y a agua salina espesa, sin fuego, sin ácido y sin reacción violenta.

«Nothing is excluded from it, and though it is the most costly thing in the world, a king cannot possess more of it than a beggar, the wise men of old sought for it and found it.» — y la paradoja con que la sitúa fuera del comercio: lo más costoso del mundo, y un rey no puede tener de ello más que un mendigo.

«"Seek for it, my friends, in every way and in everything, though maybe you do not know the hidden source of its origin; and even if you should come to find it, yet you would not have any idea of the aspect of things to be seen within it.» — Ali-Puli manda buscarla en todo y a la vez reserva su origen, advirtiendo que aun hallándola no se tendría idea de lo que hay dentro.

«Yet I will be explicit; it is a spiritual water, a true spirit, the spirit of life itself.» — y luego se declara explícito para decir solo que es agua espiritual, espíritu verdadero, el espíritu mismo de la vida.

«Surely I may be justified in proclaiming: O, water, magnificent, illuminating, sweet; O, bitter and obscure, which strengthens us until the day of our death.» — la invocación del extracto al agua magnífica, iluminadora, dulce, amarga y oscura, que fortalece hasta el día de la muerte.

«This is the foundation stone in truth, which is rejected by the careless ignorance of the builders, and the alchemists even to this day."» — cierre del extracto de Ali-Puli, con la piedra angular desechada por la ignorancia descuidada de los constructores y de los alquimistas hasta el día de hoy.

«Another curious piece of writing, medieval style, from Experience & Philosophy, a treatise included in Theatrum Chemicum published in 1613, also speaks of the wonderful and mysterious water.» — Lapidus presenta el segundo extracto, *Experience & Philosophy*, que sitúa dentro del Theatrum Chemicum y fecha en 1613, también sobre el agua misteriosa.

«In a way it is rather amusing to see how these alchemists were bursting to tell someone of their discoveries, yet buried them more deeply, ever terribly afraid to speak out plainly: making a gesture of giving, before quickly grabbing back their revelation.» — y describe el gesto que atribuye al género entero: los alquimistas reventaban por contar su hallazgo y lo enterraban más hondo, haciendo ademán de dar antes de retirar la revelación.

«"One thing was first employed, And shall not be destroyed, It compasseth the world around,» — primeros versos del poema citado, sobre la cosa una que no será destruida y que rodea el mundo. El tramo se corta al cruzar el cambio de plana.

«A matter easy to be found: And yet most hardest to come by, A secret of secrets, pardye, That is most vile and least set by, And it is my love and darling, Conceived with all living things, And travels to the worlds ending."» — continuación del poema en la plana siguiente: materia fácil de hallar y dificilísima de conseguir, secreto de secretos, vilísima y menos estimada.

«There are no less than sixteen of these poetic sets, but as one is not likely to learn much from them, this one will be enough.» — Lapidus declara cuántas estrofas deja fuera —dieciséis— y por qué basta con una: no se aprende gran cosa de ellas.

«The following extract will present the reader with a typical example of a misleading text. Eirenaeus Philalethes, an adept who wrote many books, repeatedly assured us "that never was the art so plainly discovered ", but alas he also confesses to deception:» — Lapidus anuncia el extracto siguiente como ejemplo típico de texto engañoso, y señala la contradicción de Philalethes entre asegurar que nunca se descubrió el arte tan llanamente y confesar el engaño.

«"Such passages as these, we do sometimes use when we speak of the preparation of our mercury, and this we do to deceive the simple and it is also for no other end that we confound our operations, speaking of one when we ought to speak of another.» — Philalethes admite en primera persona del plural que usan tales pasajes para engañar a los simples y que confunden las operaciones hablando de una cuando debían hablar de otra.

«For if this art were plainly set down, our operations would be contemptible even to the foolish.» — y da su motivo: expuesto llanamente el arte, sus operaciones resultarían despreciables hasta para el necio.

«Therefore believe me in this, that because our works are truly natural, we therefore take the liberty to confound the philosopher's work with that which is purely nature's work, so that we might keep the simple in ignorance concerning our true vinegre, which being unknown, their labour is wholly lost."» — con la fórmula del engaño: confunden la obra del filósofo con la obra pura de la naturaleza para mantener a los simples en ignorancia de su verdadero *vinegre*.

«The above extract confirms what has so far been said concerning misleading texts, but in addition there are some interesting hints in it.» — Lapidus lee el extracto como respaldo de lo dicho sobre los textos engañosos y a la vez como fuente de pistas.

«Notice first the hint that "their mercury" has to be prepared; in this manner informing us that this preparation of "our mercury" is a first step and a process on its own.» — y saca la primera: que el mercurio deba prepararse hace de esa preparación un primer paso y un proceso aparte.

«In the last sentence, Philalethes calls the mercury vinegre, the nature of which is bitter, biting, sharp.» — y la segunda: el nombre de vinagre dado al mercurio, cuya naturaleza describe como amarga, mordiente y aguda.

«One more hint here, and that is that there is more than one process in the work. Yet other adepts have asserted that there is but one continuous process from beginning to the end.» — Lapidus consigna aquí el desacuerdo sin resolverlo: de este extracto saca que hay más de un proceso, y anota que otros adeptos sostienen que hay uno solo continuo.

«Alchemical literature is saturated with this kind of poetry, full of riddles, parables, allegories, metaphors, and all sorts of claptrap, which may be ignored when met with, otherwise all kinds of crazy notions will take root in the mind to the detriment of your research.» — Lapidus manda ignorar la poesía, los acertijos, las parábolas, las alegorías y las metáforas de la literatura del arte, por el daño que hacen a la investigación.

«And now perhaps it will be better to entertain something more modern and simple. This comes from the Hermetic Triumph published in 1723.» — y pasa a un texto que llama más moderno y simple, el Hermetic Triumph, que fecha en 1723.

«There are two treatises in this book and this one is entitled The Six Reys of Eudoxus.» — Lapidus identifica cuál de los dos tratados del volumen extracta; el impreso escribe *Reys* por *Keys*.

«Keep in mind we are still only dealing with the fiery water which is the universal solvent, the sophic mercury, and not common mercury.» — y recuerda de qué se sigue hablando: el agua ígnea, disolvente universal y mercurio sófico, no el mercurio común.

«'The first key is that which opens the dark prisons, in which the sulphur is shut up; this is it which knows how to extract the seed out of the body, which forms the stone of the philosophers by the conjunction of the male and the female; of the spirit with the body; of sulphur with mercury.» — la primera llave de Eudoxo según el extracto: abre las prisiones oscuras donde está encerrado el azufre y extrae la simiente del cuerpo por conjunción de macho y hembra, espíritu y cuerpo, azufre y mercurio.

«Hermes has manifestly demonstrated the operation of this first key by these words; In the caverns of the metals; there is hidden the stone which is venerable, bright in colour, a mind sublime and an open sea. This stone has a bright glittering; it contains a spirit of a sublime original; it is the sea of the wise, in which they fish for their mysterious fish."» — y la sentencia que el mismo tratado adjudica a Hermes: en las cavernas de los metales se esconde la piedra venerable, mente sublime y mar abierto donde los sabios pescan su pez misterioso.

«(The open sea, and the sea of the wise is the fiery water.)» — y el paréntesis con que el comentarista del volumen resuelve la imagen: el mar abierto y el mar de los sabios son el agua ígnea.

«Studying alchemical writings, the student will repeatedly come across the claim that alchemy is carried out with "one only thing", and because all the metals are mentioned, as used in the working in different books, the experimenter is forever perplexed wondering what can be meant by this, since obviously so many different things are named.» — Lapidus plantea la perplejidad del experimentador ante la fórmula de la cosa única cuando los libros nombran todos los metales.

«Finally, one comes to the conclusion that this is another misleading lie. But it need not be a lie at all, for "one only thing" refers to the water without which nothing can be achieved, and this water is indeed the supreme secret, and until this is discovered, and its manner of preparation, all is a waste of time.» — y objeta la conclusión de que sea otra mentira: la cosa única es el agua, secreto supremo sin el cual todo es pérdida de tiempo hasta descubrir su modo de preparación.

«One more extract about the Sophic Fire:» — Lapidus enlaza con el último extracto del capítulo sobre el fuego sófico.

«"What is the Alkahest? It is a Universal Menstruum, and in a word may be called, Ignis-Aqua, a fiery water, an uncompounded and immortal ens, which is penetrative, resolving all things into their first liquid matter;» — el extracto define el alcaesto como menstruo universal, *ignis-aqua* o agua ígnea, ente simple e inmortal que resuelve todo en su primera materia líquida.

«nor can anything resist its power, for it acts without any reaction from the patient, nor does it suffer anything but its equal, by which it is brought into subjection;» — y le atribuye obrar sin reacción del paciente y no sufrir más que a su igual.

«but after it has dissolved all things, it remaineth entire in its former nature, and is of the same virtue after a thousand operations as at the first."» — con la propiedad que cierra la definición: disuelto todo, permanece entero en su naturaleza anterior y con la misma virtud tras mil operaciones.

«In the alchemical art, the seven metals usually mentioned are named after the planets.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo tercero, *The Secret Book*, con la nomenclatura planetaria de los siete metales.

«For example, copper is known as Venus, and where referred to, the student is advised that he should treat it as a symbol of love, or as a conductor, rather than a metal, for as a metal it is of little use in the art of alchemy.» — y da su primera lectura del cobre: aconseja tratarlo como símbolo de amor o como conductor y no como metal, porque como metal sirve de poco al arte.

«Lead is called Saturn, and indicates something dark! black, or forbidding in appearance.» — Lapidus lee el nombre de Saturno como indicación de algo oscuro, negro o amenazante en el aspecto, y no necesariamente como el plomo; el impreso pone un signo de admiración a media frase.

«Tin, copper and lead are problem metals; tin is connected with the making of silvery compounds, and copper, although it acts as a conductor in the compound of metals, is usually considered of little use in the alchemic process.» — y agrupa estaño, cobre y plomo como metales problemáticos, con el estaño ligado a los compuestos plateados.

«However, there is an eighth metal, rarely met with in the many treatises, and then it is usually passed over as though of no account. Yet it is of the greatest importance, for without it nothing may be achieved. Fortunate indeed is the researcher who notices it: the metal is antimony.» — Lapidus introduce el antimonio como octavo metal, apenas tratado en los tratados y sin el cual, sostiene, nada puede lograrse. Es la clave de toda la práctica del volumen.

«We will see in the Secret Book of Artephius, which John Pontanus found to be the only book among thousands which could be relied on, and which he recommended above all others, that the first word is antimony.» — y adjudica a Pontanus el juicio de que el Secret Book de Artefio es el único libro fiable entre miles, notando que su primera palabra es antimonio.

«Note, however, that the order of the text is not sequential.» — con la advertencia de Lapidus sobre el texto que va a reproducir: su orden no es secuencial.

«1. Antimony is a mineral participating of saturnine parts, and has in all respects the nature thereof.» — apertura del Secret Book de Artefio según lo reproduce el volumen: el antimonio es mineral que participa de partes saturninas y tiene en todo su naturaleza.

«This saturnine antimony agrees with sol, and contains in itself argent vive, in which no metal is swallowed up, except gold; and gold is truly swallowed up by this antimonial argent vive.» — y la propiedad que Artefio le atribuye: contiene argent vive que no traga metal alguno salvo el oro, y el oro sí es tragado por ese argent vive antimonial.

«Without this argent vive no metal whatsoever can be whitened; it whitens laton, i.e. gold; reduceth a perfect body into its prima materia, or first matter, viz. into sulphur and argent vive, of a white colour, and outshining a looking glass.» — Artefio hace del argent vive la condición de todo blanqueo y de la reducción del cuerpo perfecto a su prima materia, azufre y argent vive de color blanco.

«It dissolves, I say the perfect body, which is so in its own nature; for this water is friendly and agreeable with the metals, whitening sol, because it contains in itself white or pure argent vive.» — y explica la disolución por amistad de naturalezas: el agua es amiga de los metales y blanquea el sol porque contiene argent vive puro.

«2. And from both these you may draw a great arcanum, viz. a water of saturnine antimony, mercurial and white; to the end that it may whiten sol, not burning, but dissolving, and afterwards congealing to the consistence or likeness of white cream.» — segundo apartado del Secret Book: de ambos se saca el arcano del agua de antimonio saturnino, mercurial y blanca, que blanquea el sol disolviendo y no quemando.

«Therefore, saith the philosopher, this water makes the body to be volatile; because after it has been dissolved in it, and infrigidated, it ascends above and swims upon the surface of the water.» — y el signo por el que se reconoce que el cuerpo se hizo volátil: disuelto y enfriado, asciende y nada en la superficie.

«Take, saith he, crude leaf gold, or calcined with mercury, and put it into our vinegre, made of saturnine antimony, mercurial, and sal ammoniac, in a broad glass vessel, and four inches high or more; put it into a gentle heat, and in a short time you will see elevated a liquor, as it were oil swimming atop, much like a scum.» — la receta de Artefio con vaso ancho de cuatro pulgadas o más, calor suave y el licor que se eleva como aceite flotando a modo de espuma.

«Gather this with a spoon or a feather dipping it in; and in so doing often times a day until nothing more arises; evaporate the water with a gentle heat, i.e., the superfluous humidity of the vinegre, and there will remain the quintessence, potestates or powers of gold in the form of a white oil incombustible.» — y la maniobra de recolección con cuchara o pluma hasta que no suba más, con la quintaesencia del oro quedando como aceite blanco incombustible.

«In this oil the philosophers have placed their greatest secrets; it is exceeding sweet, and of great virtue for easing the pains of wounds.» — Artefio sitúa en ese aceite los mayores secretos de los filósofos y le atribuye virtud médica para el dolor de las heridas.

«3. The whole, then, of this antimonial secret is, that we know how by it to extract or draw forth argent vive, out of the body of Magnesia, not burning, and this is antimony, and a mercurial sublimate.» — tercer apartado: todo el secreto antimonial es saber extraer argent vive del cuerpo de la magnesia sin quemar, lo cual es antimonio y un sublimado mercurial.

«That is, you must extract a living and incombustible water, and then» — y la formulación operativa que sigue, cortada aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«congeal, or coagulate it with the perfect body of sol, i.e. fine gold, without alloy; which is done by dissolving it into a nature and white substance of the consistency of cream, and made thoroughly white.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: coagular esa agua con oro fino sin liga, disolviéndola hasta consistencia de crema y blancura completa.

«But first this sol by putrefaction and resolution in this water, loseth all its light and brightness, and will grow dark and black; afterwards it will ascend above the water, and by little and little will swim upon it, in a substance of a white colour.» — Artefio describe el paso previo: el sol pierde toda su luz, se oscurece y ennegrece, y después asciende y nada como sustancia blanca.

«And this is the whitening of red laton to sublimate it philosophically, and to reduce it into its first matter; viz. into a white incombustible sulphur, and into a fixed argent vive.» — y nombra la operación: el blanqueo del latón rojo, sublimado filosóficamente y reducido a azufre blanco incombustible y argent vive fijo.

«Thus the perfect body of sol, resumeth life in this water; it is revived, inspired, grows, and is multiplied in its kind, as all other things are.» — con la lectura vitalista que Artefio hace del proceso: el cuerpo perfecto revive, se inspira, crece y se multiplica en su especie como todo lo demás.

«For in this water, it so happens, that the body compounded of two bodies, viz. sol and luna, is puffed up, swells, putrefies, is raised up, and does increase by the receiving from the vegetable and animated nature and substance.» — y el cuerpo compuesto de sol y luna se hincha, se pudre y aumenta recibiendo de la naturaleza vegetal y animada.

«4. Our water also, or vinegar aforesaid, is the vinegar of the mountains, i.e. of sol and luna; and therefore it is mixed with gold and silver, and sticks close to them perpetually;» — cuarto apartado: el agua o vinagre es el vinagre de las montañas, es decir de sol y luna, y se adhiere a oro y plata de modo perpetuo.

«and the body receiveth from this water a white tincture, and shines with inestimable brightness.» — con la tintura blanca que el cuerpo recibe de ella y el brillo que Artefio llama inestimable.

«Who so therefore knows how to convert, or change the body into a medicinal white gold, may easily by the same white gold change all imperfect metals into the best and finest silver.» — y la consecuencia práctica: quien sepa convertir el cuerpo en oro blanco medicinal podrá cambiar con él todo metal imperfecto en plata finísima.

«And this white gold is called by the philosophers "luna alba philosophorum, argentum vivum album fixum, aurum alchymiae, and fumus albus ": and therefore without this our antimonial vinegar, the aurum album of the philosophers cannot be made.» — Artefio enumera los nombres del oro blanco —luna alba philosophorum, argentum vivum album fixum, aurum alchymiae, fumus albus— y hace del vinagre antimonial su condición necesaria.

«And because in our vinegar there is a double substance of argentum vivum, the one from antimony, and the other from mercury sublimated, it does give a double weight and substance of fixed argent vive, and also augments therein the native colour, weight, substance, and tincture thereof.» — y explica el doble peso por la doble sustancia de argentum vivum del vinagre, una del antimonio y otra del mercurio sublimado.

«5. Our dissolving water therefore carries with it a great tincture, and a great melting or dissolving; because that when it feels the vulgar fire, if there be in it the pure and fine bodies of sol or luna, it immediately melts them, and converts them into its white substance such as itself is, and gives to the body colour, weight, and tincture.» — quinto apartado: el agua disolvente funde de inmediato los cuerpos puros de sol o luna al sentir el fuego vulgar y los convierte en su propia sustancia blanca.

«In it also is a powder of liquefying or melting all things that can be melted or dissolved; it is a water ponderous, viscous, precious, and worthy to be esteemed, resolving all crude bodies into their prima materia, or first matter, viz. earth and a viscous powder; that is into sulphur, and argentum vivum.» — Artefio le atribuye un polvo que licua todo lo licuable y la resolución de los cuerpos crudos en su prima materia, tierra y polvo viscoso, es decir azufre y argentum vivum.

«If therefore you put into this water, leaves, filings, or calx of any metal, and set it in a gentle heat for a time, the whole will be dissolved, and converted into a viscous water, or white oil, as aforesaid.» — con el ensayo que propone: hojas, limaduras o cal de cualquier metal puestas en esa agua a calor suave se disuelven en agua viscosa o aceite blanco.

«Thus it mollifies the body, and prepares for liquefaction; yea, it makes all things fusible, viz. stones and metals, and after gives them spirit and life.» — y el efecto que le adjudica: ablanda el cuerpo, lo prepara para la licuefacción, hace fusibles piedras y metales y después les da espíritu y vida.

«And it dissolves all things with an admirable solution, transmuting the perfect body into a fusible medicine, melting, or liquefying, moreover fixing, and augmenting the weight and colour.» — cierre del apartado, con la solución admirable que transmuta el cuerpo perfecto en medicina fusible, fijando y aumentando peso y color.

«6. Work therefore with it, and you shall obtain from it what you desire, for it is the spirit and soul of sol and luna; it is the oil, the dissolving water, the fountain, the Balneum Mariae, the praeter natural fire, the moist fire, the secret, hidden and invisible fire.» — sexto apartado del Secret Book: Artefio acumula los nombres del agua —espíritu y alma de sol y luna, aceite, fuente, baño maría, fuego preternatural, fuego húmedo, fuego secreto, escondido e invisible—

«It is also the most acrid vinegar, concerning which an ancient philosopher saith, I besought the Lord, and he showed me a pure clear water, which I knew to be the pure vinegar, altering, penetrating, and digesting.» — y la refiere a un filósofo antiguo que dice haber pedido al Señor y haber recibido un agua clara que reconoció por el vinagre puro.

«I say a penetrating vinegar, and the moving instrument for putrefying, resolving and reducing gold or silver into their prima materia or first matter.» — Artefio nombra el vinagre penetrante como instrumento móvil para pudrir, resolver y reducir oro o plata a su primera materia.

«And it is the only agent in the universe, which in this art is able to reincrudate metallic bodies with the conservation of their species.» — y le adjudica exclusividad en el universo: el único capaz de reincrudar cuerpos metálicos conservando su especie.

«It is therefore the only apt and natural medium, by which we ought to resolve the perfect bodies of sol and luna, by a wonderful and solemn dissolution, with the conservation of the species, and without any distruction, unless it be to a new, more noble, and better form» — con el límite que Artefio pone a la disolución: sin destrucción, salvo hacia forma más noble. El tramo se corta al cruzar el cambio de plana.

«or generation, viz. into the perfect philosophers' stone, which is their wonderful secret and arcanum.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: esa forma nueva es la piedra filosofal, el secreto y arcano maravilloso de los filósofos.

«7. Now this water is a certain middle substance, clear as fine silver, which ought to receive the tinctures of sol and luna, so as they may be congealed, and changed into a white and living earth.» — séptimo apartado: el agua es sustancia media, clara como plata fina, que ha de recibir las tinturas de sol y luna para congelarse en tierra blanca y viva.

«For this water needs the perfect bodies, that with them after the dissolution, it may be congealed, fixed, and coagulated into a white earth.» — con la dependencia recíproca que Artefio enuncia: el agua necesita los cuerpos perfectos para coagularse con ellos.

«But if this solution is also their coagulation, for they have one and the same operation, because one is not dissolved, but the other is congealed, nor is there any other water which can dissolve the bodies, but that which abideth with them in the matter and the form.» — y la identidad de solución y coagulación como una sola operación, con la regla de que solo disuelve el agua que permanece con los cuerpos en la materia y la forma.

«It cannot be permanent unless it be of the nature of other bodies, that they may be made one.» — Artefio condiciona la permanencia a la comunidad de naturaleza entre disolvente y cuerpo.

«When therefore you see the water coagulate itself with the bodies that be dissolved therein; be assured that thy knowledge, way of working, and the work itself are true and philosophic, and that you have done rightly according to art.» — y da el signo con que el operador sabe que va bien: ver el agua coagularse con los cuerpos disueltos en ella.

«8. Thus you see that nature has to be amended by its own like nature; that is, gold and silver are to be exalted in our water, as our water also with these bodies; which water is called the medium of the soul, without which nothing has to be done in this art.» — octavo apartado: la naturaleza se enmienda con su propia naturaleza semejante, y el agua es el medio del alma sin el cual nada se hace en el arte.

«It is a vegetable, mineral, and animal fire, which conserves the fixed spirits of sol and luna, but destroys and conquers their bodies; for it destroys, overturns, and changes bodies and metallic forms, making them to be no bodies but a fixed spirit.» — Artefio califica ese fuego de vegetal, mineral y animal, que conserva los espíritus fijos de sol y luna y destruye sus cuerpos hasta dejarlos como espíritu fijo.

«And it turns them into a humid substance, soft and fluid, which hath ingression and power to enter into other imperfect bodies, and to mix with them in their smallest parts, and to tinge and make them perfect.» — y describe el producto: sustancia húmeda, blanda y fluida, con ingreso en los cuerpos imperfectos para mezclarse en sus partes mínimas y teñirlos.

«But this they could not do while they remained in their metallic forms or bodies, which were dry and hard, whereby they could have no entrance into other things, so to tinge and make perfect, what was before imperfect.» — con la razón por la que hay que licuarlos: en forma metálica, secos y duros, no tenían entrada en otras cosas.

«9. It is necessary therefore to convert the bodies of metals into a fluid substance; for that every tincture will tinge a thousand times more in a soft and liquid substance, than when it is in a dry one, as is plainly apparent in saffron.» — noveno apartado, con el argumento cuantitativo y su ejemplo: una tintura tiñe mil veces más en sustancia blanda y líquida que en seca, como se ve en el azafrán.

«Therefore the transmutation of imperfect metals, is impossible to be done by perfect bodies, while they are dry and hard; for which cause sake they must be brought back into their first matter, which is soft and fluid.» — de donde Artefio declara imposible la transmutación por cuerpos perfectos secos y duros, y manda devolverlos a su primera materia.

«It appears therefore that the moisture must be reverted that the hidden treasure may be revealed.» — con la fórmula que resume la operación: revertir la humedad para que el tesoro escondido se revele.

«And this is called the reincrudation of bodies, which is the decocting and softening them, till they lose their hard and dry substance or form;» — y el nombre técnico que le da: reincrudación, que es decocción y ablandamiento hasta perder la sustancia dura y seca.

«because that which is dry doth not enter into, nor tinge anything except its own body, nor can it be tinged except it be tinged; because, as I said before, a thick dry earthy matter does not penetrate nor tinge, and therefore, because it cannot enter or penetrate, it can make no alteration in the matter to be altered.» — Artefio funda la regla en que lo seco no entra ni tiñe nada salvo su propio cuerpo, y sin entrar no puede alterar.

«For this reason it is, that gold coloureth not, until its internal or hidden spirit is drawn forth out of its bowels by this, our white water, and that it may be made altogether a spiritual substance, a white vapour, a white spirit, and a wonderful soul.» — y aplica la regla al oro, que no colorea hasta que su espíritu interno se saca de sus entrañas por el agua blanca y queda hecho vapor blanco, espíritu blanco y alma.

«10. It behoves us therefore by this our water to attenuate, alter and soften the perfect bodies, to wit sol and luna, that so they may be mixed other imperfect bodies.» — décimo apartado: atenuar, alterar y ablandar sol y luna con el agua para poder mezclarlos con los cuerpos imperfectos.

«From whence, if we had no other benefit by this our antimonial water, than that it rendered bodies soft, more subtile, and fluid, according to its own nature, it would be sufficient.» — Artefio nombra el agua como antimonial y dice que bastaría con ese solo beneficio de ablandar los cuerpos.

«But more than that, it brings back bodies to their original of sulphur and mercury, that of them we may afterwards in a little time, in less than an hour's time do that above ground which nature was a thousand years doing underground, in the mines of the earth, which is a work almost miraculous.» — y añade el mayor: devolver los cuerpos a su origen de azufre y mercurio, haciendo en menos de una hora sobre tierra lo que la naturaleza tardaba mil años bajo tierra.

«11. And therefore our ultimate, or highest secret is, by this our water, to make bodies volatile, spiritual, and a tincture, or tinging water, which may have ingress or entrance into bodies; for it makes bodies to be merely spirit, because it reduces hard and dry bodies, and prepares them for fusion, melting, or dissolving; that is, it converts them into a permanent or fixed water.» — undécimo apartado: el secreto último es volver los cuerpos volátiles, espirituales y tintura con ingreso, convirtiéndolos en agua permanente o fija.

«And so it makes of bodies a most precious and desirable oil, which is the true tincture, and the permanent fixed white water, by nature hot and moist, or rather temperate, subtile, fusible as wax, which does penetrate, sink, tinge, and make perfect the work.» — con el aceite resultante, tintura verdadera y agua blanca fija, caliente y húmeda o más bien templada, fusible como cera.

«And this our water immediately dissolves bodies (as sol and luna) and makes them into an incombustible oil, which then may be mixed with other imperfect bodies.» — y la disolución inmediata de sol y luna en aceite incombustible mezclable con los cuerpos imperfectos.

«It also converts other bodies into the nature of a fusible salt which the philosophers call "sal alebrot philosophorum", better and more noble than any other salt, being in its own nature fixed and not subject to vanish in fire.» — Artefio nombra la *sal alebrot philosophorum*, fija por naturaleza y que no se desvanece al fuego.

«It is an oil indeed by nature hot, subtile, penetrating, sinking through and entering into other bodies- it is called the perfect or great elixir, and the hidden secret of the wise searchers of nature.» — y la llama gran elixir y secreto escondido de los sabios escrutadores de la naturaleza.

«He therefore that knows this salt of sol and luna, and its generation and preparation, and afterwards how to commix it, and make it homogene with other imperfect bodies, he in truth knows one of the greatest secrets of nature, and the only way that leads to perfection.» — con la promesa que cierra el apartado: quien conozca esa sal, su generación y su preparación conoce uno de los mayores secretos de la naturaleza.

«12. These bodies thus dissolved by our water are called argent vive, which is not without its sulphur, nor sulphur without the fixedness of sol and luna; because sol and luna are the particular means, or medium in the form through which nature passes in the perfecting or the completing thereof.» — duodécimo apartado: los cuerpos disueltos se llaman argent vive, que no va sin su azufre ni el azufre sin la fijeza de sol y luna.

«And this argent vive is called our esteemed and valuable salt, being animated and pregnant, and our fire, for that is nothing but fire; yet not fire, but sulphur; and not sulphur only, but also quicksilver drawn from sol and luna by our water, and reduced to a stone of great price.» — y Artefio encadena los nombres: sal estimada, animada y preñada, y fuego que no es fuego sino azufre, y no solo azufre sino azogue sacado de sol y luna.

«That is to say it is a matter or substance of sol and luna, or silver and gold, altered from vileness to nobility.» — con la definición que resume el paso: materia de sol y luna alterada de vileza a nobleza.

«Now you must note that this white sulphur is the father and mother of the metals; it is our mercury, and the mineral of gold; also the soul, and the ferment; yea, the mineral virtue, and the living body; our sulphur, and our quicksilver; that is, sulphur of sulphur, quicksilver of quicksilver, and mercury of mercury.» — y la serie de identificaciones del azufre blanco como padre y madre de los metales, cerrada con la fórmula reflexiva de azufre de azufre, azogue de azogue y mercurio de mercurio.

«13. The property therefore of our water is, that it melts or dissolves gold and silver, and increases their native tincture or colour. For it changes their bodies from being corporeal, into a spirituality;» — decimotercer apartado: la propiedad del agua es fundir oro y plata y aumentar su tintura nativa, cambiando sus cuerpos de corporales en espiritualidad.

«and it is in this water which turns the bodies, or corporeal substance into a white vapour, which is a soul which is whiteness itself, subtile, hot and full of fire.» — y el vapor blanco resultante, que Artefio llama alma y blancura misma, sutil, caliente y llena de fuego.

«This water also called the tinging or bloodcolour-making stone, being the virtue of the spiritual tincture, without which nothing can be done; and is the subject of all things that can be melted, and of liquefaction itself, which agrees perfectly and unites closely with sol and luna from which it can never be separated.» — Artefio la nombra piedra tintórea o hacedora de color de sangre, virtud de la tintura espiritual, sujeto de todo lo fusible.

«For it joined in affinity to the gold and silver, but more immediately to the gold than to the silver; which you are to take special notice of.» — con la asimetría que pide notar de modo especial: se une por afinidad al oro más inmediatamente que a la plata.

«It is also called the medium of conjoining the tinctures of sol and luna with the inferior or imperfect metals; for it turns the bodies into the true tincture, to tinge the said other imperfect metals, also it is the water that whiteneth, as it is whiteness itself, which quickeneth, as it is a soul; and therefore as the philosopher saith, quickly entereth into its body.» — y la llama medio de conjuntar las tinturas de sol y luna con los metales inferiores, agua que blanquea porque es la blancura y que vivifica porque es alma.

«14. For it is a living water which comes to moisten the earth, that it may spring out, and in its due season bring forth much fruit; for all things springing from the earth, are endued through dew and moisture.» — decimocuarto apartado, con el símil agrícola: agua viva que humedece la tierra para que brote y dé fruto en su sazón.

«The earth therefore springeth not forth without watering and moisture; it is the water proceeding from May dew that cleanseth the body; and like rain it penetrates them, and makes one body of two bodies.» — y el agua del rocío de mayo que limpia el cuerpo y, como la lluvia, lo penetra hasta hacer un cuerpo de dos.

«This aqua vitae or water of life, being rightly ordered and disposed with the body, it whitens it, and converts or changes it into its white colour, for this water is a white vapour, and therefore the body is whitened with it.» — Artefio explica el blanqueo por la naturaleza de vapor blanco del agua de vida.

«whiten the body, and open its unfoldings, for between these two, that is between the body and the water, there is desire and friendship, like as between male and female, because of the propinquity and likeness of their natures.» — y describe la relación entre cuerpo y agua como deseo y amistad, al modo de macho y hembra, por la proximidad y semejanza de sus naturalezas.

«15. Now this our second and living water is called "Azoth", the water washing the laton, viz. the body compounded of sol and luna by our first water; it is also called the soul of the dissolved bodies, which souls we have even now tied together, for the use of the wise philosopher.» — decimoquinto apartado: la segunda agua viva se llama Azoth, la que lava el latón, es decir el cuerpo compuesto de sol y luna por la primera agua.

«How precious then, and how great a thing is this water; for without it, the work could never be done or perfected; it is also called the "vase naturae", the belly, the womb, the receptacle of the tincture, the earth, the nurse.» — y la serie de nombres maternos que Artefio le da: *vase naturae*, vientre, matriz, receptáculo de la tintura, tierra, nodriza.

«It is the royal fountain in which the king and queen bathe themselves; and the mother must be put into and sealed up within the belly of her infant; and that is sol himself, who proceeded from her, and whom she brought forth; and therefore they have loved one another as mother and son, and are conjoined together, because they come from one and the same root, and are of the same substance and nature.» — con la imagen de la fuente real y la madre sellada dentro del vientre de su hijo, unidos por venir de una misma raíz.

«And because this water is the water of the vegetable life, it causes the dead body to vegetate, increase and spring forth, and to rise from death to life, by being dissolved first and then sublimed.» — Artefio atribuye al agua de vida vegetal el hacer que el cuerpo muerto vegete y se levante de muerte a vida, disuelto primero y sublimado después.

«And in doing this the body is converted into a spirit, and the spirit afterwards into a body; and then is made the amity, the peace, the concord, and the union of the contraries, to wit, between the body and the spirit, which reciprocally, or mutually change their natures which they receive, and communicate one to another through their most minute parts,» — y el intercambio recíproco entre cuerpo y espíritu, que se comunican sus naturalezas por sus partes mínimas.

«so that that which is hot is mixed with that which is cold, the dry with the moist, and the hard with the soft; by which means, there is a mixture made of contrary natures, viz. of coldwith hot, and moist with dry, even a most admirable unity between enemies.» — cierre del apartado, con la unión admirable entre enemigos; el troceo imprime *coldwith* pegado, por *cold with*.

«16. Our dissolution then of bodies, which is made such in this first water, is nothing else, but a destroying or overcoming of the moist with the dry, for the moist is coagulated with the dry.» — Artefio abre el apartado dieciséis definiendo la disolución de los cuerpos en la primera agua como un vencimiento de lo húmedo por lo seco.

«For the moisture is contained under, terminated with, and coagulated in the dry body, to wit, in that which is earthy. Let therefore the hard and the dry bodies be put into our first water in a vessel, which close well, and there let them abide till they be dissolved, and ascend to the top;» — y da la maniobra que se sigue de esa definición: los cuerpos duros y secos al agua primera, en vaso bien cerrado, hasta que se disuelvan y suban a la superficie.

«then may they be called a new body, the white gold made by art, the white stone, the white sulphur, not inflammable, the paradisical stone, viz. the stone transmuting imperfect metals into white silver.» — con los nombres que Artefio da a lo que sube: cuerpo nuevo, oro blanco hecho por arte, piedra blanca, azufre blanco no inflamable y piedra paradisíaca que transmuta los metales imperfectos en plata.

«Then have we also the body, soul, and spirit altogether- of which the spirit and soul it is said, that they cannot be extracted from the perfect bodies, but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving water.» — Artefio declara reunidos ahí cuerpo, alma y espíritu, y sostiene que alma y espíritu no se sacan de los cuerpos perfectos sino por auxilio del agua disolvente.

«Because it is certain, that the things fixed cannot be lifted up, or made to ascend, but by the conjunction or help of that which is volatile.» — con la razón que da: lo fijo no se levanta ni asciende sino por conjunción de lo volátil.

«17. The spirit, therefore, by help of the water and the soul, is drawn forth from the bodies themselves, and the body is thereby made spiritual; for that at the same instant of time, the spirit, with the soul of the bodies, ascends on high to the superior part, which is the perfection of the stone and is called sublimation.» — apartado diecisiete, donde Artefio nombra sublimación al ascenso simultáneo del espíritu con el alma a la parte superior, que llama perfección de la piedra.

«This sublimation, is made by things acid, spiritual, volatile, and which are in their own nature sulphureous and viscous, which dissolves bodies and makes them to ascend, and be changed into air and spirit.» — y describe con qué se hace: cosas ácidas, espirituales, volátiles, sulfúreas y viscosas por naturaleza, que disuelven los cuerpos y los hacen ascender en aire y espíritu.

«And in this sublimation, a certain part of our said first water ascends with the bodies, joining itself with them, ascending and subliming into one neutral and complex substance, which contains the nature of the two, viz. the nature of the two bodies and the water.» — Artefio añade que en esa sublimación sube con los cuerpos una parte de la primera agua, y que las tres cosas quedan hechas una sustancia neutra y compleja.

«And therefore it is called the corporeal and spiritual compositum, corjufle, cambar, ethelia, zandarith, duenech, the good; but properly it is called the permanent or fixed water only, because it flies not in the fire.» — con la serie de nombres de ese compuesto —corjufle, cambar, ethelia, zandarith, duenech, *the good*— y el que Artefio tiene por propio, agua permanente o fija, porque no vuela al fuego.

«But it perpetually adheres to the commixed or compound bodies, that is, the sol and luna, and communicates to them the living tincture, incombustible and most fixed, much more noble» — y su efecto sobre sol y luna: se les adhiere de modo perpetuo y les comunica la tintura viva, incombustible y fijísima. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«and precious than the former which those bodies had. Because from henceforth this tincture runs like oil, running through and penetrating bodies, and giving to them its wonderful fixity;» — continuación en la plana siguiente: esa tintura es más noble y preciosa que la anterior, corre como aceite, atraviesa los cuerpos y les da su fijeza maravillosa.

«and this tincture is the spirit, and the spirit is the soul, and the soul is the body.» — con la cadena de identificaciones que Artefio encadena en el mismo pasaje: la tintura es el espíritu, el espíritu es el alma y el alma es el cuerpo.

«For in this operation, the body is made a spirit of a most subtile nature; and again, the spirit is corporified and changed into the nature of the body, with the bodies, whereby our stone consists of a body, a soul, and a spirit.» — y el intercambio que la sostiene: el cuerpo se hace espíritu sutilísimo y el espíritu se corporifica, de donde la piedra consta de cuerpo, alma y espíritu.

«18. O God, how through nature, doth thou change a body into a spirit: which could not be done, if the spirit were not incorporated with the bodies, and the bodies made volatile with the spirit, and afterwards permanent and fixed.» — apartado dieciocho, que Artefio abre en forma de exclamación a Dios por el cambio de cuerpo en espíritu, imposible si el espíritu no se incorporara a los cuerpos.

«For this cause sake, they have passed over into one another, and by the innuence of wisdom, are converted the one into the other.» — con el paso recíproco de uno en otro por influjo de la sabiduría; el troceo imprime *innuence*, por *influence*.

«O Wisdom: how thou makest the most fixed gold to be volatile and fugitive, yea, though by nature it is the most fixed of all things in the world.» — segunda exclamación del mismo apartado, ahora a la Sabiduría, por volver volátil y fugitivo el oro, que por naturaleza es lo más fijo del mundo.

«It is necessary therefore, to dissolve and liquefy these bodies by our water, and to make them a permanent or fixed water, a pure, golden water leaving in the bottom the gross, earthy, superfluous and dry matter.» — y la operación que de ahí saca Artefio: disolver y licuar los cuerpos en el agua hasta hacerlos agua áurea permanente, dejando en el fondo la materia gruesa, terrestre, superflua y seca.

«And in this subliming, making thin and pure, the fire ought to be gentle; but if in this subliming with a soft fire, the bodies be not purified, and the gross and the earthy parts thereof (note this well) be not separated from the impurities of the dead, you shall not be able to perfect the work.» — Artefio fija el régimen de esa sublimación —fuego suave— y advierte que sin separar lo grueso y terrestre de las impurezas de los muertos la obra no se perfecciona.

«For thou needest nothing but the thin and subtile part of the dissolved bodies, which our water will give thee, if thou proceedest with a slow or gentle fire, by separating the things heterogene from the things homogene.» — con lo único que declara necesario: la parte fina y sutil de los cuerpos disueltos, que el agua entrega si se procede con fuego lento separando lo heterogéneo de lo homogéneo.

«19. This compositum then has its mundification or cleaning, by our moist fire, which by dissolving and subliming that which is pure and white, it cast forth its faeces or filth like a voluntary vomit,» — apartado diecinueve: el compuesto se munda por el fuego húmedo, que al disolver y sublimar lo puro arroja las heces como vómito voluntario.

«for in such a dissolution and natural sublimation or lifting up, there is a loosening or untying of the elements, and a cleansing and separating of the pure from the impure.» — y Artefio nombra lo que ocurre ahí: un desatarse de los elementos y una limpia que aparta lo puro de lo impuro.

«So that the pure and white substance ascends upwards and the impure and earthy remains fixed in the bottom of the water and the vessel.» — con el reparto visible en el vaso: lo puro y blanco asciende y lo impuro y terrestre queda fijo en el fondo.

«This must be taken away and removed, because it is of no value, taking only the middle white substance, flowing and melted or dissolved, rejecting the feculent earth, which remains below in the bottom.» — Artefio manda retirar el poso por carecer de valor y quedarse solo con la sustancia blanca media, fluida y fundida.

«These faeces were separated partly by the water, and are the dross and terra damnata, which is of no value, nor can do any such service as the clear, white, pure and clear matter, which is wholly and only to be taken and made use of.» — y llama a esas heces escoria y *terra damnata*, sin servicio alguno frente a la materia clara, blanca y pura que es la única que se toma.

«20. And against this capharean rock, the ship of knowledge, or art of the young philosopher is often, as it happened also to me sometimes, dashed together in pieces, or destroyed, because the philosophers for the most part speak by the contraries.» — apartado veinte, donde Artefio nombra escollo cafareo aquel en que naufraga la nave del saber del joven filósofo —y dice que también él naufragó ahí— porque los filósofos hablan casi siempre por contrarios.

«That is to say that nothing must be removed or taken away, except the moisture, which is the blackness; which notwithstanding they speak and write only to the unwary, who, without a master, indefatigable reading, or humble supplications to God Almighty, would ravish away the golden fleece.» — con la fórmula contraria que denuncia: que nada debe quitarse salvo la humedad, dicho solo para los incautos que sin maestro, lectura infatigable ni súplica a Dios querrían arrebatar el vellocino de oro.

«it is therefore to be observed, that this separation, division, and sublimation, is without doubt the key to the whole work.» — y el juicio con que Artefio cierra el apartado: esa separación, división y sublimación es sin duda la llave de la obra entera.

«21. After the putrefaction, then and dissolution of these bodies, our bodies also ascend to the top, even to the surface of the dissolving water, in a whiteness of colour, which whiteness is life.» — apartado veintiuno: tras la putrefacción y disolución los cuerpos ascienden a la superficie del agua en blancura, y esa blancura, dice Artefio, es la vida.

«And in this whiteness, the antimonial and mercurial soul, is by natural compact infused into, and joined with the spirits of sol and luna, which separate the thin from the thick» — y en esa blancura sitúa el alma antimonial y mercurial infundida por pacto natural en los espíritus de sol y luna, que separan lo delgado de lo espeso.

«That is, by lifting up, by little and little, the thin and the pure part of the body, from the faeces and impurity, until all the pure parts are separated and ascended. And in this work is our natural and philosophical sublimation work completed.» — con la marcha lenta de la operación —levantar poco a poco lo fino y puro hasta que todo lo puro haya ascendido— que Artefio da por sublimación natural y filosófica cumplida.

«Now in this whiteness is the soul infused into the body, to wit, the mineral virtue, which is more subtile than fire, being indeed the true quintessence and life,» — Artefio identifica el alma infundida con la virtud mineral, más sutil que el fuego, y la llama verdadera quintaesencia y vida.

«which desires or hungers to be born again, and to put off the defilements and be spoiled of its gross and earthy faeces, which it has taken from its monstrous womb, and corrupt place of its original.» — y le atribuye hambre de nacer de nuevo y de despojarse de las heces gruesas y terrestres tomadas de su matriz monstruosa y del lugar corrupto de su origen.

«And in this our philosophical sublimation, not in the impure, corrupt, vulgar mercury, which has no qualities or properties like to those, with which our mercury, drawn from its vitriolic caverns is adorned.» — con el deslinde que Artefio repite: la sublimación es la filosófica y no la del mercurio vulgar, corrupto, que carece de las cualidades del mercurio sacado de las cavernas vitriólicas.

«22. It is most certain therefore in this art, that this soul extracted from the bodies, cannot be made to ascend, but by adding to it a volatile matter, which is of its own kind.» — apartado veintidós: el alma extraída de los cuerpos no asciende si no se le añade materia volátil de su mismo género.

«By which the bodies will be made volatile and spiritual, lifting themselves up, subtilizing and subliming themselves, contrary to their own proper nature, which is corporeal, heavy, and ponderous.» — y el efecto de ese añadido: los cuerpos se vuelven volátiles y espirituales contra su propia naturaleza corpórea, pesada y ponderosa.

«And by this means they are unbodied, or made no bodies, to wit, incorporeal, and a quintessence of the nature of a spirit, which is called, "avis hermetis", and " mercurius extractus", drawn from a red subject or matter.» — Artefio llama a lo así descorporeizado quintaesencia de naturaleza de espíritu, con los dos nombres que le da —*avis hermetis* y *mercurius extractus*—, sacada de un sujeto rojo.

«And so the terrene or earthy parts remain below, or rather the grosser parts of the bodies, which can by no industry or ingenuity of man be brought to a perfect dissolution.» — y deja abajo las partes terrestres y más gruesas, que ninguna industria ni ingenio de hombre lleva a disolución perfecta.

«23. And this white vapour, this white gold, to wit, this quintessence, is called also the compound magnesia, which like a man does contain, or like man is composed of a body, soul and spirit.» — apartado veintitrés: el vapor blanco u oro blanco se llama también magnesia compuesta y, como el hombre, consta de cuerpo, alma y espíritu.

«Now the body is the fixed solar earth, exceeding the most subtile matter, which by the help of our divine water is with difficulty lifted up or separated.» — Artefio reparte los tres términos y empieza por el cuerpo: la tierra solar fija, que solo con dificultad se levanta por auxilio del agua divina.

«The soul is the tincture of sol and luna, proceeding from the conjunction, or communication of these two, to wit, the bodies of sol and luna, and our water,» — el alma, segunda de las tres, es la tintura de sol y luna que procede de la conjunción de esos dos cuerpos con el agua.

«and the spirit is the mineral power, or virtue of the bodies, and of the water which carries the soul or white tincture, in or upon the bodies, and also out of the bodies like as the tinctures or colours in dying cloth are by the water put upon, and diffused in and through the cloth.» — y el espíritu es la virtud mineral que lleva el alma o tintura blanca sobre los cuerpos, con el símil del tinte que el agua difunde por el paño.

«And this mercurial spirit is the chain or band of the solar soul; and the solar body is that body which contains the spirit and soul, having the power of fixing in itself, being joined with luna.» — Artefio llama cadena o atadura del alma solar a ese espíritu mercurial, y cuerpo solar al que contiene espíritu y alma con poder de fijarse unido a luna.

«The spirit therefore penetrates, the body fixes, and the soul joins together, tinges and whitens.» — con el reparto de oficios en una línea: el espíritu penetra, el cuerpo fija y el alma junta, tiñe y blanquea.

«From these three bodies united together is our stone made; to wit, sol, luna, and mercury.» — y la conclusión del apartado: de esos tres cuerpos unidos se hace la piedra, que Artefio nombra como sol, luna y mercurio.

«24. Therefore with this our golden water, a natural substance is extracted, exceeding all natural substances; and so, except the bodies be broken and destroyed, imbibed, made subtile and fine, thriftily, and diligently managed, till they are abstracted from, or lose their grossness or solid substance, and be changed into a subtile spirit, all our labour will be in vain.» — apartado veinticuatro: con el agua áurea se extrae una sustancia natural que excede a todas, y sin romper, empapar y sutilizar los cuerpos hasta perder su grosor todo el trabajo es vano.

«And unless the bodies be made no bodies or incorporeal, that is converted into the philosophers mercury, there is no rule of art yet found out to work by.» — y Artefio pone como condición sin la cual no hay regla de arte con que operar: que los cuerpos se hagan no cuerpos, convertidos en el mercurio de los filósofos.

«The reason is, because it is impossible to draw out of the bodies all that most thin and subtile spirit, which has in itself the» — con la razón de esa condición: no hay modo de sacar de los cuerpos el espíritu finísimo mientras no se resuelvan primero en el agua. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«tincture, except it first be resolved in our water. Dissolve then the bodies in this our golden water, and boil them until all the tincture is brought forth by the water, in a white colour and a white oil;» — continuación en la plana siguiente: disolver los cuerpos en el agua áurea y hervirlos hasta que el agua saque toda la tintura en color blanco y aceite blanco.

«and when you see this whiteness upon the water, then know that the bodies are melted, liquified, or dissolved. Continue then this boiling, till the dark, black, and white cloud is brought forth, which they have conceived.» — y el signo con que se reconoce la disolución, más la orden de continuar el hervor hasta que salga la nube oscura, negra y blanca que los cuerpos concibieron.

«25. Put therefore the perfect bodies of metals, to wit, sol and luna, into our water in a vessel, hermetically sealed, upon a gentle fire, and digest continually, till they are perfectly resolved into a most precious oil.» — apartado veinticinco, con la receta completa: sol y luna en el agua, vaso sellado herméticamente, fuego suave y digestión continua hasta resolverlos en aceite preciosísimo.

«Saith Adfar, digest with a gentle fire, as it were for the hatching of chickens, so long till the bodies are dissolved, and their perfectly conjoined tincture is extracted, mark this well.» — y la autoridad que Artefio invoca para el grado de calor, Adfar, con la medida del empollado de pollos; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana.

«But it is not extracted all at once, but it is drawn out by little and little, day by day, and hour by hour, till after a long time, the solution thereof is completed, and that which is dissolved always swims atop.» — con la advertencia sobre el ritmo: la tintura no sale de una vez sino poco a poco, día a día y hora a hora, y lo disuelto siempre nada arriba.

«And while this dissolution is in hand, let the fire be gentle and continual, till the bodies are dissolved into a viscous and most subtile water, and the whole tincture be educed, in colour first black, which is the sign of a true dissolution.» — y el color primero que Artefio da por señal de disolución verdadera: el negro, con el fuego suave y continuo hasta que los cuerpos queden en agua viscosa y sutilísima.

«26. Then continue the digestion, till it become a white fixed water, for being digested in balance, it will afterwards become clear, and in the end become like common argent vive, ascending by the spirit above the first water.» — apartado veintiséis: seguida la digestión, el agua se hace blanca y fija, luego clara, y al fin semejante al argent vive común que asciende sobre la primera agua.

«When there you see bodies dissolved in the first viscous water, then know, that they are turned into a vapour, and the soul is separated from the dead body, and by sublimation, turned into the order of spirits.» — con el signo siguiente: disueltos los cuerpos en la primera agua viscosa, se han vuelto vapor, el alma se separó del cuerpo muerto y por sublimación pasó al orden de los espíritus.

«Whence both of them, with a part of our water, are made spirits flyingup in the air; and there the compounded body, made of the male and female, viz. of sol and luna, and of that most subtile nature, cleansed by sublimation, taketh life, and is made spiritual by its own humidity.» — y el cuerpo compuesto de macho y hembra, limpio por sublimación, toma vida y se hace espiritual por su propia humedad; el troceo imprime *flyingup* pegado.

«That is by its own water; like as a man is sustained by the air, whereby from thenceforth it is multiplied, and increases in its own kind, as do all other things.» — con el símil del hombre sostenido por el aire, del que Artefio deriva que aquello se multiplica y crece en su propia especie como todo lo demás.

«In such an ascention therefore, and philosophical sublimation, all are joined one with another, and the new body subtilized, or made living by the spirit, miraculously liveth or springs like a vegetable.» — y el cierre del apartado, con el cuerpo nuevo sutilizado y vivificado por el espíritu que brota como un vegetal; el impreso escribe *ascention*.

«27. Wherefore, unless the bodies be attenuated, or made thin, by the fire and water, till they ascend in a spirit, and are made or do become like water and vapour or mercury, you labour wholly in vain.» — apartado veintisiete del Secret Book: Artefio declara vano todo trabajo si los cuerpos no se atenúan por fuego y agua hasta ascender en espíritu y hacerse como agua, vapor o mercurio.

«But when they arise or ascend, they are born or brought forth in the air or spirit, and in the same they are changed, and made life with life, so as they can never be separated, but are as water mixed with water.» — y describe lo que pasa cuando suben: nacen en el aire o espíritu, se cambian y quedan hechos vida con vida, inseparables como agua mezclada con agua.

«And therefore, it is wisely said, that the stone is born of the spirit, because it is altogether spiritual.» — de donde Artefio recoge la sentencia de que la piedra nace del espíritu, por ser enteramente espiritual.

«For the vulture himself flying without wings cries upon the top of the mountain, saying, I am the white brought forth from the black, and the red brought forth from the white, the citrine son of the red; I speak the truth and lie not.» — con el emblema del buitre que vuela sin alas y grita desde la cumbre: es el blanco sacado del negro y el rojo sacado del blanco, hijo cetrino del rojo.

«28. It sufficeth thee then to put the bodies in the vessel, and into the water once and for all, and to close the vessel well, until a true separation is made.» — apartado veintiocho: basta poner los cuerpos en el vaso y en el agua una sola vez y cerrarlo bien hasta que se haga la separación verdadera.

«This the obscure artist calls conjunction, sublimation, assation, extraction, putrefaction, ligation, desponsation, subtilization, generation, etc.» — y Artefio enumera los nombres con que el artista oscuro llama a esa única maniobra: conjunción, sublimación, asación, extracción, putrefacción, ligación, desponsación, sutilización, generación.

«29. Now the whole magistery may be perfected, work, as in the generation of man, and of every vegetable; put the seed once into the womb, and shut it up well.» — apartado veintinueve, con el símil de la generación: como en el hombre y en todo vegetal, se pone la simiente una vez en la matriz y se cierra bien.

«Thus you may see that you need not many things, and that this our work requires no great charges, for that there is but one stone, there is but one medicine, one vessel, one order of working, and one successive disposition to the white and to the red.» — y la economía que Artefio deduce de ahí: una piedra, una medicina, un vaso, un orden de trabajo y una disposición sucesiva al blanco y al rojo.

«And although we say in many places, take this, and take that, yet we understand, that it behoves us to take but one thing, and put it once into the» — con la advertencia sobre su propio modo de escribir: aunque en muchos lugares digan tomad esto y tomad aquello, entienden que solo hay que tomar una cosa. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«vessel, until the work be perfected. But these things are so set down by obscure philosophers to deceive the unwary, as we have before spoken;» — continuación en la plana siguiente: los filósofos oscuros lo dejaron así escrito para engañar a los incautos.

«for is not this "ars cabalistica" or a secret and a hidden art? Is it not an art full of secrets? And believest thou O fool that we plainly teach this secret of secrets, taking our words according to their literal signification?» — y Artefio pregunta si no es aquello *ars cabalistica*, arte secreta y escondida, y si el lector necio cree que enseñan el secreto de los secretos en el sentido literal de sus palabras.

«Truly, I tell thee, that as for myself, I am no ways self seeking, or envious as others are; but he that takes the words of the other philosophers according to their common signification, he even already, having lost Ariadne's clue of thread, wanders in the midst of the labyrinth, multiplies errors, and casts away his money for nought.» — con el deslinde que hace de sí frente a los demás y la imagen del hilo de Ariadna perdido: quien tome las palabras de los filósofos en su sentido común anda ya extraviado en el laberinto.

«30. And I, Artephius, after I became an adept, and had attained to the true and complete wisdom, by studying the books of the most faithful Hermes, the speaker of truth, was sometimes obscure also as others were.» — apartado treinta, donde Artefio se nombra a sí mismo, dice haber llegado a adepto estudiando los libros de Hermes y admite haber sido oscuro también él.

«But when I had for the space of a thousand years, or thereabouts, which has now passed over my head, since the time I was born to this day, through the alone goodness of God Almighty, by the use of this wonderful quintessence.» — y data su propia vida en unos mil años pasados sobre su cabeza desde que nació, por sola bondad de Dios y por el uso de la quintaesencia. Es el testimonio que Lapidus ya había referido en la introducción.

«When I say for so very long a time, I found no man that had found out or obtained this hermetic secret, because of the obscurity of the philosophers words.» — con el balance de ese lapso: en tanto tiempo no halló hombre que diera con el secreto hermético, y lo carga a la oscuridad de las palabras de los filósofos.

«Being moved with a generous mind, and the integrity of a good man, I have determined in these latter days of my life, to declare all things truly and sincerely, that you may not want anything for the perfecting of this stone of the philosophers.» — y su resolución de declararlo todo con verdad y sinceridad en los últimos días de su vida, para que al lector no le falte nada.

«31. In this book I have therefore written the naked truth, though clothed or disguised with a few colours; yet so that every good and wise man may happily have those desirable apples of the Hesperides from this our philosophers tree.» — apartado treinta y uno: Artefio declara haber escrito la verdad desnuda, apenas vestida de unos colores, para que el hombre bueno y sabio alcance las manzanas de las Hespérides del árbol de los filósofos.

«Wherefore praises be given to the most high God, who has poured into our soul of his goodness; and through a good old age, even an almost infinite number of years, has truly filled our hearts with his love, in which, methinks, I embrace, cherish, and truly love all mankind together.» — con la acción de gracias que sigue, por la vejez larga y el número casi infinito de años, y el amor a todo el género humano que dice sentir.

«But to return to our business. Truly our work is perfectly performed; for that which the heat of the sun is a hundred years in doing, for the generation of one metal in the bowels of the earth; our secret fire, that is, our fiery and sulphureous water, which is called Balneum Mariae, doth as I have often seen in a very short time.» — y la comparación de tiempos con que vuelve al asunto: lo que el calor del sol tarda cien años en engendrar bajo tierra, el fuego secreto —el agua ígnea y sulfúrea que llama baño maría— lo hace en muy poco, según dice haber visto muchas veces.

«32. Now this operation or work is a thing of no great labour to him who knows and understands it; nor is the matter so dear, consideration how small a quantity does suffice, that it may cause any man to withdraw his hand from it.» — apartado treinta y dos: la obra no es de gran trabajo para quien la entiende, ni la materia tan cara que haga a nadie retirar la mano, dada la poca cantidad que basta.

«It is indeed, a work so short and easy, that it may well be called a woman's work, and the play of children.» — con la fórmula del trabajo de mujeres y el juego de niños, que Lapidus ya había puesto en la introducción como dicho de los adeptos y que aquí aparece en la fuente.

«Go to it then, my son, put up thy supplications to God Almighty; be diligent in searching the books of the learned in this science; for one book openeth another;» — Artefio se dirige al lector como a un hijo y le manda orar y ser diligente en los libros de los doctos, porque un libro abre otro.

«think and meditate of these things profoundly; and avoid all things which vanish in or will not endure the fire, because from those adustible, perishing or consuming things, you can never attain to the perfect matter, which is only found in the digesting of your water, extracted from sol and luna.» — y le manda evitar cuanto se desvanece o no resiste al fuego, porque de lo adustible y perecedero no se saca la materia perfecta, que solo se halla digiriendo el agua extraída de sol y luna.

«For by this water, colour, and ponderosity or weight, are infinitely given to the matter; and this water is a white vapour, which like a soul flows through the perfect bodies, taking wholly from them their blackness, and impurities, uniting the two bodies in one, and increasing their water.» — con lo que esa agua hace: da color y peso a la materia, corre como alma por los cuerpos perfectos, les quita negrura e impurezas y une los dos cuerpos en uno.

«Nor is there any other thing than Azoth, to wit, this our water, which can take from the perfect bodies of sol and luna, their natural colour, making the red body white, according to the disposition thereof.» — y Artefio la nombra Azoth, única capaz de quitar a sol y luna su color natural y volver blanco el cuerpo rojo.

«33. Now let us speak of the fire. Our fire then is mineral, equal, continuous; it fumes not, unless it be too much stirred up, participates of sulphur, and is taken from other things than from the matter; it overturns all things, dissolves, congeals, and calcines, and is to be found out by art, or after an artificial manner.» — apartado treinta y tres: Artefio describe su fuego como mineral, igual y continuo, que no humea si no se lo agita, participa del azufre, se toma de otras cosas que de la materia y se halla por arte.

«It is a compendious thing, got without cost or charge, or at least without any great purchase; it is humid, vapourous, digestive, altering, penetrating, subtile, spiritous, not violent, incombustible, circumspective, continent, and one only thing.» — con la serie de adjetivos que le encadena —húmedo, vaporoso, digestivo, alterante, penetrante, sutil, espirituoso, no violento, incombustible— y su condición de cosa sola y barata.

«It is also a fountain of living water, which circumvolveth and contains the place, in which the king and queen bathe themselves; through the whole work this moist fire is sufficient; in the beginning, middle and end, because in it, the whole art does consist.» — y la imagen de la fuente de agua viva donde se bañan el rey y la reina, con el fuego húmedo bastando al principio, en medio y al fin porque en él consiste el arte entero.

«This is the natural fire, which is yet against nature, not natural and which burns not; and lastly, this fire is hot, cold, dry, moist; meditate on these things, and proceed directly without anything of a foreign nature.» — con la serie de contrarios con que Artefio lo define —natural y contra natura, no natural, que no quema, caliente, frío, seco y húmedo— y el mandato de proceder sin nada de naturaleza ajena.

«If you understand not these fires, give ear to what I have yet to say, never as yet written in any book, but drawn from the more abstruse and occult riddles of the ancients.» — y el anuncio de lo que sigue, que dice no haberse escrito nunca en libro alguno y estar sacado de los enigmas más abstrusos y ocultos de los antiguos.

«34. We have properly three fires, without which our art cannot be perfected; and whosoever works without them takes a great deal of labour in vain.» — apartado treinta y cuatro, con la doctrina de los tres fuegos: sin ellos el arte no se perfecciona y quien opere sin ellos trabaja en vano.

«The first fire is that of the lamp, which is continuous, humid, vaporous, spiritous, and found out by art.» — el primero de los tres es el fuego de la lámpara, que Artefio llama continuo, húmedo, vaporoso y espirituoso, hallado por arte.

«This lamp ought to be proportioned to the enclosure; wherein you must use great judgment, which none can attain to, but he that can bend to the search thereof.» — con la regla de proporción entre lámpara y recinto, que pide gran juicio y que Artefio reserva a quien se aplique a buscarla.

«For if this fire of the lamp be not measured, or duly proportioned or fitted to the furnace, it will be, that either for the want of heat you will not see the expected signs, in their limited times, whereby you will lose your hopes and expectation by a too long delay; or else, by reason of too much heat, you will burn the "flores auri", the golden flowers, and so foolishly bewail your lost expense.» — y los dos errores simétricos que le corresponden: por falta de calor no se ven las señales a su tiempo, y por exceso se queman las *flores auri*, las flores de oro.

«35. The second fire is ignis cinerum, an ash heat, in which the vessel hermetically sealed is recluded, or buried; or rather it is that most sweet and gentle heat, which proceeding from the temperate vapours of the lamp, does equally surround your vessel.» — apartado treinta y cinco: el segundo fuego es el *ignis cinerum*, calor de ceniza en que se entierra el vaso sellado, o más bien el calor dulcísimo que sube de los vapores templados de la lámpara.

«This fire is not violent or forcing, except it be too much excited or stirred up; it is a fire digestive; alterative, and taken from another body than the matter; being but one only, moist also, and not natural.» — y sus rasgos: no violento salvo si se lo agita en exceso, digestivo, alterativo, tomado de cuerpo distinto de la materia, uno solo, húmedo y no natural.

«36. The third fire, is the natural fire of water, which is also called the fire against nature, because it is water; and yet nevertheless, it makes a mere spirit of gold, which common fire is not able to do.» — apartado treinta y seis: el tercero es el fuego natural del agua, llamado contra natura por ser agua, y que hace del oro mero espíritu, cosa que el fuego común no puede.

«This fire is mineral, equal, and participates of sulphur; it overturns or destroys, congeals, dissolves, and calcines; it is penetrating, subtile, incombustible and not burning, and is the fountain of living water, wherein the king and queen bathe themselves,» — con la repetición de los rasgos del primero y la misma fuente de agua viva donde se bañan el rey y la reina.

«whose help we stand in need of through the whole work, through the beginning, middle, and end. But the other two above mentioned, we have not always occasion for, but only at sometimes.» — y la jerarquía entre los tres: del tercero se necesita en toda la obra, de los otros dos solo a veces.

«In reading therefore the books of the philosophers, conjoin these three fires in your judgment, and without doubt, you will understand whatever they have written of them.» — con la regla de lectura que Artefio da al lector: conjuntar en el juicio los tres fuegos y entenderá cuanto los filósofos escribieron de ellos.

«37. Now as to the colours, that which does not make black cannot make white, because blackness is the beginning of whiteness, and a sign of putrefaction and alteration, and that the body is now penetrated and mortified.» — apartado treinta y siete, con la regla de los colores: lo que no ennegrece no puede blanquear, porque la negrura es principio de la blancura y señal de putrefacción y de cuerpo ya penetrado y mortificado.

«From the putrefaction therefore in this water, there first appears blackness, like unto broth wherein some bloody thing is boiled.» — y el símil con que describe esa primera negrura: un caldo en el que se cuece algo sanguinolento.

«Secondly, the black earth by continual digestion is whitened, because the soul of the two bodies swims above upon the water, like white cream; and in this only whiteness, all the spirits are so united, that they can never fly one from another.» — con el segundo paso: la tierra negra blanquea por digestión continua, con el alma de los dos cuerpos nadando encima como crema blanca y los espíritus unidos sin que ninguno pueda volar del otro.

«And therefore the laton must be whitened, and its leaves unfolded, i.e., its body broken or opened, lest we labour in vain; for this whiteness is the perfect stone for the white work, and a body ennobled to that end; even» — y la orden que de ahí se sigue: blanquear el latón y abrir sus hojas, porque esa blancura es la piedra perfecta para la obra al blanco. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«the tincture of a most exuberant glory, and shining brightness, which never departs from the body it is once joined with.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: esa blancura es tintura de gloria exuberante y brillo resplandeciente que nunca se aparta del cuerpo al que se unió.

«Therefore you must note here, that the spirits are not fixed but in the white colour, which is more noble than the other colours, and is more vehemently to be desired, for that as it were the complement or perfection of the whole work.» — Artefio pide notar que los espíritus solo quedan fijos en el color blanco, el más noble y el que más ha de desearse por ser como el complemento de la obra entera.

«38. For our earth putrefies and becomes black, then it is putrefied in lifting up or separation; afterwards being dried, its blackness goes away from it, and then it is whitened, and the feminine dominion of the darkness and humidity perisheth; then also the white vapour penetrates through the new body, and the spirits are bound up or fixed in the dryness.» — apartado treinta y ocho, con la secuencia completa: la tierra se pudre y ennegrece, seca pierde la negrura y blanquea, perece el dominio femenino de la oscuridad y la humedad, y los espíritus quedan atados en la sequedad.

«And that which is corrupting, deformed and black through the moisture, vanishes away; so the new body rises again clear, pure, white, and immortal, obtaining the victory over all its enemies.» — y el cuerpo nuevo que se levanta claro, puro, blanco e inmortal, vencedor de todos sus enemigos.

«And as heat working upon that which is moist, causeth or generates blackness, which is the prime or first colour, so always by decoction more and more heat working upon that which is dry begats whiteness, which is the second colour; and then working upon that which is purely and perfectly dry, it produces citrinity and redness, thus much for colours.» — con la deducción de los tres colores por grados de sequedad: el calor sobre lo húmedo hace la negrura, sobre lo seco la blancura, y sobre lo seco puro y perfecto la citrinidad y la rojez.

«We must know therefore, that thing which has its head red and white, but its feet white and afterwards red; and its eyes beforehand black, that this thing, I say, is the only matter of our magistery.» — y el retrato en enigma con que Artefio cierra el apartado: cabeza roja y blanca, pies blancos y luego rojos, ojos antes negros, y esa cosa es la única materia del magisterio.

«Excepting one certain thing, which is not lawful for me to discover to any, because it is either revealed or made known by God Himself, or taught by some master, which notwithstanding he that can bend himself to the search thereof, by the help of a little experience, may easily learn in this book.» — con la reserva que Artefio se guarda: una cosa que no le es lícito descubrir porque la revela Dios mismo o la enseña un maestro, aunque dice que con poca experiencia se aprende del libro. El volumen reimprime este pasaje abreviado más adelante, y el locator es el de su primera aparición.

«39. Dissolve then sol and luna in our dissolving water, which is familiar and friendly, and the next in nature to them; and is also sweet and pleasant to them, and as it were a womb, a mother, an or iginal, the beginning and the end of their life.» — apartado treinta y nueve: Artefio manda disolver sol y luna en el agua, que llama familiar, amiga, dulce y como matriz y madre, principio y fin de su vida; el troceo parte *or iginal* en dos.

«That is the reason why they are meliorated or amended in this water, because like nature, rejoices in like nature, and like nature retains like nature, being joined the one to the other, in a true marriage, by which they are made one nature, one new body, raised again from the dead, and immortal.» — y la razón que da: la naturaleza semejante goza y retiene a su semejante, unidas en verdadero matrimonio, hechas una naturaleza y un cuerpo nuevo resucitado e inmortal.

«Thus it behoves you to join consanguinity, or sameness of kind, by which these natures, will meet and follow one another, purify themselves and generate, and make one another rejoice; for that like nature now is disposed by like nature, even that which is nearest, and most friendly to it.» — con la regla que de ahí saca Artefio: juntar consanguinidad, es decir naturalezas del mismo género, que se buscan, se purifican, se engendran y se alegran unas a otras.

«40. Our water then is the most beautiful, lovely, and clear fountain, prepared only for the king, and queen, whom it knows verywell, and they it. For it attracts them to itself, and they abide therein for two or three days, to wit, two or three months, to wash themselves therewith, whereby they are made young again and beautiful.» — apartado cuarenta, con la fuente clarísima preparada solo para el rey y la reina, que se bañan en ella dos o tres días —dice Artefio, dos o tres meses— y salen jóvenes y hermosos; el troceo imprime *verywell* pegado.

«And because sol and luna have their original from this water their mother; it is necessary therefore that they enter into it again, to wit, into their mothers womb, that they may be regenerated and born again, and made more healthy, more noble and more strong.» — y la razón del baño: sol y luna vienen de esa agua madre y han de volver a entrar en la matriz materna para renacer más sanos, nobles y fuertes.

«If therefore these do not die and be converted into water, they remain alone or as they were and without fruit; but if they die, and are resolved in our water, they bring forth fruit a hundred fold; and from that very place in which they seem to perish, from thence shall they appear to be that which they were not before.» — con la ley de muerte y fruto: si no mueren ni se resuelven en el agua quedan solos y sin fruto, y si mueren dan ciento por uno, apareciendo lo que antes no eran justo donde parecían perecer.

«41. Let therefore the spirit of our living water be, with all care and industry, fixed with sol and luna; for that they being converted into the nature of water become dead, and appear like to the dead; from thence afterwards being revived, they increase and multiply, even as do all sorts of vegetable substances;» — apartado cuarenta y uno: fijar con cuidado el espíritu del agua viva con sol y luna, que al hacerse agua mueren y luego reviven, crecen y se multiplican como toda sustancia vegetal.

«it suffices then to dispose the matter sufficiently without, because that within, it sufficiently disposes itself for the perfection of its work.» — y el reparto del trabajo que Artefio enuncia: basta disponer la materia por fuera, porque por dentro ella se dispone a la perfección de su obra.

«For it has in itself a certain and inherent motion, according to the true way and method, and a much better order than it is possible for any man to invent or think of.» — con el fundamento de ese reparto: la materia tiene un movimiento propio e inherente, de mejor orden que cuanto un hombre pueda inventar o pensar.

«For this cause it is that you need only to prepare the matter, nature herself will perfect it; and if she be not hindered by some contrary thing, she will not overpass her own certain motion, neither in conceiving or generating, nor in bringing forth.» — y la consecuencia práctica: preparar la materia y dejar que la naturaleza la perfeccione, que si no se le estorba no se sale de su movimiento al concebir, engendrar ni parir.

«42. Wherefore, after the preparation of the matter, beware only lest by too much heat or fire, you inflame the bath, or make it too hot; secondly, take heed, lest the spirit should exhale, lest it hurt the operator, to wit, lest it destroy the work, and induce many infirmities, as trouble, sadness, vexation, and discontent.» — apartado cuarenta y dos, con las dos precauciones tras preparar la materia: no inflamar el baño con demasiado fuego y no dejar exhalar el espíritu, que destruiría la obra y traería al operador molestia, tristeza, vejación y descontento.

«From these things which have been spoken, this axiom is manifest, to wit, that he can never know the necessary course of nature, in the making or generating of metals, who is ignorant of the way of destroying them.» — y el axioma que Artefio saca de ahí: nunca conocerá el curso de la naturaleza al engendrar los metales quien ignore el modo de destruirlos.

«You must therefore join them together that are of one consanguinity or kindred; for like natures do find out and join with their like natures, and by putrefying themselves, and mix together and mortify themselves.» — con la orden de juntar lo consanguíneo, porque las naturalezas semejantes se buscan, se pudren, se mezclan y se mortifican entre sí.

«It is needful therefore to know this corruption and generation, and the natures do embrace one another, and are brought to a fixity in a slow and gentle fire; how like natures rejoiceth with like natures; and how they retain one another, and are converted into a white consistency.» — y lo que hay que saber de esa corrupción y generación: cómo las naturalezas se abrazan y se fijan a fuego lento hasta pasar a una consistencia blanca.

«43. This white substance, if you will make it red, you must continually decoct it in a dry fire till it be rubified, or become red as blood, which is nothing but water, fire, and true tincture.» — apartado cuarenta y tres: para volver roja la sustancia blanca hay que decocerla sin descanso en fuego seco hasta que quede roja como sangre, que no es sino agua, fuego y tintura verdadera.

«And so by a continual dry fire, the whiteness is changed, removed, perfected, made citrine, and still digested till it become to a true red and fixed colour.» — y la marcha del color bajo ese fuego seco: la blancura se muda, se perfecciona, se hace cetrina y se digiere hasta el rojo verdadero y fijo.

«And consequently by how much more this red is decocted in this gentle heat, by so much more it is heightened in colour, and made a true tincture of perfect redness.» — con la proporción que Artefio enuncia: cuanto más se decoce el rojo en ese calor suave, tanto más sube el color hasta la tintura de rojez perfecta.

«Wherefore with a dry fire, and a dry calcination, without any moisture, you must decoct this compositum, till it be invested with a most perfect red colour, and then it will be the true and perfect elixir.» — y el remate del apartado: decocer el compuesto con fuego seco y calcinación seca, sin humedad alguna, hasta el rojo perfectísimo, que entonces será el elixir verdadero.

«44. Now if afterwards you would multiply your tincture, you must again resolve that red, in new and fresh dissolving water, and then by decoctions first whiten, and then rubify it again, by the degrees of fire, reiterating the first method of operating in this work.» — apartado cuarenta y cuatro, con la multiplicación: resolver de nuevo el rojo en agua disolvente fresca, blanquearlo por decocción y volver a enrojecerlo por los grados del fuego, reiterando el primer método.

«Dissolve, coagulate, and reiterate the closing up, the opening and multiplying in quantity and quality at your own pleasure. For by a new corruption and generation, there is introduced a new motion.» — y la fórmula abreviada del ciclo —disolver, coagular, cerrar, abrir y multiplicar a voluntad—, porque cada corrupción y generación nuevas introducen un movimiento nuevo.

«Thus we can never find an end if we do always work by reiterating the same thing over and over again, viz. by solution and coagulation, by the help of our dissolving water, by which we dissolve and congeal, as we have formerly said, in the beginning of the work.» — con la consecuencia que Artefio saca: reiterando siempre lo mismo, solución y coagulación por el agua disolvente, no se halla fin.

«Thus also is the virtue thereof increased, and multiplied both in quantity and quality; so that if after the first course of operation you obtain a hundred fold; by a second fold you will have a thousand fold; and by a third; ten thousand fold increase.» — y la progresión que le atribuye: cien veces en la primera vuelta, mil en la segunda y diez mil en la tercera.

«And by pursuing your work, your projection will come to infinity, tinging truly and perfectly, and fixing the greatest quantity how much soever. Thus by a thing of easy and small price, you have both colour, goodness, and weight.» — con el término al que llega esa progresión, la proyección infinita, y la paradoja de que todo ello salga de una cosa de precio fácil y pequeño.

«45. Our fire then and azoth are sufficient for you: decoct, reiterate, dissolve, congeal, and continue this course, according as you please, multiplying it as you think good, until your medicine is made fusible as wax, and has attained the quantity and goodness or fixity and colour you desire.» — apartado cuarenta y cinco: fuego y azoth bastan, y con ellos se decoce, reitera, disuelve y congela hasta que la medicina quede fusible como cera y con la cantidad, fijeza y color que se quiera.

«This then is the compleating of the whole work of our second stone (observe it well) that you take the perfect body, and put it into our water in a glass vesica or body well closed, lest the air get in, or the enclosed humidity get out.» — y la operación con que se completa lo que Artefio llama la segunda piedra: el cuerpo perfecto en el agua, dentro de una vesica de vidrio bien cerrada para que no entre aire ni salga la humedad encerrada.

«Keep it in digestion in a gentle heat, as it were of a balneum, and assiduously continue the operation or work upon the fire, till the decoction and digestion is perfect.» — con el régimen que le corresponde: digestión a calor suave, como de baño, y trabajo asiduo sobre el fuego hasta que decocción y digestión sean perfectas.

«And keep it in this digestion of a gentle heat, until it be putrified and re-solved into blackness, and be drawn up and sublimed by the water, and is thereby cleaned from all blackness and impurity, that it may be white and subtile.» — y la secuencia que sigue: putrefacción y resolución en negrura, subida y sublimación por el agua, y limpieza de toda negrura e impureza hasta la blancura sutil.

«Until it comes to the ultimate or highest purity of sublimation, and utmost volatility, and be made white both within and without: for the vulture flying in the air without wings, cries out, that it» — con el término de la operación —pureza última de sublimación y volatilidad extrema, blanco por dentro y por fuera— y la vuelta del emblema del buitre que vuela sin alas. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«might get up upon the mountain, that is upon the waters, upon which the "spiritus albus" or spirit of whiteness is born.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: el buitre quiere subir al monte, es decir a las aguas sobre las cuales nace el *spiritus albus* o espíritu de blancura.

«Continue still a fitting fire, and that spirit, which is the subtile being of the body, and of the mercury will ascend upon the top of the water, which quintessence is more white than the driven snow.» — Artefio manda continuar con fuego adecuado hasta que el espíritu suba a la superficie del agua como quintaesencia más blanca que la nieve.

«Continue yet still, and towards the end, increase the fire, till the whole spiritual substance ascend to the top. And know well, that whatsoever is clear, white-pure and spiritual, ascends in the air to the top of the water in the substance of a white vapour, which the philosophers call their virgin milk.» — y hacia el final aumentar el fuego hasta que suba toda la sustancia espiritual en forma de vapor blanco, al que dice que los filósofos llaman su leche virginal.

«46. It ought to be, therefore, as one of the Sybills said, that the son of the virgin be exalted from the earth, and that the white quintessence after its rising out of the dead earth, be raised up towards heaven; the gross and thick remaining in the bottom, of the vessel and the water.» — apartado cuarenta y seis, donde Artefio invoca el dicho de una de las Sibilas sobre el hijo de la virgen exaltado desde la tierra, para la quintaesencia blanca que se levanta dejando abajo lo grueso y espeso; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana.

«Afterwards, the vessel being cooled, you will find in the bottom the black faeces, scorched and burnt, which separate from the spirit and quintessence of whiteness, and cast them away.» — con la maniobra de enfriar el vaso, hallar las heces negras chamuscadas en el fondo, separarlas de la quintaesencia de blancura y desecharlas.

«Then will the argent vive fall down from our air and spirit, upon the new earth, which is called argent vive sublimed by the air or spirit, whereof is made a viscous water, pure and white.» — y la caída del argent vive desde el aire sobre la tierra nueva, que Artefio llama argent vive sublimado por el aire, de donde se hace un agua viscosa, pura y blanca.

«This water is the true tincture separated from all its black faeces, and our brass or latten is prepared with our water, putrified and brought to a white colour.» — con lo que identifica esa agua como la tintura verdadera y declara preparado, putrefacto y blanqueado el latón.

«Which white colour is not obtained but by decoction and coagulation of the water; decoct therefore, continually, wash away the blackness from the latten, not with your hands, but with the stone, or the fire, or our second mercurial water which is the true tincture.» — y la prohibición que acompaña al lavado: la negrura del latón se quita con la piedra, el fuego o la segunda agua mercurial, jamás con las manos.

«This separation of the pure from the impure is not done with hands, but nature herself does it, and brings it to perfection by a circular operation.» — Artefio insiste en que la separación de lo puro y lo impuro no la hacen las manos sino la naturaleza, que la lleva a perfección por operación circular.

«47. It appears then, that this composition is not a work of the hands, but a change of the natures; because nature dissolves and joins itself, sublimes and lifts itself up, and grows white, being separated from the faeces.» — apartado cuarenta y siete: la composición no es obra de manos sino cambio de naturalezas, porque la naturaleza se disuelve, se junta, se sublima y blanquea al separarse de las heces.

«And in such a sublimation the more subtile, pure, and essential parts are conjoined; for that with the fiery nature or property lifts up the subtile parts, it separates always the more pure, leaving the grosser at the bottom.» — y el mecanismo de esa sublimación: la propiedad ígnea levanta las partes sutiles, separa siempre las más puras y deja lo más grueso en el fondo.

«Wherefore your fire ought to be gentle and a continual vapour, with which you sublime, that the matter may be filled with spirit from the air, and live.» — con el régimen que exige: fuego suave y vapor continuo, para que la materia se llene de espíritu del aire y viva.

«For naturally all things take life from the inbreathing of the air; and so also our magistery receives in the vapour or spirit, by the sublimation of the water.» — y el principio general que lo sostiene: todo toma vida por la inspiración del aire, y así también el magisterio recibe el vapor o espíritu por la sublimación del agua.

«48. Our brass or latten then, is to be made to ascend by the degrees of fire, but of its own accord, freely, and without violence; except the body therefore be by the fire and the water broken, or dissolved, and attenuated, until it ascends as a spirit, or climbs like argent vive, or rather as the white soul, separated from the body, and by sublimation dilated or brought into a spirit, nothing is or can be done.» — apartado cuarenta y ocho: el latón ha de subir por los grados del fuego de suyo, libremente y sin violencia, y sin romper y atenuar el cuerpo hasta que ascienda como espíritu nada puede hacerse.

«But when it ascends on high, it is born in the air or spirit, and is changed into spirit: and becomes life with life, being only spiritual and incorruptible.» — y lo que ocurre cuando sube: nace en el aire, se cambia en espíritu y se hace vida con vida, solo espiritual e incorruptible.

«And by such an operation it is that the body is made spirit, of a subtile nature, and the spirit is incorporated with the body, and made one with it; and by such a sublimation, conjunction, and raising up, the whole, both body and spirit are made white.» — con el intercambio que remata el apartado: el cuerpo se hace espíritu y el espíritu se incorpora al cuerpo, y por esa sublimación y conjunción ambos quedan blancos.

«49. This philosophical and natural sublimation therefore is necessary, which makes peace between, or fixes the body and spirit, which is impossible to be done otherwise, than in the separation of these parts.» — apartado cuarenta y nueve: la sublimación filosófica y natural hace las paces entre cuerpo y espíritu, y Artefio la declara imposible por otra vía que la separación de esas partes.

«Therefore it behoves you to sublime both, that the pure may ascend, and the impure and earthy may descend, or be left at the bottom, in the perplexity of a troubled sea.» — con la orden de sublimar ambos para que lo puro ascienda y lo impuro y terrestre baje, en la perplejidad de un mar revuelto.

«And for this reason it must be continually decocted, that it may be brought to a subtile property, and the body may assume, and draw to itself the white mercurial soul, which it naturally holds, and suffers not to be separated from it, because it is like to it in the» — y la razón de la decocción continua: que el cuerpo tome y retenga el alma mercurial blanca, que naturalmente sostiene y no deja separarse. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«nearness of the first, pure and simple nature. From these things it is necessary, to make a separation by decoction, till no more remains of the purity of the soul, which is not ascended and exalted to the higher part, whereby they will both be reduced to an equality of properties, and a simple pure whiteness.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: la semejanza está en la cercanía de la primera naturaleza pura y simple, y hay que separar por decocción hasta que nada quede de la pureza del alma sin exaltar, reducidos ambos a igualdad de propiedades y a blancura simple.

«50. The vulture flying through the air, and the toad creeping upon the ground, are the emblems of our magistery.» — apartado cincuenta del Secret Book: Artefio da por emblemas del magisterio el buitre que vuela por el aire y el sapo que se arrastra por el suelo.

«When therefore gently and with much care, you separate the earth from the water, that is from the fire, and the thin from the thick, then that which is pure will separate itself from the earth, and ascend to the upper part, as it were into heaven, and the impure will descend beneath, as to the earth.» — y describe la separación suave de la tierra y el agua, de lo delgado y lo espeso: lo puro se aparta de la tierra y sube como al cielo, lo impuro baja como a la tierra.

«And the more subtile part in the superior place will take upon it the nature of a spirit, and that in the lower place, the nature of an earthy body.» — con el reparto de naturalezas que sigue a esa partición: lo sutil de arriba toma naturaleza de espíritu y lo de abajo naturaleza de cuerpo terrestre.

«Wherefore, let the white property with the more subtile part of the body, be by this operation, made to ascend leaving the faeces behind, which is done in a short time.» — y la orden que de ahí saca Artefio: hacer subir la propiedad blanca con la parte más sutil del cuerpo, dejando atrás las heces, cosa que dice hacerse en poco tiempo.

«For the soul is aided by her associate and fellow, and perfected by it. My mother, saith the body, has begotten me, and by me she herself is begotten; now after I have taken from her, her flying, she, after an admirable manner becomes kind and nourishing, and cherishing the son whom she has begotten, till he come to a Ape or perfect age.» — con el enigma de la madre y el hijo puesto en boca del cuerpo: la madre lo engendró y por él es engendrada, y quitado su vuelo se vuelve nutricia del hijo hasta la edad perfecta; el impreso escribe *Ape*, por *age*.

«51. Hear now this secret: keep the body in our mercurial water, till it ascends with the white soul, and the earthy part descends to the bottom, which is called the residing earth.» — apartado cincuenta y uno, que Artefio anuncia como secreto: tener el cuerpo en el agua mercurial hasta que ascienda con el alma blanca y la parte terrestre baje al fondo, llamada tierra residente.

«Then you shall see the water to coagulate itself with the body, and be assured the art is true; because the body coagulates the moisture into dryness, like as the rennet of a lamb or calf turns milk into cheese.» — y el signo de que el arte es verdadero, con el símil del cuajo de cordero o de ternero que vuelve queso la leche.

«In the same manner the spirit penetrates the body, and is perfectly comixed with it in its smallest atoms, and the body draws to itself his moisture, to wit, its white soul, like as the loadstone draws iron, because of the nearness and likeness of its nature; and then one contains the other.» — con el segundo símil, el del imán que atrae al hierro, para la atracción del cuerpo sobre su alma blanca por cercanía y semejanza de naturaleza.

«And this is the sublimation and coagulation, which retaineth every volatile thing, making it fixed for ever.» — y la definición que cierra el apartado: sublimación y coagulación son lo que retiene todo lo volátil y lo hace fijo para siempre.

«52. This compositum then is not a mechanical thing, or a work of the hands, but as I said, a changing of natures; and a wonderful connexion of their cold with hot, and the moist with the dry; the hot is mixed with the cold, and the dry with the moist:» — apartado cincuenta y dos: el compuesto no es cosa mecánica ni obra de manos sino cambio de naturalezas, con la conexión maravillosa de frío y caliente, húmedo y seco.

«By this means is made the mixture and conjunction of body and spirit, which is called a conversion of contrary spirits and natures, because by such a dissolution and sublimation, the spirit is converted into a body and body in a spirit.» — y Artefio nombra a esa mezcla conversión de espíritus y naturalezas contrarias, porque el espíritu se hace cuerpo y el cuerpo espíritu.

«So that the natures being mingled together, and reduced into one, do change one another: and as the body corporifies the spirit, or changes it into a body, so also does the spirit convert the body into a tinging and white spirit.» — con la reciprocidad que la sostiene: el cuerpo corporifica al espíritu y el espíritu convierte al cuerpo en espíritu tintóreo y blanco.

«53. Wherefore as the last time I say, decoct the body in our white water, viz. mercury, till it is dissolved into blackness, and then by continual decoction, let it be deprived of the same blackness, and the body so dissolved, will at length ascend or rise with a white soul.» — apartado cincuenta y tres, que Artefio declara su última palabra sobre el punto: decocer el cuerpo en el agua blanca hasta la negrura, privarlo de ella por decocción continua y verlo subir con el alma blanca.

«And then the one will be mixed with the other, and so embrace one another that it shall not be possible any more to separate them, but the spirit, with a real agreement, will be united with the body, and make one permanent or fixed substance.» — y el abrazo que sigue, tras el cual dice que ya no será posible separarlos, unidos en una sola sustancia permanente.

«And this is the solution of the body, and coagulation of the spirit which have one and the same operation.» — con la identidad que Artefio repite: solución del cuerpo y coagulación del espíritu son una sola y misma operación.

«Who therefore knows how to conjoin the principles, or direct the work, to impregnate, to mortify, to putrefy, to generate, to quicken the species, to make white, to cleanse the vulture from its blackness and darkness, till he is purged by the fire and tinged, and purified from all his spots, shall be the possessor of a treasure so great that even kings themselves shall venerate him.» — y la promesa con que cierra el apartado, tras la lista de operaciones y la limpia del buitre de su negrura: quien las sepa poseerá un tesoro tan grande que los propios reyes lo venerarán.

«54. Wherefore, let our body remain in the water till it is dissolved into a subtile powder in the bottom of the vessel and the water, which is called the black ashes;» — apartado cincuenta y cuatro: el cuerpo queda en el agua hasta disolverse en un polvo sutil al fondo del vaso, al que Artefio llama las cenizas negras.

«this is the corruption of the body which is called by the philosophers or wise men, "Saturnus plumbum philosophorum", and pulvis discontinuatus, viz. saturn, latten or brass, the lead of the philosophers, the disguised powder.» — y los nombres que los filósofos dan a esa corrupción del cuerpo: *Saturnus plumbum philosophorum*, *pulvis discontinuatus*, saturno, latón, el plomo de los filósofos y el polvo disfrazado.

«And in this putrefaction and resolution of the body, three signs appear, viz, a black colour, a discontinuity of parts, and a stinking smell, not much unlike to the smell of a vault where dead bodies are buried.» — con los tres signos de esa putrefacción: color negro, discontinuidad de partes y olor hediondo, no muy distinto —dice Artefio— del de una cripta donde hay cuerpos enterrados.

«These ashes then are those of which the philosophers have spoken so much which remained in the lower part of the vessel, which we ought not to undervalue or despise; in them is the royal diadem, and the black and unclean argent vive, which ought to be cleansed from its blackness, by a continual digestion in our water, till it be elevated above in a white colour, which is called the gander, and the bird of Hermes.» — y el valor que les asigna contra el desprecio: en esas cenizas está la diadema real y el argent vive negro e inmundo, que limpiado por digestión continua sube en blanco y se llama el ánsar y el ave de Hermes.

«He therefore that maketh the red earth black, and then renders it white, has obtained the magistery. So also he who kills the living, and revives the dead. Therefore make the black white, and the white black, and you perfect the work.» — con la fórmula que remata el apartado: quien vuelve negra la tierra roja y luego blanca tiene el magisterio, y hacer blanco lo negro y negro lo blanco es perfeccionar la obra.

«55. And when you see the true whiteness appear, which shineth like a bright sword, or polished silver, know that in that whiteness there is redness hidden.» — apartado cincuenta y cinco, el último del Secret Book: aparecida la blancura verdadera, que brilla como espada limpia o plata pulida, hay rojez escondida dentro de ella.

«But then beware that you take not that whiteness out of the vessel, but only digest it to the end, that with heat and dryness, it may assume a citron colour, and a most beautiful redness.» — con la prohibición de sacar esa blancura del vaso y la orden de digerirla hasta el color cetrino y la rojez hermosísima.

«Which when you see, render praises and thanksgiving to the most great and good God, who gives wisdom and riches to whomsoever He pleases, and takes them away according to the wickedness of a person. To Him, I say, the most wise and Almighty God, be glory for ages and ages. AMEN.» — y la doxología con que Artefio cierra el tratado, atribuyendo a Dios el dar y quitar sabiduría y riquezas según la maldad de cada quien.

«With the termination of the Secret Book by Artephius in Chapter 4, it is well to recall John Pontanus, who informs us that this book is the only one among hundreds of others to speak the truth, and without any equivocation.» — Lapidus retoma la palabra al abrir el capítulo quinto y recuerda el juicio de Pontanus: el Secret Book es el único entre cientos que habla verdad y sin equívoco.

«Now the first word that appears in the treatise is antimony, the metal which was rarely mentioned in alchemical literature and, even where noticed, was passed over as though it were of no account.» — y hace notar cuál es la primera palabra del tratado: antimonio, el metal rara vez mencionado en la literatura del arte y despachado como si no importara donde se lo nota.

«The reader might search in hundreds of alchemical works, and still not come across this metal called antimony. Yet Artephius is so frank that, right at the outset, he makes known to us the secret, that antimony is essential to the work. But he has left the searcher one problem.» — Lapidus mide esa ausencia en cientos de obras y opone a ella la franqueza de Artefio, que declara de entrada el antimonio como esencial, aunque dejando un problema al buscador.

«In this last sentence, Artephius speaks true, for in the treatise he mentions "the red servant", which is the key to the mystery. Thus we are presented with a beautiful castle, which has the one and only path to it blocked, but there is a way to clear this path.» — y nombra la llave del misterio, *the red servant*, con el símil del castillo hermoso cuyo único camino está bloqueado y puede despejarse.

«A line from one of the many books by Thomas Vaughan often caused the present writer much thought, and it supplies the key that fits. The line is: "to think, that an iron key should be the means to open a treasury of gold ".» — Lapidus atribuye a Thomas Vaughan la línea que le dio la clave, sobre que una llave de hierro abra un tesoro de oro; el sujeto que dice haberla meditado es *the present writer*, fórmula que el volumen usa sin decir de quién se trata.

«And so, it may be inferred, iron is the metal which is also essential to antimony in alchemical work and yet is never mentioned in his book» — y la inferencia que saca de esa línea: el hierro es el metal esencial junto al antimonio, y Artefio nunca lo nombra en su libro.

«Further, it is quite revealing to compare the physical and chemical qualitia of antimony with the passages in treatises which deal with the preparation of "our mercury".» — nota al pie del volumen, que remite a la química moderna: el antimonio se obtiene calentando la estibina con chatarra de hierro, que le quita el azufre, y de ahí infiere por qué el hierro era catalizador necesario del mercurio del arte; el impreso escribe *qualitia*, por *qualities*.

«There are three forms of antimony: a grey lustrous crystalline metal, a black powder like soot which acquires a metallic lustre when polished (this is obtained when antimony is precipitated chemically), an unstable yellow form, and finally an explosive amorphous form which has a silvery colour and which explodes if dropped or heated to 100°C. Obviously when experimenting with antimony, the experimenter should be very careful of the last form.» — Lapidus describe las formas del antimonio —metal cristalino gris, polvo negro como hollín, una amarilla inestable y una amorfa explosiva que estalla al caer o al llegar a cien grados— y advierte al experimentador sobre la última. El propio texto anuncia tres formas y enumera cuatro, y así queda.

«Although most forms of antimony are poisonous it is still used in some modern medicines, these uses providing an indication of its possible action in the "elixir of life".» — y de los usos del antimonio en la medicina moderna, pese a su toxicidad, saca Lapidus un indicio de cómo podría obrar el elixir de la vida.

«It was earlier explained that in the alchemical art, the first step is to amalgamate certain metals; not in the usual manner as carried out in metallurgy, but dissolved and liquefied into their smallest components or elements, so that when mixed, it is no easy matter to restore them into the original form, and this process can so change their condition that an entirely new metal or powder is formed.» — Lapidus recuerda en qué consiste el primer paso del arte: amalgamar metales no al modo de la metalurgia sino disueltos y licuados en sus componentes mínimos, de modo que ya no puedan restituirse y salga un metal o polvo enteramente nuevo.

«Now it was found that antimony can help to facilitate this. Professor Hermann Boerhaave, a famous Dutch doctor and scientist who lived from 1668 to 1738, whom writing on the subject of alchemy, wrote the following with regard to antimony (which by the way is in exact agreement with Artephius):» — y presenta a Hermann Boerhaave, médico y hombre de ciencia holandés que fecha entre 1668 y 1738, cuyo dictamen sobre el antimonio dice concordar exactamente con Artefio.

«"The term 'Menstruum' seems to have had its rise thus: Lully and other ancient chemists observing the most kindly solutions to be made by digestion with a heat no greater than that of the human body, in about 42 days, they termed this space of time a philosophical month, and the solvent employed a menstruum intimating that the body performed the dissolution by a menstrual digestion.» — Boerhaave da la etimología de *menstruum*: Lulio y otros químicos antiguos, viendo que las soluciones más benignas se hacían por digestión a calor de cuerpo humano en unos cuarenta y dos días, llamaron mes filosófico a ese lapso.

«This term indeed, was first appropriated to the solvent for the philosophers' stone, but it afterwards came to be applied generally to all solvents.» — y sigue la suerte del término: primero propio del disolvente de la piedra y después aplicado a todo disolvente.

«All minerals of a metalline nature are solid menstrua, and especially antimony which dissolves metals with as much ease as fire thaws ice.» — Boerhaave llama menstruos sólidos a los minerales de naturaleza metálica y pone al antimonio por delante, que disuelve los metales con la facilidad con que el fuego deshiela.

«But there is no method yet known of recovering the metals with which antimony has once been fused: all of them including gold, being lost in copellation therewith, which furnishes reason to suspect that it destroys the metalline form.» — y consigna el límite de su saber: no se conoce modo de recobrar los metales una vez fundidos con antimonio, ni el oro, lo que le hace sospechar que destruye la forma metálica; el impreso escribe *copellation*, por *cupellation*.

«This is certain, that nothing is better suited to alter the nature of metals than antimony. Whence I cannot but suspect that the adepts made use of antimony as a menstruum in the preparation of their stone: Nor do I believe there is a better way to obtain the secret. At least, were I to go in quest of it, I should willingly begin my enquiries with this property of antimony.» — con la sospecha que Boerhaave declara en primera persona: que los adeptos usaron el antimonio como menstruo para su piedra, y que si él fuera a buscar el secreto empezaría de buena gana por esa propiedad.

«Here is confirmation of the importance of antimony in the art of alchemy. Boerhaave tells us that most metals will fuse with antimony permanently, including gold.» — Lapidus lee el pasaje como respaldo de la importancia del antimonio y resume lo que Boerhaave dice: casi todos los metales se funden con él de modo permanente, el oro incluido.

«Although Artephius has not mentioned iron, many adepts have claimed that iron is an essential ingredient; therefore we may assume that in the works of the philosophers, antimony and iron are essential to bring success in the art.» — y suple el silencio de Artefio sobre el hierro con lo que dice haber leído en muchos adeptos, para dar antimonio y hierro por esenciales al éxito del arte.

«Among other claims, it has been said that iron is fiery in nature, and in conjunction with gentle antimony it will bring about the desired end.» — con el reparto de temperamentos que recoge de esas afirmaciones: el hierro ígneo por naturaleza y el antimonio manso, y juntos llevan al fin deseado.

«Thus we now have two ingredients, yet note that these two when dissolved and fused together into a Regulus,* are counted as one ingredient or principle.» — Lapidus resuelve la aritmética del arte: los dos metales, disueltos y fundidos en régulo, cuentan por un solo ingrediente o principio.

«Now the consensus of adepts always said that only three principles were used to produce the Stone. The third principle is not a metal, but we need three metals and, although the "Secret Fire" is used, remember the "Secret Fire" is not accounted a metal. Sol therefore takes the place of the "Secret Fire"-as a metal.» — y cuadra las cuentas con el consenso de los adeptos sobre los tres principios: hacen falta tres metales, el fuego secreto no cuenta por metal y el sol ocupa su lugar en la serie metálica.

«We must now return to Artephius for the mercury we require. In paragraph 3, Artephius has told us:» — Lapidus vuelve sobre Artefio para el mercurio que su práctica necesita y anuncia el apartado tercero del Secret Book.

«Herein then, in this substance known as "our Mercury", which is a mercurial sublimate, a vapour of metals, it would appear, the greatest secret of alchemy lies deeply buried, and may only be unearthed by the empirical method of trial and error.» — Lapidus sitúa el mayor secreto del arte en esa sustancia —sublimado mercurial, vapor de metales— y dice que solo se desentierra por el método empírico del ensayo y el error.

«This salt, this aurum album or white gold, as they have called it, is the base we have to find before one can proceed, for obviously after what has been said above, ordinary quicksilver is of no use in the creation of the Philosophers' Stone.» — y hace de esa sal, el *aurum album* u oro blanco, la base que hay que hallar antes de seguir, porque el azogue común no sirve para crear la piedra.

«Here in the following quotations from several alchemical treatises, a variety of statements on the subject is presented: these may just present a few more hints to lead the researcher to the truth.» — Lapidus anuncia la ristra de citas que sigue y para qué la pone: unas pistas más que lleven al investigador a la verdad.

«"Praised be the Most High who has created 'our mercury', and has given it a nature overcoming all things."» — cita atribuida a Geber: alabanza al Altísimo por haber creado el mercurio del arte y haberle dado naturaleza que vence a todas las cosas.

«"'Our mercury' is the salt of the wiseman, without which, whoever operates, is like an archer who shoots without a bow-string, and yet it is nowhere to be found on earth, but is formed by us, not by creation, but by extracting it out of those things in which it is, nature co-operating in a wonderful manner, by a witty art."» — cita atribuida a Philalethes: el mercurio es la sal del sabio, y quien opera sin él es como el arquero que dispara sin cuerda; no se halla en la tierra sino que se forma, no por creación sino por extracción, con la naturaleza cooperando.

«"As flesh is generated from coagulated blood, so gold is generated out of coagulated mercury."» — segunda cita del mismo Philalethes, con el símil de la carne engendrada de sangre coagulada para el oro engendrado de mercurio coagulado.

«"The solvent differs from the soluble only in proportion and degree of digestion, but not in matter, since nature has formed the one out of the other without any addition, even by a process, equally simple and wonderful, she evolves gold out of quicksilver."» — segunda cita de Trevisan: disolvente y soluble difieren solo en proporción y grado de digestión, no en materia, porque la naturaleza saca el oro del azogue sin añadidura.

«"The sages have it that gold is nothing but quicksilver perfected and digested in the bowels of the earth, and they have signified that this is brought about only by sulphur, which coagulates the mercury, and digests it by its own heat. Hence the sages have said, that gold is nothing but mature quicksilver."» — tercera cita de Trevisan, que atribuye a los sabios la fórmula del oro como azogue maduro, coagulado y digerido por el azufre con su propio calor.

«"Extract quicksilver from the bodies, and you have above ground quicksilver and sulphur of the same substance of which gold and silver are made in the earth."» — cita de *The Sound of the Trumpet*, que Lapidus anuncia como dicha en tono nada equívoco: extraído el azogue de los cuerpos se tiene sobre la tierra el azogue y el azufre de que se hacen el oro y la plata bajo ella.

«The effect of reading all the above quotations is to impress the student that his first work is to discover this well-hidden secret: the art of extracting Philosophers' mercury from metals, rather than using the crude mercury we know.» — Lapidus dice qué debe sacar el estudiante de la ristra entera: que su primer trabajo es el arte de extraer el mercurio de los filósofos de los metales, y no usar el mercurio crudo conocido.

«The task is to produce vapour from certain metals, which vapour must carry up with it all the elements of the dissolved metallic bodies, and which entering them again will change them into so powerful a metallic catalyst, that gold and silver may be dissolved in it.» — y formula la tarea en términos de laboratorio: producir de ciertos metales un vapor que arrastre los elementos de los cuerpos disueltos y que al reentrar en ellos los vuelva un catalizador metálico capaz de disolver oro y plata.

«In fact, it will then be a powder, red for the transmutation into gold, and white for changing into silver. Either of these last two may be used for the preparation of the principles required to begin experiments. So that now three metals have been mentioned: antimony, iron, gold or silver, the latter two never worked together.» — con el producto y la cuenta de metales: polvo rojo para el oro y blanco para la plata, y tres metales nombrados —antimonio, hierro y oro o plata—, los dos últimos nunca trabajados juntos.

«One more fact must be known, and it is that the metals must be aided by a catalyst in the first process, and this catalyst must be a liquid, a nitrate salt.» — Lapidus añade el dato que falta: en el primer proceso los metales necesitan un catalizador, que ha de ser líquido y sal de nitrato.

«Artephius, along with other masters, has spoken of a water, the mercurial sublimate. But this in indeed another water, and is mentioned in paragraph 2 of Artephius. Pontanus also speaks of it, and says that it is "not of the matter", which means that it is not a metal or a mineral. The student can now understand why the art of making gold has rarely been found out!» — y distingue esa agua del sublimado mercurial, apoyándose en el apartado segundo de Artefio y en Pontanus, que la dice *not of the matter*, es decir ni metal ni mineral; de ahí, sostiene, que el arte se haya hallado tan pocas veces.

«Artephius speaks of three different fires to be used in the art, but actual fire is not used, but ordinary heat is one fire, "our mercury" is another, and the water mentioned in the "Sophic Fire" is the third, because of the power it has of burning, calcinating, or bringing changes about.» — Lapidus traduce los tres fuegos de Artefio a su propia práctica: el calor ordinario, el mercurio del arte y el agua del fuego sófico, que quema, calcina y muda.

«Here are some of the names applied to the Philosophers' mercury, culled from many treatises. The descriptive names should hint of the virtues of "our mercury", and be of help in the mystery of its production. It has been called:» — y anuncia la lista de nombres del mercurio de los filósofos espigados de muchos tratados, diciendo para qué la pone: los nombres descriptivos insinúan sus virtudes y ayudan en el misterio de su producción.

«"The spirit; the spirit of life; the water of life; the water of our sea; the mineral water; burning water; ardent water. The fire; the secret fire; fire against nature; the invisible fire; our fire; the fire of snowy whiteness; a fire continuous; digesting, not violent, subtile, inclosed, aerial, surrounding, altering, yet not burning, clear, close, circulating, penetrating and alive.» — primer tramo de la lista, con los nombres de agua y de fuego: espíritu, agua de vida, agua de nuestro mar, agua mineral, agua ardiente, fuego secreto, fuego contra natura, fuego invisible y fuego de blancura de nieve.

«The mover; the first agent; philosophical vitriol; that subtle nature cleaned by sublimation; the fat of the mercurial wind; our mercurial water; the second sophic mercury; the venomous fiery dragon; Medea, Theseus who had black sails to his ship; the 'unhappy spring' in Ripley Revived; the porter or servant of Count Bernard; Artephius's 'lamp fire '; the eagles; the vulture of Hermes; the priest.» — segundo tramo de la misma lista, con los nombres de figura: el motor, el primer agente, el vitriolo filosófico, el dragón ígneo venenoso, Medea, Teseo con velas negras, el manantial infeliz de *Ripley Revived*, el portero del conde Bernardo, la lámpara de Artefio, las águilas, el buitre de Hermes y el sacerdote.

«It is called venus, the nymph venus, born of the froth of the ocean; because of the marine acid which enters into the composition of 'the matter of our sea', which acid is the alchemists 'Universal Lunar Mercury'. "» — cierre de la lista, que explica el nombre de venus nacida de la espuma del océano por el ácido marino que entra en la materia del mar del arte, ácido al que los alquimistas llaman mercurio lunar universal.

«(This last sentence is really the catalyst, a key to the whole work, without which no start can be made, and which is not mercury of any kind, but indeed acid; in fact the nitrate spoken of in the last para graph, is sometimes called vinegar. In practice all that is required is a pure muriate or oxymuriate.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen que descifra la frase anterior: el catalizador no es mercurio de ninguna clase sino ácido, el nitrato que a veces llaman vinagre, y en la práctica basta un muriato u oximuriato puro; el troceo parte *para graph* en dos.

«"From the thousands of names that have been written in treatises to hide the nature of this mysterious "sophic fire", here are a few more from which the perspicacious might pick out some useful indications.» — Lapidus anuncia una segunda lista de nombres del fuego sófico, espigada de entre los miles con que los tratados esconden su naturaleza, para que el perspicaz saque alguna indicación útil.

«"They call it heaven, celestial water and rain, parting water, aqua (water) regis, a corrosive aqua forte, sharp vinegar, growthful green juice, a growing mercury, a viridescent water, the green lion, quicksilver (on no account use this), menstruum, blood, urine, horsepiss, milk, virgin's milk, white arsenick, sulphureous vapouring and smokey, a fiery burning spirit, a deadly poison piercing and killing all, serpent, dragon, a scorpion devouring his children, a hellish fire, a sharp salt, salammoniac, common salt, an eagle, vulture, bird of Hermes, a melting and calcining furnace", birds, beasts, herbs, juices.» — la lista misma: cielo, agua celeste y lluvia, agua regia, vinagre agudo, león verde, azogue —que el propio texto manda no usar de ningún modo—, menstruo, sangre, orina, leche virginal, arsénico blanco, veneno mortal, serpiente, dragón, escorpión que devora a sus hijos, sal amoníaco, águila, buitre y ave de Hermes.

«Every one of these names has been used, but until the preparation of this "secret fire" is achieved one cannot even commence the work of alchemy. This is the only ingredient whose name was hidden by all the philosophers.» — Lapidus cierra la lista con su tesis: sin la preparación del fuego secreto no se empieza siquiera la obra, y es el único ingrediente cuyo nombre escondieron todos los filósofos.

«"The philosophers' mercury when made is a brilliantly clear water; it is so clear in appearance that one might be tempted to drink it, but beware, for it is a quick poison, which contains an extract from all the metals used. When mixed with them it becomes a lovely green, and this is known in alchemy as the Green Lion".» — descripción del mercurio ya hecho: agua clarísima que tienta a beberla y es veneno rápido, con extracto de todos los metales usados, y que al mezclarse con ellos se vuelve verde, de donde el león verde.

«The "Red Lion", the colour of blood, comes from this same pure water when the metals it is mixed with turn into a bloody appearance, some time after melting. This usually arises when philosophers' mercury is mixed with sol (gold) and other metals.» — y el león rojo, color de sangre, que viene de esa misma agua pura cuando los metales mezclados toman aspecto sanguinolento tras la fusión, sobre todo con el sol.

«Finally, here is an extract from a Summary of Philosophy, a short treatise written by Nicholas Flamel, in 1409. It is a short description of this mysterious mercury and what it can do.» — Lapidus presenta el último extracto del capítulo, un *Summary of Philosophy* que adjudica a Nicolás Flamel y fecha en 1409.

«"This is the right and subtle mercury of the philosophers, which you are to take, which will make the first white work, and then the red. If you have well understood me, both of them are nothing else, as they term them, but the practice, which is so easy and so simple, that a woman sitting by her distaff, may perfect it.» — arranque del extracto de Flamel: ese es el mercurio propio y sutil de los filósofos, que hace la obra al blanco y luego al rojo, y su práctica es tan fácil que una mujer sentada a su rueca puede acabarla.

«As if in winter, she would put her eggs under a hen, without washing them, and no more labour is required about them, than that they should be every day turned, that the chickens may be better and sooner hatched; concerning which enough is said."» — y el símil con que Flamel cierra: como poner los huevos bajo la gallina en invierno sin lavarlos, sin más trabajo que voltearlos cada día para que los pollos salgan mejor y antes.

«Additional proofs of the use of antimony and iron in the alchemical works of Jacob Behmen follow. This work finally sets forth and summarises the preparation and use of the "mercury" derived from antimony through the catalytic action of iron.» — Lapidus anuncia el texto siguiente como prueba adicional del uso de antimonio y hierro, y dice qué resume: la preparación del mercurio sacado del antimonio por acción catalítica del hierro; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana, Jacob Behmen.

«"There is nothing in nature capable of qualifying matter to be harmonised, but one mineral spirit, the ore of which is equal in attraction and repulsion, and the pure metal in a star-like circle of irradiated circulation.» — arranque del texto atribuido a Behmen: nada en la naturaleza puede disponer la materia para armonizarse salvo un espíritu mineral, cuyo mineral es igual en atracción y repulsión.

«Antimony, purified by iron and pounded fine, might be circulated, that is digested to a perfect harmony of the principles. But in the fusion of its purification it has lost the proportion of its subtle spirit. In order to restore it, use fresh powder.» — y la receta que sigue: el antimonio purificado con hierro y molido fino se circula hasta armonía perfecta de los principios, y como en la fusión perdió la proporción de su espíritu sutil, se restituye con polvo fresco.

«Digest in a long neck flask, three months at blood heat, three months at fever heat, and three months at water boiling heat by a thermometer. If the moisture is scanty, the process will fail as a plant without rain; if the powder is too wet, it will be a long time drying up, and the vessel may burst by the heat rarefying the moisture.» — el régimen térmico del mismo texto, medido con termómetro en tres tandas de tres meses —calor de sangre, de fiebre y de agua hirviendo—, con los dos riesgos simétricos de la sequía y del exceso de humedad que revienta el vaso.

«"The matter should fill one-fourth of the glass, and is called the earth; the empty part is the heaven, in which the circulation is performed, harmonising the dense attraction of the fixed, with the subtle repulsion of the volatile parts,» — con la proporción de llenado y el reparto de nombres dentro del vaso: la materia es la tierra y el hueco es el cielo donde se hace la circulación que armoniza la atracción de lo fijo con la repulsión de lo volátil.

«and in consequence of its original irradiation in its crude state, it is now capable of a superior irradiation-from the same cause, which is the ethereal fire of the spiritual gas or vapour of antimony ascending and descending, going round inside the glass, piercing the fixity of the earth, and obtaining fixation for itself.» — y el agente de esa circulación: el fuego etéreo del gas o vapor espiritual del antimonio, que sube y baja dentro del vidrio, atraviesa la fijeza de la tierra y obtiene fijación para sí.

«"The action in the retort imitates nature which distils the mineral spirit in the chasms of the globe by a moderate heat. The invisible universal mercury passes into suitable earth and forms metallic ores; -the action in the sealed flasks is like nature under the rocky roof of the mine, which retains the sublimation and reverberates it until it coagulates into metal.» — el mismo texto lee la retorta como imitación de la naturaleza, que destila el espíritu mineral en las simas del globo, y el matraz sellado como la bóveda rocosa de la mina que retiene la sublimación hasta coagularla en metal.

«"The agent of the work is the invisible mercury, which is the gas, spirit, or air of antimony, excited in a steady sand-heat as warm as blood. Various methods will arrive at the same end if this agent is not omitted.» — y nombra el agente de la obra: el mercurio invisible, gas, espíritu o aire del antimonio, excitado en arena caliente como la sangre, sin el cual ningún método llega al fin.

«Some of these methods in the hands of an experienced adept are less liable to accidental mischances than the former.» — con la comparación entre métodos que el texto deja apuntada: en manos de adepto experimentado algunos son menos expuestos a percances.

«"For instance, an unintermitting distillation of the gas will impregnate and open the powder to solution in the form of water, which will partly or wholly dissolve fresh powder, according to the proportion.» — y el ejemplo que da: la destilación ininterrumpida del gas impregna y abre el polvo hasta solución en forma de agua, que disolverá polvo fresco según la proporción.

«By continual abstraction or cohobated distillation from the residuum, it acquires permanency, and when a bright clear water is separated, the residuum yields a red oil in a stronger fire, and leaves a black residuum, which may be calcined to a white fixed earth.» — con el término de esa vía: por abstracción continua o destilación cohobada el agua gana permanencia, y separada el agua clara el residuo da un aceite rojo a fuego más fuerte y deja un poso negro calcinable en tierra blanca fija.

«Magnesia is the alchemists name for the metallic compound or regulus, and the mercurial» — corchete del comentarista del volumen puesto tras la cita de Artefio: magnesia es el nombre alquímico del compuesto metálico o régulo. El tramo se corta aquí porque el corchete cruza el cambio de plana.

«sublimate is always referred to as water; often they call it vinegar.» — continuación del mismo corchete en la plana siguiente: al sublimado mercurial se le llama siempre agua y a menudo vinagre.

«"Gold is nothing but quicksilver congealed by its sulphur."» — cita que Lapidus adjudica a Bernard Trevisan: el oro no es sino azogue congelado por su azufre.

«"All the sages agree that metal is generated from the vapour of sulphur and mercury."» — cita del *Art of Alchemy*: los sabios concuerdan en que el metal se engendra del vapor de azufre y mercurio.

«"Fresh antimony in powder will unite easier and safer with these together than with the first gas or water, and the time lost in distilling is saved in digesting.» — sigue el texto atribuido a Behmen: el antimonio fresco en polvo se une con más facilidad y seguridad al conjunto que al primer gas o agua, y lo perdido al destilar se gana al digerir.

«The white water easily absorbs the white fixed earth, and then unites sooner with the red oil by digestion.» — con el orden de afinidades que declara: el agua blanca absorbe con facilidad la tierra blanca fija y luego se une antes al aceite rojo por digestión.

«The powder of antimony fixes in digestion sooner with the thick permanent white water of antimony than it would with the volatile clear bright water. It digests rapidly with the red oil, which contains a large proportion of the invisible mercury in a permanent and nearly fixed state of action.» — y el orden inverso para el polvo de antimonio, que se fija antes con el agua blanca espesa que con la clara y volátil, y digiere rápido con el aceite rojo por la proporción de mercurio invisible que este lleva.

«"The calcined white earth made of the residuum of these white and red mercuries contains no mercury and is therefore only fit for union with the said mercuries in some of their various degrees of volatility, and is the best magnet for condensing the first gas.» — con la tierra blanca calcinada del residuo, que el texto dice sin mercurio y solo apta para unirse a esos mercurios, y a la vez el mejor imán para condensar el primer gas.

«"The simple work first described performs all these separations virtually in the sealed glass; the other varieties of separation afford permanency to the disolvent, or vehicle which contains the prime agent, so as to allow intervals for its application to various purposes.» — y el deslinde entre la vía simple, que hace todas las separaciones dentro del vidrio sellado, y las demás, que dan permanencia al disolvente y permiten intervalos de aplicación.

«The principle of the work is the power of harmonising the threefold discordent principles of attraction, repulsion, and circulation.» — el texto atribuido a Behmen nombra el principio de la obra: armonizar los tres principios discordes de atracción, repulsión y circulación; el impreso escribe *discordent*.

«In three months circulation by digestion, the powder is completely black; the opposition of attraction and repulsion ceases; the attraction of the fixed which produced the repulsion of the volatile is slain by the circulation which also dies itself, and all three enter into rest.» — con el primer plazo de tres meses de circulación, al cabo del cual el polvo queda del todo negro, cesa la oposición de atracción y repulsión y los tres principios entran en reposo.

«There is no more compression or expansion, ascent or descent; it has all sunk down black and motionless.» — y el estado que describe en ese punto: ni compresión ni expansión, ni ascenso ni descenso, todo hundido negro e inmóvil.

«"The same three principles gradually assume a new life, infinitely more powerful in virtue, but without any violent contest, and in three months further, the mild action of the principles in harmony have produced a brilliant whiteness in the matter, which in three months more, becomes a brilliant yellow, red, or purple.» — con la vuelta a la vida de esos tres principios y el calendario del color: tres meses más para la blancura brillante y otros tres para el amarillo, rojo o púrpura.

«"Every other metal labours after this perfection in vain. Nothing can attain the union that the fiery spirit of antimony forms between the extremes. This spirit of antimony is so full of life, either in its oil or watery form, that if the process fails at any stage, an addition of the spirit will renew it.» — y la exclusividad que el texto adjudica al antimonio: ningún otro metal alcanza esa perfección, y su espíritu ígneo está tan lleno de vida que renueva el proceso caído en cualquier etapa.

«The white and red powder is increased ten-fold in strength and quality by each digestion of it with fresh antimony in powder wet with gas, water or oil of antimony as at first. Each digestion is made in tenfold shorter time than the former, from a few weeks to a few hours.» — con la progresión de la multiplicación: diez veces en fuerza y calidad por cada digestión con antimonio fresco, y cada vuelta diez veces más corta que la anterior, de unas semanas a unas horas.

«"The prime matter is antimony purified by iron, and finely pounded. The invisible mercury is the spiritual air of antimony which combines with vegetable or animal fluids, and the solids in its spiritual or watery form, and from thence, combines with metals and stones.» — el texto declara cuál es su materia prima —antimonio purificado con hierro y molido fino— y qué es el mercurio invisible: el aire espiritual del antimonio, que se combina con fluidos vegetales o animales y de ahí con metales y piedras.

«From this, the affinities may be learned for practice. The gas will not unite easily with metals or minerals, until it is embodied for that purpose.» — con la regla práctica que de ahí saca: el gas no se une con facilidad a metales ni minerales mientras no se le dé cuerpo.

«This may be done either with the thick red or white mercuries, which are the oil or water of antimony as described. By circulating, that is digesting the impregnated liquid two months, the gas floats as an oil on weak liquids, or is united with the strong, subduing their corrosion.» — y el modo de dárselo: los mercurios espesos rojo o blanco, con dos meses de circulación del líquido impregnado, tras los cuales el gas flota como aceite sobre los líquidos débiles o se une a los fuertes domando su corrosión.

«In these states, it is able to make extracts from or unite with the solids in the three kingdoms, according to the quality to which it was united. These solutions are more powerful and rapid than those with the unctuous water or oil of antimony, but require great skill and experience of the sophic fire."» — cierre del texto atribuido a Behmen: en esos estados hace extractos de los sólidos de los tres reinos, con soluciones más potentes y rápidas que las del agua o aceite untuoso de antimonio, aunque piden gran destreza y experiencia del fuego sófico.

«It is said of "our mercury", the artificial mercury, that gold will dissolve in it as ice in warm water, but the gold takes a long time, possibly a year, before this takes place.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo sexto, *The Green Lion*, con lo que se dice del mercurio artificial: el oro se disuelve en él como hielo en agua tibia, aunque tarde acaso un año.

«It is also called the "dry water which will not wet the hand", and this because it arises as a vapour when it is extracted from metals, and naturally distills into a liquid when it is cooled.» — y da su lectura del agua seca que no moja la mano: se llama así porque sale como vapor al extraerse de los metales y destila en líquido al enfriarse.

«Before considering further quotations from a few treatises which bear out what has been outlined in previous chapters, it is as well to investigate some more rather difficult terminology. Prepared mercury is the vapour of metals, and extracted from antimony and iron.» — Lapidus anuncia el repaso de terminología difícil que sigue y repite su definición: el mercurio preparado es el vapor de los metales, sacado de antimonio y hierro.

«Saturn, the planetary name given to lead in the old days, was never used to describe the metal. It is a blind designed to mislead, and invented owing to its descriptively dark nature.» — Lapidus niega que Saturno designe el plomo en los tratados: lo tiene por engaño inventado a partir de su naturaleza oscura.

«The first change the compound undergoes is that it becomes black in forty days or more (90 days are optimum). But if this colouring was due to lead, nothing will come of the experiment.» — y da el dato de laboratorio con que lo sostiene: el compuesto ennegrece en cuarenta días o más —noventa como óptimo— y si ese color viniera del plomo el experimento no daría nada.

«Now to deal with the problem as to whether Venus (or copper) is to be used in the work of preparing the " Secret Fire ".» — y plantea el problema del cobre: si Venus entra o no en la preparación del fuego secreto.

«Many alchemical adepts said that Venus is of no use for the purposes of alchemy, and looked upon it with contempt. But Philalethes claims that without Venus nothing will be achieved.» — Lapidus consigna el desacuerdo sin armonizarlo: muchos adeptos tuvieron a Venus por inútil y la miraron con desprecio, y Philalethes sostiene que sin ella nada se logra.

«We quote from his poem The Marrow of Alchemy. (Remember Saturn is really antimony, Mars iron, and the sun gold.).» — y da la clave de lectura del poema que va a citar, *The Marrow of Alchemy*: Saturno es en realidad el antimonio, Marte el hierro y el sol el oro.

«Mars is the stout and valiant god of war, His body vile, and little is esteemed, He's fierce of courage, conquering near & far all sturdy opposites, and may be deemed, that his rough outside hidden doth enclose, a spirit whose full virtue no man knows» — primeros versos del poema atribuido a Philalethes: Marte, dios recio y valiente de la guerra, de cuerpo vil y poco estimado, encierra bajo su tosca corteza un espíritu cuya virtud plena nadie conoce.

«Venus, the planet fair, the god of love, Whose beauty the stout god of war allures, her central salt; whoso has wit to prove, shall find a key all secrets which assures the owner for to find; I say no more, for this disclosed by none, hath been before.» — segunda estrofa, sobre Venus que atrae al dios de la guerra, y su sal central, en la que el poema dice que está una llave de todos los secretos jamás revelada antes.

«To Saturn, Mars with bonds of love is tied, who is by him devoured of mighty force, whose spirit Saturn's body doth divide, and both combining yield a secret source, from whence doth flow a water wondrous bright, In which the sun doth set and lose its light.» — tercera estrofa, con Marte atado a Saturno por lazos de amor y devorado por él, de cuya combinación mana el agua brillante en que el sol se pone y pierde su luz.

«The "bonds of love" which must be joined as a preliminary work indicate the use of Venus (copper) to join the regulus of Saturn (antimony) and Mars (iron).» — Lapidus descifra los lazos de amor del poema como el uso del cobre para juntar el régulo de antimonio con el hierro.

«58. But of this mercury, if you desire, the secret for to learn, attend to me, for this is a water which yet is fire, which conquers bodies from their fixed degree, and makes them fly much like a spirit pure, this after fixing all flame to endure.» — estrofa cincuenta y ocho del mismo poema: el mercurio es un agua que sin embargo es fuego, saca los cuerpos de su grado fijo, los hace volar como espíritu puro y, ya fijado, resiste toda llama.

«60. Tis Saturn's offspring who a well doth keep, in which cause Mars to be drowned, then let Saturn in this well behold his face, which will seem fresh, young and tender, when the souls of both are thus together blended, for each by the other needs to be amended.» — estrofa sesenta, con el pozo del hijo de Saturno donde se ahoga a Marte y Saturno mira su propio rostro rejuvenecido, mezcladas las almas de ambos porque cada una necesita ser enmendada por la otra.

«61. Then Lo-a star into this well shall fall, and with its lustrous rays the earth shall shine, Let venus and her influence withal, for she is nurse of this stone divine, The bond of all crystalline mercury This is the spring in which our sun must die.» — estrofa sesenta y uno: cae una estrella al pozo y su brillo alumbra la tierra, con Venus por nodriza de la piedra divina y el pozo por manantial donde el sol ha de morir.

«62. This is the lunar juice, this is our moon, This is the Hesperion garden, happy they, who know it to prepare, for they very soon, may climb the mountain tops, where day shall banish darkness and all obscurity.» — estrofa sesenta y dos, que nombra el jugo lunar, la luna del arte y el jardín de las Hespérides, y llama dichosos a los que sepan prepararlo.

«The sun is gold, and the moon is a name for silver-but silver is not meant here because gold and silver may never be used together. The compound or regulus of antimony and iron is often called "mercury" or luna to mislead.» — Lapidus acota la lectura del poema: la luna no es aquí la plata, porque oro y plata nunca se usan juntos, y el régulo de antimonio y hierro se llama mercurio o luna para despistar.

«"This shows the theory of nature in relation to its spirit and to the matter of every sort; the prime matter is antimony purified by iron, and finely pounded; the invisible mercury is the spiritual air of antimony, which combines with animal or vegetable fluids, and then solids, in its spiritual or watery form, and from thence, combines with metals or stones.» — segundo extracto de *First Principles* de Behmen, que Lapidus reimprime casi con las mismas palabras: la materia prima es el antimonio purificado con hierro y el mercurio invisible es su aire espiritual.

«"From this theory, the affinities may be learned for practice. The gas will not unite easily with metals or minerals until it is embodied for that purpose. This may be done either by the thick red or white mercuries, which are the oil and water of antimony. . .» — y la continuación del mismo extracto, con el gas que no se une a metales ni minerales mientras no se le dé cuerpo con los mercurios espesos rojo o blanco.

«In alchemical literature, one will often come across the expression, "the red man and his white wife"; and here we may gather what they are. Iron is the red man and antimony is the white wife.» — Lapidus descifra el hombre rojo y su mujer blanca de la literatura del arte: el hierro es el hombre rojo y el antimonio la mujer blanca.

«All this is useful to know, although not essential, if one is reading the artful philosophers who try to hide their knowledge from dilettantes.» — con el uso que Lapidus asigna a esas equivalencias: útiles, aunque no esenciales, para leer a los filósofos mañosos que esconden su saber del aficionado.

«But it is well to know that the regulus of antimony and iron is referred to as one principle; gold or silver (note that we say or silver as these must not be used together) is another principle, and mercury is a third, making three principles in all.» — y la cuenta de los tres principios en su propia práctica: el régulo por uno, el oro o la plata —nunca juntos— por otro, y el mercurio por tercero.

«In many books of the alchemists, they advise that only three principles are to be used, so always remember these three given here. The prepared mercury, of course, is not a metal at all, but is the catalyst, and only called a principle to mislead.» — con la salvedad que Lapidus añade sobre el tercero: el mercurio preparado no es metal sino catalizador, y solo se le llama principio para despistar.

«One more confirmation of the ingredients of the regulus of antimony and iron, which will produce "our mercury", this time from the book called Vade Mecum. Again, the notes in brackets are comment by the author.» — Lapidus anuncia el extracto del *Vade Mecum* y da la única regla tipográfica que declara sobre él: las notas entre corchetes son comentario *by the author*, sin decir de cuál de las dos manos de la portada.

«"A crude immature and coagulated Mercury vive, not yet fixed, is the destroyer of the perfect bodies [gold or silver], for truly it destroys them, incrudates and softens them, and renders them fit for our work.» — arranque del *Vade Mecum*: el mercurio vivo crudo, inmaduro y coagulado destruye los cuerpos perfectos, y al incrudarlos y ablandarlos los vuelve aptos para la obra; el corchete del volumen glosa esos cuerpos como oro o plata.

«It is the offspring of Saturn [Saturn here is not lead, but the appearance of the black stage], and is acknowledged as such by the philosophers, and is the only and greatest secret in the art.» — y lo llama hijo de Saturno y el mayor secreto del arte, con el corchete del comentarista que aclara que Saturno no es aquí el plomo sino el aspecto de la etapa negra.

«It is necessary that it [the antimony] be freed from all superfluous and burning sulphur with which it is joined in the mine [being found in the natural state as stibnite, a sulphide], after which that which lies hidden in the centre thereof will be manifested....» — con la preparación que prescribe: librar el antimonio del azufre superfluo y ardiente con que está unido en la mina, para que se manifieste lo que se esconde en su centro; el corchete del volumen identifica ese estado natural con la estibina.

«The sign of its [raw state] right preparation is a beautiful whiteness, like the purest silver, a heavenly brightness and a wonderful glittering on the face of its fractures, like the polish of a bright sword.» — y el signo de la preparación bien hecha: blancura hermosa como la plata más pura, brillo celeste y centelleo maravilloso en la cara de las fracturas, como el pulido de una espada.

«Ripley calls it the 'green lion' [The main colour of the water which arises in the work from antimony], which devoured the sun....» — el *Vade Mecum* adjudica a Ripley el nombre de león verde para lo que devoró al sol, y el corchete del volumen lo explica por el color principal del agua que se levanta del antimonio en la obra.

«In the Turba Philosophorum it is called sea water, in which 'the perfect body' [gold] is decocted until it [the sea water] is congealed. Artephius calls it the most sharp vinegar of the mountains....» — con dos nombres más de la misma cosa: agua de mar en la *Turba Philosophorum*, donde se decoce el cuerpo perfecto hasta que se congela, y vinagre agudísimo de las montañas en Artefio.

«It is the offspring of old Saturn [remember antimony used to be considered a form of lead], for which reason it has by some been called 'Venus' [see the myths concerning the birth of Venus], and principally for this reason; because she has been connected with the warlike Mars, and has been caught by Vulcan [vulcan is heat] in the act iron is added in preparing the regulus]. It has been called a 'Wood' and has received the name of 'Diana'.» — y la explicación del nombre de Venus por su trato con el belicoso Marte y por haber sido sorprendida por Vulcano, con los corchetes del volumen glosando Vulcano como el calor y el acto como la adición del hierro al régulo; el corchete de esa última glosa queda abierto sin cerrar en el impreso.

«It is likewise called the philosophical mercury . . . and by Artephius a middle substance, because neither a mineral [crude Antimony at this point in the work]. It is moreover a ' middle substance ' between the body [gold] and the spirit [secret fire], between earth and water."» — cierre del extracto, que llama a esa cosa mercurio filosófico y, con Artefio, sustancia media entre el cuerpo y el espíritu, entre la tierra y el agua; la frase que da la razón queda trunca en el impreso, *because neither a mineral*.

«No process can finally fail where the invisible universal mercury, or spiritual air of antimony is present» — con la garantía que el texto da: ningún proceso fracasa al fin donde esté presente el mercurio universal invisible o aire espiritual del antimonio. El impreso corta aquí con una raya de fin de renglón y la frase continúa.

«condensed in its proper vehicle in any of the degrees of its permanency.» — continuación de esa misma frase: condensado en su vehículo propio, en cualquiera de los grados de su permanencia.

«Also note that antimony is not mentioned at all, but Mars (the name given for iron) is» — Lapidus pide notar la asimetría del poema que va a citar: el antimonio no se menciona y Marte, nombre del hierro, sí.

«Later we can infer-that gold is the red man and the regulus is the white wife.» — y ofrece una segunda lectura del mismo par, que se desplaza según la etapa: el oro por hombre rojo y el régulo por mujer blanca.

«Again, the regulus of antimony and iron becomes one principle, the red man, and mercury (which is clear white) is the white wife.» — y una tercera: el régulo entero por hombre rojo y el mercurio, que es blanco claro, por mujer blanca.

«Enough has now been said to confirm that antimony and iron are the metals that produce a "mercury" required in the making of our stone. These two when fused into a regulus are the one principle that is called mercury or sometimes luna.» — Lapidus da por cerrado el punto del mercurio: antimonio y hierro son los metales que lo producen, y fundidos en régulo valen por el principio único que se llama mercurio o a veces luna.

«Now we require "sulphur", and although most treatises of the art refuse to say where this comes from, the truth is that only gold and silver represent the "sulphur". If there is any doubt about that, study the extract given above from the Vade Mecum, and take it for granted.» — y resuelve el segundo principio contra el silencio de los tratados: solo el oro y la plata representan el azufre, y remite al extracto del *Vade Mecum* a quien lo dude.

«Now we need salt; that is truly a liquid, a burning water, the sea water from the quotation above. This is the, "Secret Fire", the catalyst, which is easy to discover, but which no book ever mentions, but enough has been said.» — con el tercero: la sal es en verdad un líquido, un agua ardiente, el agua de mar de la cita anterior, que es el fuego secreto, fácil de descubrir y que ningún libro menciona.

«The identification of each kind of mercury is one of the deepest secrets in alchemy. It is therefore important to obtain a definite knowledge of what that mercury is, and what that is, mentioned in every case where the name mercury appears in treatises.» — Lapidus hace de la identificación de cada clase de mercurio uno de los secretos más hondos del arte, y pide saber en cada caso de cuál habla el tratado.

«Sometimes it is "The Philosophers mercury", and at other times, common, vulgar, or ordinary mercury, it is always necessary to notice the manner in which each is said to react upon bodies.» — y da el criterio con que distinguirlos: fijarse siempre en cómo se dice que cada uno reacciona sobre los cuerpos.

«From this it may be gathered that there are two kinds of mercury. Both are volatile and liquid in form, but one is a metal, and does not wet the hand, and the other is a liquid which will naturally do so.» — con la partición que de ahí saca: dos mercurios, ambos volátiles y líquidos, pero uno es metal y no moja la mano y el otro es líquido que sí la moja.

«It is said of them, common mercury is silvery and opaque, and the philosophers mercury is not a metal, and is clear; as clear as the tears of the eyes, a beautifully clear, brilliant, and shining water. yet by no means a water, rain or dew as it has been described.» — y el retrato contrastado de ambos: el común plateado y opaco, y el de los filósofos claro como las lágrimas de los ojos, agua brillante que sin embargo no es agua, ni lluvia ni rocío como se la ha descrito.

«When the salt of the philosophers mercury is dissolved in common mercury, the clearness disappears, and it becomes milky and opaque. This is the milk often mentioned.» — Lapidus explica la leche de los tratados por una operación concreta: disuelta la sal del mercurio de los filósofos en el mercurio común, la claridad desaparece y la mezcla se vuelve lechosa y opaca.

«Here it should be reminded that common mercury only becomes clear and transparent by being dissolved in an acid but acid is never used in alchemy so it is seen that both kinds of mercury are opposite in nature.» — y refuerza la oposición entre los dos: el común solo se aclara disuelto en ácido, y en alquimia el ácido no se usa nunca.

«The philosopher's mercury first arises as a vapour, and is extracted from all metals, but it is undetermined a simple, and not a compound substance.» — Lapidus repite que el mercurio de los filósofos sale primero como vapor y se extrae de todos los metales, y lo declara sustancia simple y no compuesta.

«Philalethes says: "For this thing is not water otherwise than to the sight". And the artful sages have said: neither can we imagine that water can be in solid metals.» — con la cita de Philalethes según la cual la cosa no es agua sino a la vista, y el reparo de los sabios mañosos de que no cabe imaginar agua dentro de metales sólidos.

«despised and common substance from which, although difficult to prepare, yet with little trouble and expense may be obtained the philosophers mercury, also sulphur and salt, the same as in gold and silver.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: hay una sustancia despreciada y común de la que, con poco gasto aunque con dificultad, se sacan el mercurio de los filósofos, el azufre y la sal, los mismos que hay en el oro y la plata.

«So we have to learn what the philosophers mercury is, called the mercury of the bodies; and common mercury which is the mercury of metals. The latter is only to be used after the former is made.» — con la tarea que Lapidus deja planteada y el orden entre las dos cosas: el mercurio de los cuerpos y el mercurio de los metales, y el segundo no se usa hasta hecho el primero.

«The special treatise and most important work for reference which is given in full in this book, is Artephius; if one studies it closely it will be found to be full of information; every line of it is composed with a deliberate purpose.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo séptimo declarando cuál es el tratado principal de su libro: el de Artefio, dado íntegro, del que dice que cada línea está compuesta con propósito deliberado.

«Supplementary to this work however are the following useful writings extracted from treatises by famous adepts in alchemy: such men as Roger Bacon, Philalethes, and others.» — y anuncia los escritos suplementarios que siguen, extractados de tratados de adeptos famosos, entre ellos Roger Bacon y Philalethes.

«"If you prudently desire to make our elixir, you must extract it from a mineral root. Sulphur and mercury are the mineral roots, and natural principles, upon which nature herself acts and works in the mines and the caverns of the earth.» — arranque del extracto: el elixir se saca de una raíz mineral, y azufre y mercurio son las raíces minerales y los principios naturales sobre los que obra la naturaleza en minas y cavernas.

«Of them is produced a vapour or cloud, which is the substance and body of metals united. In the same manner, Sol, which is our sulphur, being reduced into mercury by mercury, which is the viscous water made thick, and mixed with its proper earth, by a temperate decoction and digestion, ariseth the vapour.» — y el vapor o nube que de ellos sale, sustancia y cuerpo de los metales unidos, con el sol reducido en mercurio por el mercurio y mezclado con su tierra propia por decocción templada.

«When this vapour is returned into the earth, out of which it is drawn, and in every way spreads through or is mixed with it, as its proper womb, it becomes fixed.» — con la fijación de ese vapor al volver a la tierra de que se sacó, como a su matriz propia.

«Thus the wise man does that by art in a short time, which nature cannot perform in less than a thousand years. Yet notwithstanding, it is not we who make the metals, but nature herself does it.» — y el axioma de los mil años con su corrección: el sabio hace por arte en poco tiempo lo que la naturaleza tarda mil años, pero no somos nosotros quienes hacemos los metales sino ella.

«"Choose then the natural minerals, for nature generates metalline bodies of the vapours of these, or fumes of sulphur and mercury (regulus of antimony and iron), to which all philosophers agree.» — con la orden de escoger los minerales naturales, porque de sus vapores de azufre y mercurio engendra la naturaleza los cuerpos metálicos; el corchete del volumen identifica esos vapores con el régulo de antimonio y hierro.

«Know therefore the principles upon which art works, for he who knows not these things shall never attain to the perfection of the work.» — y la advertencia que sigue: quien no conozca los principios sobre los que obra el arte nunca llegará a la perfección de la obra.

«The second principle of our stone is called mercury, which word stone is a simple name. One philosopher said, this stone is no stone, but that without which, nature never performs anything;» — el extracto nombra el segundo principio y recoge el dicho de un filósofo sobre la piedra que no es piedra pero sin la cual la naturaleza nada hace.

«which enters into, or is swallowed up by other bodies; and also swallows them up. This is simply argent vive which contains the essential power. For it is the root of metals, harmonizes with them, and is the medium which conjoins the tinctures.» — y lo identifica con el argent vive, raíz de los metales que armoniza con ellos y hace de medio que conjunta las tinturas.

«"Euclid advises to work in nothing but in sol and mercury; which joined together, make the wonderful and admirable philosophers' stone.» — consejo que el extracto adjudica a Euclides: no trabajar sino en sol y mercurio, que unidos hacen la piedra; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana.

«White and red both proceed from one root, no other bodies coming between them. But yet gold, wanting mercury, is hindered from working according to his power.» — con la unidad de raíz de blanco y rojo, sin cuerpos ajenos de por medio, y el estorbo que sufre el oro cuando le falta el mercurio.

«Therefore, know that no stone, or other foreign thing belongs to this work. You must therefore labour the solution of the citrine body to reduce it into its first matter. For we dissolve gold so it may be reduced into its first matter, or nature and that is into mercury.» — y la exclusión de toda cosa ajena, con la disolución del cuerpo cetrino y del oro para reducirlos a su primera materia, que es el mercurio.

«For being broken and made one, they have in themselves the whole tincture both of the agent and patient. Wherefore, make a marriage, that is a conjunction between the red man and his white wife, and you have the whole secret.» — con la fórmula que da título al capítulo: hacer un matrimonio, es decir una conjunción, entre el hombre rojo y su mujer blanca, y se tiene el secreto entero.

«"If you marry the white woman to the red man, they will be con joined and embrace one another, and become impregnated. By themselves they are dissolved, and by themselves they bring forth what they have conceived, whereby the two are made one body.» — y lo que sigue al casamiento: se abrazan, quedan preñados, se disuelven por sí mismos y paren por sí mismos lo concebido, hechos los dos un cuerpo; el troceo parte *con joined* en dos.

«And truly our dissolution is only reducing the hard body into a liquid form, and into the nature of argent vive that the saltness of the sulphur may be diminished.» — con la definición de la disolución del arte: reducir el cuerpo duro a forma líquida y a naturaleza de argent vive, para que mengüe la salinidad del azufre.

«Without our brass then be broken, ground, and gently and prudently managed, till it be reduced from its hard and dense body, into a thin and subtle spirit, you labour in vain.» — y la condición sin la cual el trabajo es vano: romper y moler el latón del arte hasta reducirlo de cuerpo duro y denso a espíritu delgado y sutil.

«"He that prudently draws the virtue out of sol, and his shadow, shall obtain a great secret. Again it is said, without sol and his shadow, no tinging virtue or power is generated. And whosoever it is that shall endeavour to make a tinging or colouring tincture without these things, and by any other means, he errs, and goes astray from truth, to his own hurt, loss and detriment.» — el extracto promete un gran secreto a quien saque con prudencia la virtud del sol y de su sombra, y declara extraviado a quien intente hacer tintura por otra vía.

«"The vessel for our stone is one, in which the whole magistery or elixir is performed and perfected; this is a flask whose bottom is round like an egg, smooth within, that it may ascend and descend the more easily.» — con el vaso único en que se hace todo el magisterio: un matraz de fondo redondo como huevo, liso por dentro para que la materia suba y baje con más facilidad.

«Its largeness ought to be such, that the medicine or matter may not fill above a fourth part of it, made of strong glass, clear and transparent, that you may see through it, all the colours appertaining, and appearing in the work; in which the spirit moving cannot pass or fly away.» — y sus medidas y material: la materia no ha de llenar más de una cuarta parte, y el vidrio ha de ser fuerte, claro y transparente para ver los colores sin que el espíritu escape.

«Let it be so closed that nothing can go out of it, so nothing can enter into it, so that your work will not be spoiled or lost.» — con el cierre hermético en ambos sentidos, para que la obra no se eche a perder ni se pierda.

«"Therefore be very dilligent and careful in the sublimation and liquefaction of the matter, that you increase not your fire too much, whereby the water may ascend to the highest part of the vessel. For then wanting a place of refrigeration, it will stick fast there, whereby the sulphur of the elements will not be perfected.» — el extracto pide diligencia en la sublimación y licuefacción para no subir el fuego de más, porque el agua se pegaría en lo alto del vaso sin lugar donde refrigerarse; el impreso escribe *dilligent*.

«For indeed in this work, it is necessary that they be many times elevated or sublimed, and depressed again. And the gentlest of temperate fires is that only which completes the mixture, makes thick, and perfects the work.» — y hace de la elevación y el descenso repetidos la operación misma, con el fuego templado más suave como el único que completa la mezcla y perfecciona la obra.

«Therefore that gentle fire is the greatest and most principal matter of the operation of the elements. Burn our brass with a gentle fire, such as that of a hen for the hatching of eggs, until the body be broken, and the tincture extracted.» — con la medida de ese fuego suave, la de la gallina que empolla huevos, mantenida hasta que el cuerpo se rompa y la tintura salga.

«For with an easy decoction, the water is congealed, and the humidity which corrupteth drawn out; and in drying, the burning is avoided.» — y lo que consigue esa decocción fácil: el agua se congela, la humedad que corrompe se extrae y al secar se evita la quemadura.

«The happy prosecution of the whole work consists in the exact temperament of the fire; therefore beware of too much heat, for if it be kindled before the time, the matter will be red, before it comes to ripeness and perfection, for that will bring you to despair of attaining the end of your hopes.» — con la advertencia sobre el exceso de calor: encendido antes de tiempo, la materia se pone roja antes de madurar y lleva a desesperar del fin.

«"You ought to put on courage, resolution and constancy, in attempting the great work, lest you err and be deceived, sometimes following and doing one thing and then another.» — el extracto pide valor, resolución y constancia, para no andar haciendo una cosa y luego otra.

«For the knowledge of this art does not consist in a great number of things but in unity. Our stone is one, the matter is one, the vessel is one; the government is one, and the whole art and work thereof is one, and begins in one manner, and in one manner it is finished.» — con la letanía de la unidad: una piedra, una materia, un vaso, un gobierno, y un arte que empieza y acaba de un solo modo.

«This is notwithstanding the philosophers have clouded their instructions with enigmatical words and phrases, so that their art may stay hidden.» — y la razón de que eso no se vea: los filósofos anublaron sus instrucciones con palabras y frases enigmáticas para que el arte quedara escondido.

«"Thus they advise to decoct, to commix and conjoin; to sublime, to bake, to grind, to congeal; to make equal, to putrify, to make white and to make red; all of which things, the order, the arrangement, and way of working is all one, which is only to decoct, and therefore to grind is to decoct, of which you are not to be weary.» — con la reducción de toda la lista de operaciones a una sola: decocer, de modo que hasta moler es decocer, y de eso no hay que cansarse.

«Digest continually, but not in haste, that is with not too great a fire; cease not, or make intermission in your work, follow not the artifice of liars, but pursue your operation to the complement and perfection thereof.» — y la regla de constancia: digerir sin prisa y sin interrumpir, sin seguir el artificio de los mentirosos, hasta el complemento y la perfección.

«Be cautious and watchful, lest your work prove dead or imperfect, and to continue it with a long decoction. Close up well thy vessel and pursue to the end. For there is no generation of things, but by putrefaction; by keeping out the air, and a continual internal motion, with an equal and gentle heat.» — con el principio que sostiene esa constancia: no hay generación de cosa alguna sino por putrefacción, cerrando el paso al aire y con movimiento interno continuo a calor igual y suave.

«Remember when you are in your work, all the signs and appearances which arise in every decoction, for they are necessary to be known and understood in order to bring about the perfecting of the matter. You must be sure to be incessant in your operation with a gentle fire to the appearing of the perfect whiteness.» — y el mandato de memoria y perseverancia: retener todos los signos que salen en cada decocción y no cejar con fuego suave hasta que aparezca la blancura perfecta.

«"This then is the thing, that the vessel with the matter be put into heat, so that the middle or one half of the vessel be in the fire, and the other half out of the fire, so that you may daily look into it.» — con la disposición del vaso sobre el fuego: la mitad dentro y la mitad fuera, para poder mirarlo cada día.

«And in about the space of 40 days, the superficies or the upper part will appear black as melted pitch; and this is the sign that the citrine body is truly converted into mercury.» — y el plazo y el signo: hacia los cuarenta días la superficie aparece negra como pez derretida, señal de que el cuerpo cetrino se convirtió en mercurio.

«When you see the blackness of the water to appear, be assured that the body is made liquid. This black ness the philosophers called the first conjunction, the male and female are joined together, and it is the sign of perfect union.» — con el nombre que los filósofos dan a esa negrura, primera conjunción, y su lectura como unión de macho y hembra; el troceo parte *black ness* en dos.

«"Yet notwithstanding, the whole tincture is not drawn together; but it goes out every day, by little and little, until by a great length of time, it is perfectly extracted and made complete.» — y la advertencia de que la tintura no sale de golpe sino poco a poco cada día, hasta quedar extraída del todo tras mucho tiempo.

«And that part of the body which is dissolved, ever ascends or rises to the top, above all the other undissolved matter, which remains yet at the bottom.» — con el signo visible del reparto: lo disuelto sube siempre por encima de lo que queda sin disolver en el fondo.

«(Take good notice of what is said in this paragraph, for unless the whole is dissolved into blackness, this first work is incomplete and will lead to failure.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que subraya el párrafo anterior: si el todo no se disuelve en negrura, la primera obra queda incompleta y llevará al fracaso.

«Of course not, but they go on to say and agree too, that there is a» — Lapidus concede el reparo y anuncia lo que esos mismos autores conceden a su vez. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«"In this first decoction, which is called putrefaction, our stone is made all black, to wit, a black earth, by drawing out of its humidity; and in that blackness, the whiteness is hidden.» — sigue el extracto: la primera decocción, llamada putrefacción, vuelve la piedra tierra negra al sacarle la humedad, y en esa negrura está escondida la blancura.

«And when the humidity is reverted upon the blackness again, and by a continual soft and gentle digestion is made fixed with its earth, then it becomes white. In this white the redness is hidden; and when it is decocted and digested by the augmentation and continuance of the fire, the earth is changed into redness.» — con el resto de la escala: devuelta la humedad sobre la negrura y fijada con su tierra por digestión suave, viene el blanco, y en el blanco se esconde el rojo, que sale al aumentar y continuar el fuego.

«"To return to the black matter in the vessel, continually closed, let this vessel stand continually in the moist fire, till such time as the white appears, like to a white moist salt.» — y la maniobra que le corresponde: el vaso siempre cerrado en el fuego húmedo hasta que aparezca el blanco como una sal blanca y húmeda.

«This colour is called by the philosophers arsenic, and sal ammoniac, and some have called it, the thing without which no profit is to be had in the work.» — con los nombres que los filósofos dan a ese color: arsénico y sal amoníaco, y la cosa sin la cual no hay provecho en la obra.

«But whiteness appearing, there is a perfect conjunction of the bodies in this stone. which is then indissoluble. But before it becomes white, you will find many colours to appear.» — y el valor de esa blancura: aparecida, hay conjunción perfecta de los cuerpos e indisoluble, aunque antes de ella se vean muchos colores.

«Decoct the male and female together until such time as they shall become one dry body, for except they be dry, the various colours will not appear; for it will ever be black whilst the humidity or moisture has the dominion; but if that be once wasted, then it will emit divers colours after many and several ways.» — con la condición de la sequedad para que salgan los colores: mientras la humedad domine todo seguirá negro, y gastada aquella la materia despide colores diversos.

«"And many times it will change from colour to colour, till such time as it comes to the fixed whiteness. But value none of these colours for they are not the true tincture.» — y la advertencia sobre esos colores intermedios: no valen nada, no son la tintura verdadera.

«Yes, many times it becomes citrine and reddish, and many times it is dried and becomes liquid again, before the whiteness will appear. Now all this time, the spirit is not perfectly joined with the body, nor will it be perfectly joined but in the white colour.» — con el vaivén que describe —cetrino, rojizo, seco y otra vez líquido antes del blanco— y la regla de que el espíritu no queda unido al cuerpo sino en el color blanco.

«Between the white and the red, again all colours will appear, even to the utmost imagination.» — y entre el blanco y el rojo, dice el extracto, vuelven a aparecer todos los colores imaginables.

«"The matter then of the white and the red among themselves differ not in respect to their essence; but the red needs more subtilization, and longer digestion, and the hotter the fire in the course of operation than the white, because the end of the white work, is the beginning of the red work; and that which is complete in the one is to begin in the other.» — con la identidad de esencia entre la materia blanca y la roja: solo difieren en subtilización, digestión y calor, porque el fin de la obra al blanco es el comienzo de la obra al rojo.

«Therefore without you make the white elixir first, you can never come to the red elixir, that which is indeed the true red. But the heat of this dry fire ought to be double at least to what it was before, and by the help of this fire, the white matter receiveth the admirable tincture of redness.» — y el orden que de ahí se sigue: sin el elixir blanco no se llega al rojo, y el fuego seco ha de doblarse al menos para que la materia blanca reciba la tintura de rojez.

«"You cannot err if you continue the dry fire; therefore with a dry fire, and a dry calcination, decoct the dry matter till it becomes in colour like to vermillion or cinnabar.» — con la garantía del fuego seco continuado y el color al que hay que llegar, bermellón o cinabrio; el impreso escribe *vermillion*.

«Decoct the red matter and the more red it is, the more worth it is, and the more decocted it is, the more red it» — y la proporción entre decocción y rojez, que el extracto pone como medida del valor. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«is. Therefore the more decocted, the more precious and valuable the powder will become. Do not cease, though the redness may be somewhat long before it appears.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: cuanto más decocto, más precioso el polvo, y no hay que cejar aunque el rojo tarde en salir.

«Between the whiteness and the redness, one colour only appears, that is citrine, but it changes from the less to the more, until such time as it is clothed in the purple glory."» — con el único color intermedio que el extracto admite entre el blanco y el rojo, el cetrino, que crece hasta vestirse de gloria purpúrea.

«What follows is of the greatest importance and is specifically mentioned in Artephius's Secret Book in paragraphs 19-20, but here it is taken from an extract from Root of the World by Roger Bacon:» — Lapidus anuncia el extracto siguiente, del *Root of the World* que adjudica a Roger Bacon, y lo enlaza con los apartados diecinueve y veinte del Secret Book de Artefio.

«"This is a great and certain truth, that the clean ought to be separated from the unclean; for nothing can give that which it has not. For the pure substance is one of simple essence, void of all heterogeneity; but that which is impure and unclean consists of heterogene parts, is not simple, but compounded (to wit of pure and impure) and apt to putrify and corrupt.» — arranque del extracto atribuido a Bacon: lo limpio ha de separarse de lo inmundo, porque la sustancia pura es de esencia simple y la impura es compuesta y por eso propensa a pudrirse.

«Therefore let nothing enter into your composition, which is alien or foreign to the matter, as all impurity is; for nothing goes to the composition of our stone, that proceedeth not from it neither in part nor in whole. If any strange or foreign thing be mixed with it, it is immediately corrupted, and by that corruption your work becomes frustrate.» — y la exclusión que de ahí saca: nada ajeno entra en la composición, y mezclada una cosa extraña la obra queda frustrada de inmediato.

«"The citrine bodies, as sol, and etc., you must purge by calcination; and it is then purged or putrefied if it be fine and florid. The metal being well cleansed, beat it into fine leaves, and reserve them for use.» — con la preparación del oro: purgarlo por calcinación hasta dejarlo fino y florido, batirlo en hojas delgadas y guardarlas.

«The white liquor, as mercury, contains two superfluities, which must necessarily be removed from it, viz. its fetid earthiness, which hinders its fusion; and its humidity which causes its flying.» — y las dos superfluidades del licor blanco que hay que quitarle: la terrosidad hedionda que estorba su fusión y la humedad que lo hace volar.

«The earthiness is thus removed. Put it into a mortar, with its equal weight of pure fine and dry salt, and a little vinegar. Grind all with a pestle, till nothing of the matter appears, but the whole salt becomes very black.» — con la receta de la limpieza: mortero, sal seca a peso igual y un poco de vinagre, molido hasta que no se vea la materia y la sal quede muy negra.

«Wash this whole matter with pure water till the salt is dissolved; this filthy water decant, put to the mercury again as much more salt and vinegar grinding it as before, and washing it with clean water, which work so often repeat, till the water come clear from it, and that the mercury remains pure bright and clear like a Venice looking glass, and of a celestial colour ".» — y el lavado repetido hasta que el agua salga clara y el mercurio quede puro, brillante y de color celeste, como un espejo de Venecia.

«[The beginning of this important paragraph speaks of using only well-purified gold, and in leaf form. Today one may purchase already precipitated gold 99.9 per cent pure, so that the modern scientist is spared this work.» — corchete del comentarista del volumen, que traduce la receta a la química de su tiempo: hoy se compra oro precipitado al 99,9 por ciento y el científico moderno se ahorra ese trabajo.

«From then on, the paragraph deals with the purifying and cleaning Mercury, which of course refers to the regulus of Antimony and Iron, for which a simple recipe is supplied; these two metals may also be bought in the same condition as the gold, and one can be more wasteful with them as the cost is considerably less, although the work is still to be considered, as only when the regulus is made, can the cleaning take place.]» — y sigue el mismo corchete: el mercurio del pasaje es el régulo de antimonio y hierro, cuyos dos metales también se compran ya puros y salen baratos, aunque solo se limpian una vez hecho el régulo.

«"Then strain it through a linen cloth three or four times doubled into a glass vessel, till it be dry, the proportion of the parts is as 24 to 1. There are 24 hours in a natural day, to which add one, and it is 25 to the rising of the sun.» — vuelve el extracto atribuido a Bacon, con el colado por lienzo doblado y la proporción de veinticuatro a uno, que explica por las veinticuatro horas del día natural más una hasta la salida del sol.

«To understand this is wisdom, as Geber saith: 'Endeavour through the whole work to overpower the mercury in commixion ', Rhasis saith: ' those bodies come nearest to perfection, which contain the most argent vive.'» — con dos sentencias encadenadas: la de Geber sobre sobrepujar al mercurio en la mezcla y la de Rhasis sobre que los cuerpos más cercanos a la perfección son los que más argent vive contienen.

«He further saith: that the philosophers hid nothing but the weight and measure, to wit, the proportions of the ingredients, which is clear, for that none of them all agree one with another therein, which causeth great error.» — y la afirmación que el extracto adjudica al mismo Rhasis: los filósofos no escondieron sino el peso y la medida, y de ahí que ninguno concuerde con otro y salga tanto error.

«Though the matters be well prepared and well mixed, without the proportions or quantities of the things be just, and according to the reason of the work, you will miss of the truth or the end, and lose all your labour; you will not bring indeed anything to perfection.» — con la consecuencia práctica: bien preparadas y mezcladas las materias, si las proporciones no son justas se pierde el trabajo entero.

«or that the body is changed, then let it be put into the cineritium or test, and then it will be consumed, or otherwise remain according as the proportions are more or less just; or just as they ought to be.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: puesto el cuerpo en la copela, se consumirá o permanecerá según cuán justas sean las proporciones.

«If they be right and just, according to the reason of that, your body will be incorruptible and remain firm, without any loss, through all essays and trials; you can do nothing in this work without the true knowledge of this thing, whose foundation is natural matter, purity of substance, and right reason or proportion."» — con el cierre del extracto: siendo justas, el cuerpo queda incorruptible y firme en todos los ensayos, y sin ese saber nada se hace, cuyo fundamento es materia natural, pureza de sustancia y proporción.

«I now proceed the practice to discover, Which weigh with judgement ere you pass it over. Take then our mercury (which is our Moon) And it espouse with the terrestial Sun. Thus man and wife are joined, and to them soon Add the reviving spirit; this when done A noble game you soon shall espy, because You have attended natures noble laws.» — primera estrofa del poema atribuido a Philalethes: tomar el mercurio, que es la luna, desposarlo con el sol terrestre y añadirles el espíritu vivificante; el impreso escribe *terrestial*.

«Of the Red man one: of the white wife three: Take thou and mix (which is a good proportion) Then of the water four parts let there be, This mixture is our lead, which unto motion Will be moved, by a most gentle heat, Which must increased be until it sweat.» — segunda estrofa, con la proporción que da nombre a la receta: uno del hombre rojo, tres de la mujer blanca y cuatro partes de agua, mezcla que el poema llama su plomo y que se mueve con calor suavísimo hasta sudar.

«But if thou list this pond us to obsene, One of the Sun, two of the moon to take; In such proportion thou shalt never swerve; The water let be four, which added up will make The perfect number, and to thee shall prove A joyous Sabbath, and the bond of love.» — tercera estrofa, con la proporción alterna de uno de sol, dos de luna y cuatro de agua, que el poema llama número perfecto, sábado gozoso y lazo de amor; el impreso escribe *pond us to obsene*.

«For Latten he is red, but to our work Availeth not, until he whitened be; Though in his centre doth a spirit lurk; Yet appears not, till joined with mercury, This mercury a tender body is, The spouse of Sol, whom he doth straightway kiss.» — cuarta estrofa: el latón es rojo y no sirve a la obra hasta blanquearse, con un espíritu que acecha en su centro y no aparece hasta unirse al mercurio, cuerpo tierno y esposa del sol.

«Thus is thy work with trinity begun, The body and its soul are first conjoined, And both are with spirit mixed; the Sun, The Moon, the water, these are one in kind, In number three, and yet indeed but two, For why? The sun is hidden, no light doth show.» — quinta estrofa, con la aritmética del arte: sol, luna y agua son uno en especie, tres en número y en verdad solo dos, porque el sol está escondido y no da luz.

«Two bodies thus combined, we oft do call Our lead, our brass, and our Hermaphrodite. Tis red within and fixed, but yet withall, To sight saturnine, volatile and white. These separate natures, do not part, But join, inseparately by our art.» — sexta estrofa, con los nombres del compuesto —plomo, latón y hermafrodita— rojo y fijo por dentro y saturnino, volátil y blanco a la vista, cuyas naturalezas separadas se juntan inseparablemente por el arte.

«That what is perfect we to retrograde Do cause: Long time to wait, nor does it irk, Till the water do congeal: this had, We then sublime, exalt, and fix to dust. This essence sift, which then revive we must.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: hacer retrogradar lo perfecto y esperar sin fastidio hasta que el agua se congele, para después sublimar, exaltar y fijar en polvo.

«For this, in readiness a vial glass, Oval, or spherical, be sure to have, In which the matter put, nor out must pass Ought of the enclosed air, which for to save, Seal up the neck with a strong seal, and then The spirits are secure within their den.» — séptima estrofa, con el vaso oval o esférico, sellado por el cuello con sello fuerte para que no escape nada del aire encerrado y los espíritus queden seguros en su guarida.

«So big thy glass let be, as may contain, Four times at least as much as you enclose, For vacant space receives the dew and rain, Which falling down the body doth dispose, To die and rot, and after to revive, And to be joined in union, not to strive.» — octava estrofa, con la medida del vaso: cuatro veces al menos lo que se encierra, porque el hueco recibe el rocío y la lluvia que hacen morir, pudrir y revivir al cuerpo.

«Nor if your glass of too greatness be, And so the female sperm too much dispersed, Will not return, this error trust to me, Thy work will spill, the surest course is best; Accordingly therefore to your quantity, In bigness get your glass accordingly.» — novena estrofa, con el error contrario: vaso demasiado grande dispersa el esperma femenino, que ya no vuelve, y hay que ajustar el tamaño a la cantidad.

«This is your great rule, if of the woman three, Then of the man one you take, then equal water Unto the earth we claim; but if there be But two to one, then so we mix the matter, That one more of the spirit doth appear Than of the body, this by Ripley clear.» — última estrofa, con la regla mayor de las proporciones y su remisión a Ripley: tres de mujer por uno de hombre y agua igual a la tierra, o dos por uno y entonces más espíritu que cuerpo.

«We leave the treatises here, and proceed to explain in more detailed form what has been said so far. Generally the time allowed to pass from the white stage to the red stage is five months, and it is said that during this long digestion, hands should not be laid on the vessel.» — Lapidus deja los tratados y vuelve a su exposición, con el plazo que da entre la etapa blanca y la roja, cinco meses, durante los cuales dice que no han de ponerse manos en el vaso.

«The experimenter would be well advised to experiment with a few vessels so that he can try various combinations of conditions leading to his goal.» — y el consejo de método que da al experimentador: llevar varios vasos a la vez para probar combinaciones distintas de condiciones.

«We have shown by Artephius's book, chapter thirteen, that continual digestion is all that is needed to bring the white to the red stage. But the reader has already been warned many times not to take anything for granted, especially where the adepts in alchemy have been most frank.» — Lapidus apoya en el apartado trece de Artefio que basta la digestión continua para pasar del blanco al rojo, y a la vez repite su advertencia de no dar nada por sentado, sobre todo donde los adeptos fueron más francos.

«Therefore the researcher must be on his guard; try moving the vessel in one case, and leaving another to digest undisturbed, observing carefully which brings the best results. But do not open the vessels.» — y propone el experimento que resuelve la duda: mover un vaso y dejar otro quieto, mirando cuál da mejor resultado, sin abrir ninguno.

«Where there is any water in the flask, beware of too much heat, for with the liquid rarefying a weak flask may explode.» — con la precaución del agua en el matraz: con el líquido enrareciéndose, un vaso débil puede reventar por exceso de calor.

«This is a rule not elsewhere mentioned, but take heed else too much heat will explode a vessel containing wet vapour. More heat can be used where the vapour is not too wet; that is, a metallic vapour.» — y Lapidus reclama la regla como propia y no dicha en otra parte: el vapor húmedo revienta el vaso, y con vapor metálico, menos húmedo, cabe más calor.

«All this is evident in the examination, when there is a transmutation of the body,» — y el ensayo con que el extracto propone comprobarlo. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«This is the wonder of our hidden work,» — y el verso con que el poema anuncia la maravilla de la obra escondida. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«As the student can never have enough information and instruction to help him, here are more extracts from various treatises on this stage.» — Lapidus anuncia más extractos sobre la etapa alcanzada, con el argumento de que al estudiante nunca le sobra información.

«First of all from Ripley Revived by Philalethes, which describes the work after the white stage has been reached.» — y adjudica aquí *Ripley Revived* a Philalethes —como en la plana 16 y a diferencia de la 6, donde lo daba a Norton— para describir la obra después de la etapa blanca.

«"After the white, the fire being continued, the compound will become azure, grey, and then citrine, which will last a long time; and at last end in bloody redness.» — arranque del extracto: continuado el fuego tras el blanco, el compuesto pasa por azul, gris y cetrino, que dura largo tiempo, y acaba en rojo de sangre.

«"He that supposeth his work ended when the stone is brought to redness is mistaken. But yet again twice turn about thy wheel.» — y la objeción a quien dé por terminada la obra en el rojo: hay que dar dos vueltas más a la rueda.

«The stone by constant and long decoction brought to this pass, anyone who thinketh the race quite run is mistaken. It is a medicine of the first order, and must be brought to third order by imbibitions and cibations, (adding liquid as in the beginning.) which is a second turning round of the wheel; and by fermentation (mixing with pure gold), which is a third turning round of the wheel, which brings the medicine to the third order, and makes it fit for projection.» — con las dos vueltas nombradas: imbibiciones y cibaciones para la segunda y fermentación con oro puro para la tercera, que lleva la medicina al tercer orden y la hace apta para la proyección.

«For till the medicine will flow like wax, it cannot enter metals before its flight. Leave not then, where you should begin, but go on till you bring the matter to the third order."» — y el signo que fija el término: hasta que la medicina no corra como cera no entra en los metales, y no hay que parar donde apenas se empieza.

«"Consider now thou art in process to a new work, and though in perfect whiteness thy stone was incombustible, yet in continuing it on the fire without moving, it is now become tender again; therefore, although it be not in so great a danger of fire now as heretofore, yet immoderacy now may spoil all; and undo thy hopes.» — segundo extracto del mismo autor: en blancura perfecta la piedra era incombustible y al seguir en el fuego sin moverla se ha vuelto tierna otra vez, de modo que ahora un exceso puede echarlo todo a perder.

«"Govern with prudence therefore during the while that these colours shall come and go, and be not over hasty nor despondent but wait until the end with patience. For in a short time, thou shalt find that this green will be overcome with azure, and that by a pale wan colour, which will at length come to a citrine, which citrine will endure for the space of forty-six days.» — con el gobierno prudente que pide mientras van y vienen los colores, y el calendario: el verde vencido por el azul, luego un pálido desvaído y después el cetrino, que dura cuarenta y seis días.

«"Then shall the heavenly fire descend and illuminate the earth with inconceivable glory. The crown of thy labours shall be brought unto thee, when our Sol shall sit in the south, shining with redness incomparable. This is our Tyre, our basiliske, our red poppy of the rock, our Lion devouring all things. This is our true light, our earth glorified."» — cierre del extracto, con el fuego celeste descendiendo y el sol del arte sentado al mediodía en rojez incomparable, al que llama su Tiro, su basilisco, su amapola roja de la roca y su león que todo lo devora.

«The successful adepts in the art each achieved the same end in a variety of ways, and then it followed that if they wrote anything on the subject, they imagined that theirs was the only way.» — Lapidus explica la discordia de los tratados por la variedad de vías: cada adepto llegó al mismo fin por la suya y creyó que era la única.

«The student is advised not to read much alchemical literature, but to concentrate on selected texts and to try various experiments at the same time.» — y de ahí su consejo, contrario al del erudito: leer poca literatura del arte, concentrarse en textos escogidos y probar varios experimentos a la vez.

«The greatest bugbear of all alchemical work, the time factor, is another reason for trying a number of experiments simultaneously. One must be prepared to be a model of patience and wait for the results without too much handling of the flasks, for we are warned repeatedly that all is nature's work and it is to be carried out without laying on of hands.» — con la segunda razón para llevar varios experimentos: el factor tiempo, que llama el mayor coco de la obra, y la prohibición repetida de poner manos sobre el vaso.

«The farmer sowing his seed knows exactly what to expect, and therefore can wait on nature patiently, but the tyro in alchemy, not knowing what to expect, can wait many months, never quite knowing if he is on the wrong track or not.» — con el símil del labrador vuelto del revés: este sabe qué esperar y aguarda con paciencia, y el novato del arte espera meses sin saber siquiera si va por buen camino.

«We may now take up Ripley Revived. As mentioned previously in Chapter 2, this is a long poem in twelve parts, which Ripley called his Twelve Gates. Here it is presented in an abridged form, omitting many verses which are merely padding, reiteration, or misleading.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo octavo y declara el recorte que practica sobre las Doce Puertas de Ripley: las da abreviadas, omitiendo versos de relleno, repetición o engaño.

«When in the work, the three colours are attained, namely black, white, and red, and when the powder is complete, there are still further processes to be carried out. Here Ripley excels, for he deals with all the processes, which most writers have ignored, or mixed up. Ripley deals with each separately, leaving nothing unsaid; he is however very verbose which is the reason for the abridgement.» — y el mérito que reconoce a Ripley frente a los demás: trata por separado todos los procesos que otros ignoraron o mezclaron, aunque —dice— es muy verboso, y de ahí el recorte.

«But let Ripley explain his own intention in specifying these twelve gates, which are given in the introduction to his treatise. Although he numbers his gates, it does not necessarily follow that any one should be in correct order.» — Lapidus cede la palabra a la introducción del propio tratado y a la vez advierte que la numeración de las puertas no obliga a un orden correcto.

«The first chapter shall be of natural calcination. The second chapter of dissolution secret and philosophical. The third chapter of our elemental separation. The fourth chapter of conjunction matrimonial. The fifth of putrefaction then shall follow. Of congealation, albyficate shall be the sixt. Then of cibation the seventh shall follow next. The secret of our sublimation, the eight shall show. The ninth shall be of fermentation. The tenth of our exaltation, I trow. The eleventh of our marvellous multiplication. The twelvth of projection, then recapitulation. And so this treatise shall take an end.» — índice en verso de las doce puertas según lo imprime el volumen: calcinación natural, disolución secreta, separación elemental, conjunción matrimonial, putrefacción, congelación, cibación, sublimación, fermentación, exaltación, multiplicación y proyección; el impreso escribe *albyficate*, *sixt* y *twelvth*.

«All this might be compared to making a simple cake in twelve stages or sections; which indeed is not as difficult as it sounds. The materials, type of vessel, proportion, temperature used, signs to look for and time it will take could be arranged according to a similar pattern.» — Lapidus compara las doce puertas con hacer un pastel en doce tramos y dice qué habría que fijar en cada uno: materiales, vaso, proporción, temperatura, signos y tiempo.

«Calcination is the purgation of our stone, Restoring also of his natural heat, Of radical moisture it looseth none, [metallic vapour] Inducing solution into our stone most mete. [necessary] After philosophy I you behight. [advise] Do not after the common guise,» — primera estrofa de la puerta de la calcinación: purgación de la piedra que restaura su calor natural sin perder nada de la humedad radical, con el corchete del volumen glosando esa humedad como el vapor metálico.

«nor with vinegar, nor with water ardent, neither with the vapour of lead, our stone [do not use lead] is calcined to our intent; All they to calcine which so be bent, From this hard science withdraw their hand, till they our calcining better understand.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: ni vinagre, ni agua ardiente, ni vapor de plomo —el corchete del volumen manda no usar plomo—, y quien calcine así que retire la mano de esta ciencia.

«For by such calcining, their bodies be shent, [spoiled] which diminisheth the moisture of our stone; Therefore when bodies to powder be brent, [burnt] dry as husks of tree or bone, of such calx then will we have none; For moisture we multiply radical, in calcining, deminishing none at all.» — segunda estrofa, con la razón de la prohibición: esa calcinación estropea los cuerpos y mengua la humedad de la piedra, y en la del arte la humedad radical se multiplica y no mengua; el impreso escribe *shent*, *brent* y *deminishing*.

«And for a sure ground of our true calcination, mix wittily kind only with kind, For kind to kind hath appetite and inclination. Who knoweth this in knowledge is blind, he may wander forth as mist in the wind; Knowing never with perfectness where to alight, because he cannot conceive our words aright.» — tercera estrofa, con el fundamento de la calcinación verdadera: mezclar con tino género solo con género, porque el género tiene apetito de su género, y quien lo ignore vagará como niebla en el viento.

«Join kind with kind therefore as reason is, for every burgeon answers to his own seed, man begetteth man, a beast a beast likewise, further to treat of this is no need, but understand this point if you wish to speed. Everything is first calcined in his own kind, This well conceiving, fruit therein shalt thou find.» — cuarta estrofa, con el argumento de semejanza que el libro repite desde la introducción: cada brote responde a su simiente, el hombre engendra hombre y la bestia bestia, y todo se calcina primero en su propio género.

«And we make calx unctous both white and red, of three degrees, ere our base be perfect; Fluxible as wax, else stand they in little stead. By right long process as philosophers write, A year we take or more for our respite. For in less space our calx will not be made. Able to teign with colour which will not fade.» — quinta estrofa, con la cal untuosa blanca y roja de tres grados, fusible como cera, y el plazo que el poema le da: un año o más, porque en menos no se hace.

«As for the proportion thou must beware, For therein many a one is beguiled. Therefore thy work that thou not mar, [spoil] Let thy body be totally filled, With mercury; As much then so subtiled; One of the sun and two of the moon, till altogether like pap be done.» — sexta estrofa, con la proporción en que dice el poema que muchos se engañan: uno del sol y dos de la luna, llenado el cuerpo de mercurio hasta que todo quede como una papilla.

«(This is a difficult passage. It means one part of the sun or gold, or sulphur, and two parts of the moon (not silver, but our mercury made from antimony and iron). But the mercury is» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que descifra la proporción: una parte de sol, oro o azufre, y dos de luna, que no es plata sino el mercurio hecho de antimonio y hierro. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«made from three parts of antimony and one of iron. When ready, this is called mercury or moon. Then use only so much liquid to make it into the consistency of pap. This reveals the true proportion, which is one part gold, and two parts what the masters of alchemy called mercury.)» — continuación del mismo paréntesis en la plana siguiente: el mercurio se hace de tres partes de antimonio y una de hierro, y la proporción verdadera es una de oro por dos de lo que los maestros llamaban mercurio.

«Then make the mercury four to the sun, Two to the moon as it should be, And thus thy work must be begun, in the figure of the trinity: Three of the body and of the spirit three; And for the unity of the substance spiritual, one more of the substance corporal.» — séptima estrofa, con la figura de la trinidad: cuatro de mercurio al sol y dos a la luna, tres del cuerpo y tres del espíritu, y una más de la sustancia corporal por la unidad de la espiritual.

«(In this case the spirit means the water or liquid used to moisten the matter which acts as a catalyst. This verse then means the same as the verse above, with a different wording. The next confusing verse is omitted, and in future, verses of a similar kind will be left out without comment.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que iguala esta estrofa con la anterior y declara de paso su criterio de recorte: omite el verso confuso que sigue y omitirá otros iguales sin avisar.

«If the water be in proportion to the earth, With heat in due measure, Of him shall spring a new burgeon; both white and red in pure tincture, which in the fire shall ever endure; Kill then the quick, the dead revive, Make trinity unity without any strive.» — octava estrofa: guardada la proporción de agua y tierra con calor medido, brota un renuevo blanco y rojo de tintura pura que dura en el fuego, matando lo vivo y reviviendo lo muerto.

«This is the best and surest proportion; For where is less of the part spiritual, [which means water] The better therefore shall be solution: Than if you do it with water small. Thine earth overglutting which loseth all; Take heed therefore to form potter's loam, and make you never too wet thy womb.» — novena estrofa, con el símil del barro del alfarero y la advertencia de no mojar demasiado la matriz; el corchete del volumen glosa la parte espiritual como el agua.

«That loam behold how it tempered is, The mean how thou it calcinate, And ever in thy mind, look thou, hear this, That never thy earth with water be suffocate. Dry up thy moisture with heat most temperate. Help dissolution with moisture of the moon, And congealation with the sun, then hast thou done.» — décima estrofa, con la regla de no sofocar la tierra con agua y de secar la humedad a calor templadísimo, ayudando la disolución con la humedad de la luna y la congelación con el sol.

«But first of thine elements make thou rotation, and into water thy earth turn first of all; Then of thy water make air by levitation, and air make fire. Then master I will thee call, of all our secrets great and small. The wheel of elements thou canst turn about, Truly conceiving our writings without doubt.» — undécima estrofa, con la rotación de los elementos: tierra en agua, agua en aire por levitación y aire en fuego, y quien sepa girar la rueda será llamado maestro de todos los secretos.

«This done, go backwards, turning thy wheel again, and into thy water, turn thy fire anon, and air into earth, else labourest thou in vain, For so to a temperament is brought our stone, and natures contrarious, four be made one. After they have three times been circulate, Also thy base perfectly consumate.» — duodécima estrofa, con la vuelta atrás de la rueda —fuego en agua y aire en tierra— hasta que las cuatro naturalezas contrarias se hagan una, circuladas tres veces.

«Thus under the moisture of the moon, and under the temperate heat of the sun, thy elements shall be incinerate soon, and then thou hast the mastery won; Thank God thy work was thus begun. For then thou hast one token true, Which first in blackness to thee will show.» — decimotercera estrofa, con la incineración de los elementos bajo la humedad de la luna y el calor templado del sol, y el primer signo verdadero, que se muestra en negrura.

«The head of the crow that token call we, and some men call it the crow's bill. Some call it the ashes of Hermes tree, Our toad of the earth that eateth his fill, and thus they name after their will. Some name it by which it is mortificate, The spirit of the earth with venom intoxicate.» — decimocuarta estrofa, con los nombres de ese signo negro: cabeza de cuervo, pico de cuervo, cenizas del árbol de Hermes, sapo de la tierra que come hasta hartarse y espíritu de la tierra intoxicado de veneno.

«But it hath names I say to thee infinite, For each thing that black is to sight, named it is till the time that it wax white. For after blackness when it waxeth bright, then hath it names of more delight. After white things, the red after the same, Rule of red things, doth take his name.» — decimoquinta estrofa, con la regla que ordena esa infinidad de nombres: cuanto es negro a la vista lleva esos nombres hasta que blanquea, y luego los del blanco y los del rojo.

«At the first gate, now thou art in, of the philosophers castle where they dwell, Proceed wisely that thou may win, In at more gates of that castle, which castle is round as any bell; And gates hath eleven yet mo, [morel One is conquered, now to the second go.» — cierre de la primera puerta, con el castillo redondo como una campana en el que quedan once puertas por ganar; el impreso escribe *mo* y deja el corchete de la glosa abierto y mal impreso, *[morel*.

«Of solution now will I speak a word or two, which showeth out what ere was hid from sight, and maketh things thin that were thick also; By the virtue of our first menstrue clear and bright, In which our bodies have eclipsed been to sight; And of their hard and dry compaction subtilate. Into their own first nature kindly retrograde.» — primera estrofa de la segunda puerta, la de la solución: saca a la vista lo escondido y adelgaza lo espeso por virtud del primer menstruo, en el que los cuerpos quedaron eclipsados y retrogradados a su primera naturaleza.

«This makes the work tedious almost to desperation.» — y Lapidus nombra el costo de esa regla: un trabajo tedioso casi hasta la desesperación.

«Note that the author's comments are in brackets.» — y repite la única regla tipográfica del libro sobre su propio aparato: los corchetes son comentario del autor, sin decir de cuál de las dos manos que anuncia la portada.

«With sulphur and salts prepared in divers wise.» — y el modo común que el poema prohíbe: azufre y sales preparadas de diversas maneras.

«Neither with corrosives, nor with fire alone,» — con la primera parte de la lista de exclusiones. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«One in gender they be and in number two, Whose father is the sun, and moon truly is mother, the mean is mercury, these two and no more, be our magnesia, our adrop, and none other; Things there be, but only sister and brother. This is to mean, agent and patient, sulphur and mercury, co-essential to our intent.» — segunda estrofa de la puerta de la solución: uno en género y dos en número, con el sol por padre, la luna por madre y el mercurio por medio, que son la magnesia y el adrop del arte, agente y paciente, azufre y mercurio.

«Betwixt these two, in quality contrarious, Engendered is a mean most marvellous, Which is our mercury and menstrue unctuous; Our secret sulphur working invisibly, More fiercely than fire burning the body, Into water dissolving the body mineral, Which night from darkness in the north, we call.» — tercera estrofa, con el medio maravilloso que se engendra entre esos dos contrarios: el mercurio y menstruo untuoso, azufre secreto que obra invisible y quema más que el fuego, y al que el poema llama noche salida de la oscuridad en el norte.

«But yet, I trow, thou understandeth not utterly, The very secret of philosophers dissolution. Therefore understand me, I councel thee wittily, For I tell thee truly without delusion, Our solution is cause of our congealation.» — cuarta estrofa, con el secreto de la disolución de los filósofos: la solución del arte es causa de su congelación. El tramo se corta aquí porque el troceo mete el encabezado corrido del volumen a media estrofa; el impreso escribe *councel*.

«And we dissolve into water which wetteth no hand, For when the earth is integrally incinerate, then is the water congealed, this understand; For the elements be so concatenate, that when the body from his first form be alterate, A new form is induced immediately, For nothing is without form utterly.» — quinta estrofa, con el agua que no moja la mano: incinerada del todo la tierra, el agua queda congelada, y perdida su primera forma el cuerpo recibe otra de inmediato, porque nada queda sin forma.

«And here a secret to thee I will disclose, which is the ground of our secrets all, And if thou know it not, thou shalt but lose, thy labour and costs both great and small, Take heed therefore in error that thou not fall. The more thine earth, and the less thy water be, The rather and better solution shalt thou see.» — sexta estrofa, que el poema anuncia como fundamento de todos sus secretos: cuanta más tierra y menos agua, más pronta y mejor la solución.

«Behold how ice to water doth relent, and so it must, for water it was before; Right so again to water our earth is bent, and water thereby congealed for ever more, For after all philosophers which ever was bore, [born] Every metal was once water mineral, Therefore with water they turn to water all.» — séptima estrofa, con el símil del hielo que se ablanda en agua porque agua era antes, y el axioma que de ahí saca: todo metal fue una vez agua mineral y por eso con agua se vuelven todos agua; el impreso escribe *bore* y el corchete del volumen lo glosa como *born*.

«Of qualities been repugnance and diversity, Things into things must therefore be rotate, until diversity be brought to perfect unity; for scripture recordeth when the earth shall be troubled; and into the deep sea shall be cast, mountains, our bodies likewise at the last.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: por la repugnancia y diversidad de cualidades hay que rotar unas cosas en otras hasta la unidad perfecta, con el eco de la escritura sobre los montes arrojados al mar profundo.

«Our bodies be likened conveniently to mountains, which after high planets we name; Into the deepness therefore of mercury, turn them, and keep thee out of blame; Then shall you see a noble game. How all shall become powder soft as silk, So doth our rennet by kind curd our milk.» — estrofa siguiente, con los cuerpos comparados a montes que llevan nombres de planetas, arrojados a la hondura del mercurio hasta hacerse polvo suave como seda, al modo del cuajo que cuaja la leche.

«Then hath our bodies their first form lost, And others have been induced immediately, Then hast thou well bestowed thy cost; Whereas some others uncunningly must go by, Not knowing the secrets of our philosophy. Yet one point more I must tell thee, Everybody, know it, hath dimentions three.» — estrofa siguiente, con la forma primera perdida y otra inducida de inmediato, y el punto que el poema añade: todo cuerpo tiene tres dimensiones; el impreso escribe *dimentions*.

«Altitude, latitude, and profoundity, By which always must we turn our wheel. Knowing thine entrance in the west shall be; Thy passage forth into north, if thou do well, And there thy lights shall lose their light each deal, For there thou must abide ninety nights, In darkness of purgatory without lights.» — estrofa de las tres dimensiones y del recorrido cardinal: entrada por el occidente, paso al norte donde las luces pierden su luz, y noventa noches en la oscuridad del purgatorio.

«Then take thy course up to the East anon, By colours variable passing in manifold wise, And then be winter and spring nigh overgone; To the East therefore, thine ascending devise, For there the sun with daylight uprise; In summer, and there disport with delight, For there thy work shall become perfect white.» — estrofa del oriente, adonde se asciende por colores variables pasado el invierno y la primavera, y donde con el sol del verano la obra se vuelve blanca perfecta.

«Forth from the East into the south descend, And set thou up therein thy chariot of fire; For there is harvest, that is to say an end Of all thy work after thine own desire; There shineth the sun up in his own sphere. And after the eclipse is in redness with glory, As king to reign upon all metals and mercury.» — estrofa del mediodía, donde está la cosecha y el fin de la obra, con el sol en su propia esfera y, pasado el eclipse, en rojez de gloria, rey de todos los metales y del mercurio.

«Then must you know the measure of firing, The which unknown thy work is lost each deal, Let never thy glass be hotter than thou may feel, And suffer still in thy bare hand to hold, For dread of losing as philosophers have thee told.» — continuación en la plana siguiente, con la medida del fuego dada por el tacto: que el vaso nunca esté más caliente de lo que la mano desnuda aguante.

«Yet to my doctrine furthermore attend, Beware thy glass thou never open nor move, From the beginning until thou hast made an end. If thou do otherwise, thy work may never achieve; Thus in this chapter which is so brief, I have taught thee true solution, Now to the third gate go, for this is won.» — cierre de la segunda puerta, con la prohibición de abrir o mover el vaso desde el principio hasta el fin, so pena de que la obra no llegue nunca.

«(Take note, in these last two verses, you are given the size and shape of the flask to use (egg size, 100 to 150 ml. or a shade bigger with a long neck), the measure of the heat ("never thy glass be hotter than thou may feel"), and finally, an instruction not to move or open the glass.» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que traduce las dos estrofas a medidas de laboratorio: matraz de tamaño de huevo, de cien a ciento cincuenta mililitros o algo mayor y de cuello largo, con el calor medido por la mano.

«But here the experimenter must be wary, and experiment with more than one glass, some bigger, some smaller; some hotter or cooler; some moved or opened, and also some never moved or opened. Watch carefully the results, and take notes. This solution applies to all the processes where the solution is necessary, and remember not to make the matter too wet, as it should always have the consistency of potter's clay, or perhaps slightly wetter.)» — y sigue el mismo paréntesis, que contra la letra del poema manda probar varios vasos —mayores y menores, más y menos calientes, movidos y quietos, abiertos y cerrados—, tomar notas y no mojar la materia más allá de la consistencia del barro de alfarero.

«Separation doth each part from the other divide. The subtle from the gross, the thick from the thin; But Manual separation look thou put aside, For that pertaineth to fools, which little fruit do win. For in our separation, nature doth not blin. [cease] Making division of qualities elemental, Into the fith degree till they be turned all.» — primera estrofa de la tercera puerta, la de la separación: divide lo sutil de lo grueso y lo espeso de lo delgado, con la separación manual dejada a los necios porque en la del arte obra la naturaleza sin cesar; el impreso escribe *blin* y *fith*.

«Earth is turned into water black and blue, And water after into air under very white, Air is turned into fire, [red], elements there be no more; Of this is made by craft our stone of great delight. But of this separation, much more must we write. And separation is called by philosophers Definition, Of the said elements, tetraptative dispersion.» — segunda estrofa, con la rotación de los cuatro elementos y el nombre técnico que el poema le da: definición y dispersión tetraptativa de los elementos; el impreso escribe *tetraptative*.

«And of this separation, I find a like figure, Thus spoken by the prophet, in the psalmody; God brought out of a stone a flood of water pure, And out of the hardest stone oil abundantly; Right so out of our precious stone if thou be witty, Oil inconbustible and water thou shalt draw, And thereabout thou needest not at the coals to blow.» — tercera estrofa, con la figura que el poema toma del salmo: Dios sacó de una piedra un río de agua pura y de la más dura aceite en abundancia, y así de la piedra del arte se saca aceite incombustible y agua sin soplar los carbones; el impreso escribe *inconbustible*.

«(Every line of this poem applies to the whole of the process although it may appear the instructions are specially for the work in hand. Keep this fact well in mind when experimenting, otherwise seeing certain colours and changes at any one point may mislead you. Besides the main colours of black, white and finally red, you may see green, yellow and a number of other colours come to the surface and soon disappear. This is in the nature of Antimony).» — paréntesis del comentarista, con su regla de lectura del poema entero: cada línea vale para todo el proceso y no solo para el punto tratado, y además de negro, blanco y rojo salen verde, amarillo y otros colores que se van pronto, cosa propia del antimonio.

«Do this with heat easy and measuring, First with moist fire, and after with the dry, The phlem with patience outdrawing, And after that thy other natures wittily, Dry up thine earth till it be thirsty; By calcining, else thou labourest all in vain, Then make it drink up its moisture again.» — estrofa siguiente, con el orden de los dos fuegos —húmedo primero y seco después—, la flema sacada con paciencia y la tierra secada por calcinación hasta la sed, para hacerle beber otra vez su humedad; el impreso escribe *phlem*.

«(This whole gate of separation has to do with distillation. The researcher is advised to study this gate well, intently and closely as so much depends on this part of the work. The matter will forever remain black while the wetness is in it. When the water is drawn off, different colours will arise, and with the return of the water, blackness will return; but study the gate of separation well, and you will be led to do the correct thing.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que identifica la puerta entera con la destilación y describe el vaivén del color: la materia sigue negra mientras esté mojada, sacada el agua salen otros colores y devuelta el agua vuelve la negrura.

«Separation thus must thou often times make, Thy matter dividing into parts two. So that the simple from the gross thou take, Till the earth remain below in colour blue. That earth is fixed to abide all woe, The other part is spiritual and flying, But thou must turn them all into one thing.» — estrofa siguiente, con la separación repetida en dos partes: la tierra fija que queda abajo en color azul y la parte espiritual que vuela, y la orden de volverlas una sola cosa.

«The water wherewith thou must revive thy stone, Look thou distill before thou work with it, Often times by itself alone; And by thy sight thou shalt well wit, From feculent faeces when it is quit, For some men can with Saturn it multiply, And other substances which we defie.» — estrofa siguiente, con el agua destilada a solas muchas veces hasta verla libre de heces, y la mención de quienes la multiplican con Saturno y otras sustancias; el impreso escribe *defie*.

«Distill it therefore till be clean, And thin like water as it should be, As heaven in colour bright and shine, Keeping both figure and ponderosity. Therewith did Hermes moisten his tree. In his glass he made it to grow upright, With flowers discoloured beautiful to sight.» — estrofa siguiente, con el agua destilada hasta quedar limpia, delgada y brillante como el cielo, guardando figura y peso, y con ella regó Hermes su árbol, que creció en el vaso con flores descoloridas.

«This water is like to the venomous Tyre, Wherewith the mighty miracle is wrought, For it is a poison most strong of ire,» — estrofa siguiente, que compara el agua con el veneno de Tiro con que se obra el milagro. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«A stronger poison none can be thought; Oftentimes at the chemist it is sought, But no man shall be by it intoxicate, After the time it is into medicine elevate.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: veneno más fuerte no cabe pensarlo y a menudo se busca en la botica, pero elevado a medicina ya no intoxica a nadie.

«For then it is the miracle true, It is of poisons most expulsive, And in its workings does marvels show, Preserving many from death to life, Look thou mix it with no corrosives. But choose it pure and quick running, If thou thereby will have winning.» — estrofa siguiente, con el veneno vuelto milagro que expulsa venenos y preserva de la muerte a muchos, tomado puro y corriente y sin mezcla de corrosivos.

«(All of which means nothing more than distil the liquid out of it, leaving the matter dry, before returning it. What follows explains that this must be done seven times.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que reduce las tres estrofas a una sola maniobra —destilar el líquido, dejar seca la materia y devolvérselo— y anuncia que ha de hacerse siete veces.

«It is a marvellous thing in kind, And without it nought can be done. Therefore did Hermes call it his wind, For it is uprising from sun and moon, And maketh our stone to fly with it soon. Reviving the dead and giving life, To sun and moon, husband and wife.» — estrofa siguiente, donde el poema explica el nombre de viento de Hermes: sube del sol y de la luna, hace volar la piedra y revive a los muertos, marido y mujer.

«Which if they were not by craft made quick, And their fatness with water drawn out, And so the thin dissevered from the thick, Thou should never bring this work about. If thou wilt speed therefore without doubt, Raise up thy birds out of their nest, And after bring them again to rest.» — estrofa siguiente, con la condición sin la cual no se acaba la obra —vivificarlos por arte, sacarles la grasa con agua y apartar lo delgado de lo espeso— y la imagen de levantar los pájaros del nido y volverlos a él.

«Water with water will accord and ascend, And spirit with spirit, for they be of a kind, Which after they be exalted make to descend; So shalt thou unloose that which nature did blend. Mercury essential turning into wind Without which natural and subtle separation, May never complete profitable generation.» — estrofa siguiente, con la concordia de lo semejante que asciende y luego desciende, desatando lo que la naturaleza mezcló, sin cuya separación sutil no hay generación provechosa.

«Now to help thee in at this gate, The last secret I will tell to thee; Thy water must be seven times sublimate, Else shall no kindly dissolution be, Not putrefying shall thou not see. Like liquid pitch nor colours appearing, For lack of fire within thy glass working.» — estrofa siguiente, con el último secreto de esa puerta: el agua ha de sublimarse siete veces, y si no, no hay disolución ni putrefacción ni colores, por faltar fuego dentro del vaso.

«Which burneth the bodies more than fire Elemental: If thou wilt win our secret According to thy desire; Then shall thy seed both rot and spire, By help of fire occasionate, That kindly after they may be separate.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: ese fuego quema los cuerpos más que el elemental, y con su auxilio la simiente se pudre y brota para poder separarse según su especie.

«Of separation the gate must thus be won, That furthermore yet thou mayest proceed, Toward the gate of secret conjunction, Into the inner castle which will thee lead. Do after my counsel therefore if thou wilt speed. With two strong locks this gate is shut, As consequently now thou must cut.» — cierre de la tercera puerta, con el paso a la conjunción secreta y al castillo interior, cuya puerta está cerrada con dos cerrojos fuertes.

«After the chapter of natural separation, By which the elements of our stone dissevered be, The chapter here followeth of secret conjunction: Which repugnant natures joineth to perfect unity. And so them kniteth that none from the other may flee. When they by fire shall be examinate, So if they be together surely conjugate.» — primera estrofa de la cuarta puerta, la de la conjunción: junta a unidad perfecta las naturalezas repugnantes y las anuda de modo que ninguna huya de la otra al ser examinadas por el fuego.

«And therefore philosophers giveth this definition, Saying this conjunction is nought else, But of dissevered qualities a copulation, Or of principles a coequation, as others tell; But some with mercury which the apothecary sell, Medleth bodies which cannot divide, Their matter, and therefore they step aside.» — segunda estrofa, con la definición que el poema adjudica a los filósofos —cópula de cualidades disueltas o coecuación de principios— y la objeción a quienes mezclan cuerpos con el mercurio que vende el boticario y no logran dividir su materia.

«For the dissolution on one side corporal, Causeth congealation on the other side spiritual» — continuación de la misma estrofa tras el encabezado corrido: la disolución del lado corporal causa la congelación del lado espiritual.

«In which water of kind occasionate,» — y el verso con que la estrofa siguiente arranca. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«And in one glass must be done all this thing, Like to an egg in shape and closed well.» — con el vaso único en forma de huevo y bien cerrado. El tramo se corta aquí porque el troceo mete el encabezado corrido del volumen antes del cambio de plana.

«(The last two sentences are put in just to mystify and mislead.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que descarta esas dos líneas del poema por puestas solo para mistificar y despistar.

«Therefore make fire thy glass within,» — y la orden que de ahí se sigue. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«For until the time the soul be separate, And cleansed from its original sin, With the water, and purely spiritualizate, Thy true conjunction may thou never begin. Therefore first the soul from the body twin, Then of the corporal part and the spiritual, The soul shall cause conjunction perpetual.» — estrofa de la cuarta puerta: no hay conjunción verdadera mientras el alma no se separe del cuerpo, se limpie de su pecado original y se espiritualice con el agua.

«(Take good care now that you do not begin to distil the matter until it is black and properly putrefied, which will not take place before 42 to 90 days.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, con el plazo que fija antes de destilar: la materia ha de estar negra y bien putrefacta, lo que no ocurre antes de cuarenta y dos a noventa días.

«Of two conjunctions the philosophers do mention make; Gross when the body with mercury is incrudate. But let this pass, and to the second heed take, Which is as I have said, after separation celebrate; In which the parties be left, and so collegate, And so promoted unto perfect temperence, That never after may be among them repugnance.» — estrofa siguiente, con las dos conjunciones de los filósofos: la gruesa, en que el cuerpo se incruda con el mercurio, y la segunda, celebrada tras la separación, que lleva a temperancia perfecta sin repugnancia posterior.

«This chapter I will conclude right soon, therefore Gross conjunction charging you to make but one, For seldom have strumpets children of them bore, And so thou shalt never come by our stone, Without you suffer the woman to lie alone. That after she has conceived of the man, The matrix of her be shut from all others then.» — cierre de la cuarta puerta, con la orden de hacer una sola conjunción gruesa y la imagen que la sostiene: rara vez las rameras paren hijos, y hay que dejar sola a la mujer con la matriz cerrada tras concebir.

«For such as addeth evermore crude to crude, Opening their vessels and letting their matters cool, The sperm conceived, they nourish not, but delude themselves, and spilleth their work each deal. Therefore if thou list to do well, Close up the matrix and nourish the seed, With heat continual and temperate, if thou wilt speed.» — estrofa siguiente, con la objeción a quienes añaden crudo sobre crudo y abren sus vasos dejando enfriar la materia: no alimentan el esperma concebido y echan a perder la obra.

«And when thy vessel has stood by months five, And clouds and eclipses be passed each one, Then light appearing, increase thy heat, then blive Till white and shining in brightness be thy stone; Then mayest thou open thy glass anon, And feed thy child which then is bore, With milk and meat, aye more and more.» — estrofa siguiente, con el plazo de cinco meses tras el cual, pasadas nubes y eclipses y aparecida la luz, se aumenta el fuego hasta la blancura y ya se puede abrir el vaso para alimentar al niño nacido.

«And in two things all our intent doth hinge; In moist and dry which be contrarious two; In dry that it the moist to fixing bring, In moist that it give liquefaction the earth unto, That of them thus contemperate may go forth, A temperament not so thick as the body is, Neither so thin as the water is without miss.» — estrofa siguiente, con el juego de húmedo y seco en que el poema cifra toda la intención: lo seco lleva lo húmedo a fijeza y lo húmedo da licuefacción a la tierra, hasta un temperamento ni tan espeso como el cuerpo ni tan delgado como el agua.

«Loosing and knitting together be principles two, Of this hard science, and poles most principle: How be it that other principles be many more, As shining sanells which show I shall. Proceed therefore unto another wall Of this strong castle of our wisdom, That inner at the fifth gate thou may come.» — cierre de la puerta, con los dos principios y polos mayores de la ciencia, desatar y anudar, y el paso al muro siguiente del castillo; el impreso escribe *sanells*.

«(The next gate given is "Putrefaction", but on no account must the student take it for granted that this is a fifth stage or process. These Gates are purposely written out of order to confuse and mislead. In fact putrefaction should have been put first in the order of working.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que niega el orden del poema: las puertas están escritas fuera de orden a propósito para confundir, y la putrefacción debería ir primera en el orden de trabajo.

«Now beginneth the chapter of putrefaction, Without which pole no seed can multiply. Which must be done only by continual action, Of heat in the body, moist not manually, For bodies else may not be altered naturally. Since Christ do it witness, without the grain of wheat, Die in the ground, increase may thou not get.» — primera estrofa de la quinta puerta, la de la putrefacción: sin ella ninguna simiente se multiplica, y ha de hacerse por acción continua del calor en el cuerpo húmedo y no a mano, con el testimonio del grano de trigo que ha de morir en la tierra.

«And likewise without thy matter do putrefy, It may in no wise truly be alterate, Nor thine elements be divided kindly, Nor thy conjunction of them kindly celebrate;» — segunda estrofa, que extiende la ley a la materia del arte: sin putrefacción no hay alteración verdadera, ni división de los elementos, ni conjunción celebrada según su especie. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«That thy labour therefore be not frustrate, The privity of putrefying well understand, Before ever thou take this work in hand.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: para que el trabajo no salga frustrado hay que entender bien el secreto de pudrir antes de poner mano a la obra.

«And putrefaction may thus defined be, After philosophers sayings, it is of bodies the slaying, And in our compound a division of things three. The killing of bodies unto corruption forth leading, And after unto generation them abling. For things being earth without doubt, Be engendered of rotation of the heavens about.» — estrofa siguiente, con la definición que el poema adjudica a los filósofos: matanza de los cuerpos y división de tres cosas en el compuesto, que los lleva a corrupción y luego los habilita para la generación; el impreso escribe *abling*.

«And therefore as I have said before, Thine elements comixt and wisely coequate, Thou keep in temperate heat, eschewing evermore, That they by violent heat be never incinerate, To powder dry unprofitably rubyficate. But into black powder as a crow's bill, With heat of a bath, or else our dunghill.» — estrofa siguiente, con el calor templado que evita incinerar los elementos en polvo seco inútilmente rubificado y los lleva al polvo negro como pico de cuervo, con calor de baño o de estercolero; el impreso escribe *rubyficate*.

«To the time when nights be passed ninety. In moist heat keep them from any thing. Soon after my blackness thou shalt espy That they draw fast to putrefying, Which thou shalt after many colours bring, To perfect whiteness with patience easily, And so thy seed in his nature will multiply.» — estrofa siguiente, con el plazo de noventa noches en calor húmedo, tras el cual la negrura anuncia la putrefacción y de ella salen muchos colores hasta la blancura perfecta.

«Make each the other to hug and kiss, And like as children to play them up and down; And when their skirts are filled like this, [with liquid] Then let the woman to wash to bound, Which often for faintness will fall in a swoon, And die at last with her children all, And go to purgatory to purge original.» — estrofa siguiente, con los cuerpos jugando como niños y la mujer que se desmaya y muere con todos sus hijos para ir al purgatorio a purgar el pecado original; el corchete del volumen glosa las faldas llenas como llenas de líquido.

«(In the last verse in the chapter on "Solution", one is told, "Beware thy glass thou never open nor move ", and here in this last verse, one is told: "Make each the other to hug and kiss, and play them up and down" to mix the liquid well into the compound. The experimenter will have to try both ways to find the true method. That is why more than one experiment must be started.» — paréntesis del comentarista, que consigna la contradicción sin armonizarla: la puerta de la solución manda no abrir ni mover el vaso y esta manda mecerlo para mezclar el líquido, y de ahí que haya que llevar más de un experimento.

«We have already quoted Flamel as saying: "and no more labour is required, than that they should be every day turned, like a chicken on her eggs, that the chickens may be sooner hatched, and better, concerning which enough is said ".)» — y el mismo paréntesis vuelve sobre la cita de Flamel para el mismo punto, con los huevos volteados cada día bajo la gallina; el pasaje se reimprime aquí en forma algo distinta de la plana 41.

«When they be there, by little and little increase, Their pains with heat, aye, more and more; The fire from them let never cease.» — estrofa siguiente, con el aumento gradual del calor y la orden de que el fuego no cese nunca. El tramo se corta aquí porque el troceo mete el encabezado corrido del volumen a media estrofa.

«Of this principle speaketh sapient Guido, And sayeth "By rotting dieth the compound corporal", And then after Morien and others more, Upriseth again regenerate, simple and spiritual; And were not heat and moisture continual, Sperm in the womb might have none abiding, And so should there be no fruit providing.» — estrofa siguiente, que adjudica a Guido y a Morien la doctrina de que el compuesto corporal muere al pudrirse y se levanta regenerado, simple y espiritual, porque sin calor y humedad continuos el esperma no permanece en la matriz.

«Therefore at the beginning our stone thou take, And bury each one with other within their grave, Then equally a marriage betwixt them make; To lie together six weeks let them have, Their seed conceived kindly to nourish and save, From the ground of their grave not rising that while, Which secret point doth many a one beguile.» — estrofa siguiente, con el enterramiento mutuo, el matrimonio y las seis semanas que han de yacer juntos sin levantarse de la sepultura, punto secreto que —dice el poema— engaña a muchos.

«(The last four lines may give the answer to the problem of whether or not to move the flask. We are told, "six weeks let them have".)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que toma esas cuatro líneas por respuesta posible a la duda de mover o no el matraz.

«This time of conception, with easy heat abide, That blackness showing shall tell thee when they die; For they together liquid pitch that tide, Shall swell and bubble, settle and putrefy; Shining colours therein shalt thou espy: Like to the rainbow, marvellous unto sight, The water then beginneth to dry upright.» — estrofa siguiente, con el signo de la muerte: la materia como pez líquida que se hincha, burbujea, se asienta y se pudre, con colores de arcoíris antes de que el agua empiece a secarse.

«For in moist bodies, heat nourishing temperate, Engendereth blackness first of all, which is Of kindly commixtion be the token assignate; And of true putrefying; remember this. For then to alter perfectly thou may not miss. And thus by the gate of blackness thou must come in; To light of paradise in whiteness if thou wilt win.» — estrofa siguiente, con la negrura por señal de mezcla y putrefacción verdaderas, y la puerta de la negrura como el único paso hacia la luz del paraíso en la blancura.

«For first the sun in his uprising obscurate, Shall be, and pass the waters of Noah's flood, On earth; which were a hundred continuate, And fifty, ere away all this water yode. [went] Right so our waters as wise men understood, Shall pass, that thou with David may say, Abierunt in sicco flumina: bare this away.» — estrofa siguiente, con la figura del diluvio y sus ciento cincuenta días para la retirada de las aguas del arte, cerrada con el versículo latino que el poema pone en boca de David; el impreso escribe *yode* y el corchete lo glosa como *went*.

«(Each one of the masters in alchemy had his own idea of how long it took to bring the processes to perfection; for each had to discover the secret for himself. The present author thinks it takes three months to the black and white, and then five months to the red.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que da sus propios plazos frente a los de cada maestro: tres meses al negro y al blanco y cinco meses más al rojo. Quien los da es *the present author*, fórmula que el volumen usa sin decir de quién se trata.

«This example take thou to thee for a true conclusion For all the secret of putrefaction lieth therein: The heart of oak that hath of water continual infusion, will not soon putrefy, I tell thee without delusion: For though it in water lie a hundred years or more, Yet should thou find it sound as ever it was before.» — continuación en la plana siguiente, con el ejemplo del corazón de roble que no se pudre bajo infusión continua de agua y sigue sano tras cien años.

«But if thou keep it sometimes wet, and sometime dry, As thou mayest see in timber by usual experiment, By process of time that oak shall utterly putrefy. And so likewise according to our intent, Sometimes our tree must with the sun be brent: And then with water soon after must we it cool, That by this means shalt rotting bring it well.» — estrofa siguiente, con el contraejemplo que da la regla: mojado y seco por turnos el roble se pudre, y así el árbol del arte ha de quemarse con el sol y enfriarse con agua.

«For now in wet, and now again in dry, Now in great heat and now again in cold To be, shall cause it soon for to putrefy: And so shalt thou bring to rotting thy gold, Treat thy bodies therefore as I have thee told: And in thy putrefying with heat be not so swift, Lest in the ashes thou seek after thy thrift.» — estrofa siguiente, con la alternancia de mojado y seco, calor y frío que pudre el oro, y la advertencia de no apurar el calor para no buscar la ganancia en las cenizas.

«(All this and what follows after having been told not to move or open the glass! How is this to be done? Maybe it would be wise to start the first process in a distilling retort glass, then one may just tip the retort so that the water distils into the receiver.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que señala la contradicción con la prohibición anterior y propone una salida práctica: empezar el primer proceso en una retorta de destilar e inclinarla para que el agua pase al receptor.

«Therefore the water out of the earth thou draw, And make the soul therewith to ascend, Then down again into the earth it throw, That they offtimes so ascend and descend, From violent heat and sudden cold defend Thy glass, and make thy fire so temperate, That by the sides thy water be never vitrified.» — estrofa siguiente, con el ascenso y descenso repetidos del agua y el alma, y el fuego templado que evita el calor violento, el frío súbito y la vitrificación en las paredes del vaso.

«Now in this chapter I have thee taught, How thou the bodies must putrefy; And so to guide thee thou be not caught, And put in durance, loss, and villanie, My doctrine therefore remember wittily, And pass towards the sixth gate, For this the fifth is triumpthate.» — cierre de la quinta puerta, dada por vencida, con el paso a la sexta; el impreso escribe *villanie* y *triumpthate*.

«Of congealation, I need not much to write, But what it is now, I will first declare, It is of soft things of colour white, induration. And of spirits which slaying are, confixation. How to congeal, thee needeth not much to care;» — primera estrofa de la sexta puerta, la de la congelación, definida como induración de las cosas blandas de color blanco y confixación de los espíritus que matan. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«The earthly grossness therefore first mortified, In moistness, blackness engendered is: This principle may not be denied, For natural philosophers so sayeth, I wis, Which had, of whiteness thou may not miss. And into whiteness if thou congeal it once, Thou hast a stone most precious of all stones.» — estrofa siguiente: mortificada la grosura terrestre, en la humedad se engendra la negrura, tras la cual no puede fallar la blancura, y congelada en blanco se tiene la piedra más preciosa de todas.

«And by the dry like as the moist did putrefy. Which caused in colours blackness to appear, Right so, the moist congealed by the dry, Engendereth whiteness shining with might most clear, And dryness proceedeth as whiteness the matter; Like as in blackness, moistness doth him show, By colours variant aye new and new.» — estrofa siguiente, con la simetría de los dos regímenes: lo húmedo pudre y da negrura, lo seco congela lo húmedo y engendra blancura resplandeciente.

«(The matter, whatever its stage, will always remain black until dried out, for only when the matter is dry will vapour arise.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, con la regla de laboratorio que da la razón: la materia sigue negra hasta secarse, porque solo seca levanta vapor.

«The cause of all this is heat most temperate. Working and moving the matter continually; And thereby also the matter is alterate, Both inward and outward substantially, And not as doth fools to sight sophistically. But every part all fire to endure, Fluxibly fix and stable in tincture.» — estrofa siguiente, que pone la causa de todo en el calor templadísimo que altera la materia dentro y fuera de modo sustancial y no sofístico como hacen los necios.

«And physick determineth of each digestion, First done in the stomach in which is dryness, Causing whiteness without question, Like as the second digestion causeth redness, Complete in the matter by heat and temperateness; And so our stone by dryness and by heat, Digested is to white and red complete.» — estrofa siguiente, con el símil de la medicina y sus digestiones: la primera, en el estómago, da blancura por sequedad, y la segunda rojez, y así la piedra se digiere hasta blanco y rojo completos.

«But here thou must another secret know, How the philosopher's child in the air is born: Busy thee not too fast at the coal to blow, And take that neither for mock not scorn, But trust me truly else thy work is all forlorn, Without thine earth with water revived be, Our true congealing shalt thou never see.» — cierre del tramo, con el secreto del hijo de los filósofos nacido en el aire y la orden de no soplar el carbón con prisa, porque sin revivir la tierra con agua no hay congelación verdadera.

«And see thy furness be apt therefore, Which wise men do call Athenor:» — continuación de la misma estrofa tras el encabezado corrido, con el horno que los sabios llaman Athanor, glosado en el corchete del volumen como continuamente caliente; el impreso escribe *furness*.

«Conserving heat required most temperately, By which the water doth kindly putrefy.» — cierre de la misma estrofa en la plana siguiente: ese horno conserva el calor templadísimo con el que el agua se pudre según su especie.

«And that thou may rather to putrefaction win,» — y el verso con que arranca la estrofa siguiente. El tramo se corta aquí porque el verso cierra la plana.

«For elements will knit together soon, If that putrefaction be kindly done.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: los elementos se anudan pronto si la putrefacción se hizo según su especie.

«A soul betwixt heaven and earth being; Arising from the earth as air with water pure. And causing life in every living thing, Incessant running upon our aforesaid nature,» — estrofa de la sexta puerta, con el alma entre cielo y tierra que sube de la tierra como aire con agua pura y causa vida en todo viviente. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«Enforcing to better them with all his cure; Which air is the fire of our philosophy, Named now oil, now water mistily.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: ese aire es el fuego de la filosofía del arte, llamado ora aceite, ora agua, de modo brumoso.

«And by this means, air, oil, or water we call, Our fire, our ointment, our spirit, and our stone, In which we ground, in one thing, our wisdoms all, Goeth neither out nor in alone, Never the flier but the water anon: First it outleadeth, and after bringeth it in, As water with water, which will not lightly twin.» — estrofa siguiente, con los nombres de una sola cosa —aire, aceite, agua, fuego, ungüento, espíritu y piedra— en la que el poema funda toda su sabiduría.

«And truly this is the cause principal, Why philosophers charge us to be patient, Till time the water were dried to powder all, With nourishing heat continual but not violent; For qualities be contrarious of every element, Till after black in white be made a union. And then forever congealed without division.» — estrofa siguiente, con la razón principal de la paciencia que los filósofos exigen: esperar a que el agua se seque en polvo con calor nutricio y no violento, hasta la unión del negro en blanco.

«And furthermore the preparation of this conversion, From thing to thing, from one state to another, Is done only by kindly and discreet operation, Of nature, as is of sperm-within the mother: For sperm and heat be as sister and brother, Which be converted by themselves as nature can, By action and passion, at last to perfect man.» — estrofa siguiente, con la conversión hecha solo por operación discreta de la naturaleza, como el esperma dentro de la madre, siendo esperma y calor hermano y hermana.

«In the time of this seed process natural, While that sperm conceived is growing, The substance is nourished with his own menstrual, Which water only out of the earth did bring; Whose colour is green in the first showing; And for that time the sun hideth his light, Taking his course through the North by night.» — estrofa siguiente, con el esperma nutrido de su propio menstruo, de color verde al primer mostrarse, y el sol escondiendo su luz en su paso por el norte de noche.

«The said menstrue is (I say to thee in councel), The blood of our green lion and not of vitriol; Dame venus can the truth of this thee tell, At the beginning, to councel if thou her call, This secret is hid by philosophers great and small, Which blood is drawn out of the said lion, For lack of heat had not perfect digestion.» — estrofa siguiente, que identifica el menstruo con la sangre del león verde y no con el vitriolo, y remite a Venus para la verdad del punto; el impreso escribe *councel*.

«(This last verse reveals the secret that one should never use copper or venus in alchemical work: copper gives out a green colour but spoils the work.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que lee esa estrofa al revés del poema: nunca ha de usarse cobre ni Venus, porque da color verde y echa a perder la obra. En la plana 44 el mismo libro adjudicaba a Philalethes lo contrario, y el desacuerdo queda sin armonizar.

«But this blood, our secret menstrual, Wherewith our sperm is nourished temperately, When it is turned into the faeces corporal,» — estrofa siguiente, con la sangre secreta que nutre el esperma templadamente hasta volverse heces corporales. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«And becomes perfectly white and very dry, Congealed and fixed into his own body, Then bursting blood to the sight it may well seem, Of this work named the milk white diadem.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: congelada y fijada en su propio cuerpo, parece sangre reventando a la vista, y a eso llama el poema la diadema blanca como la leche.

«Understand now that our fiery water thus actuate, Is called our menstrual water, wherein Our earth is lost and naturally calcinate, By congealation that they may never twin; Yet to congeal more water thou may not blin, [hesitate] Into three parts of the earth congealed and no more, With the fourth part of the actuate water, said before.» — estrofa siguiente, con el agua ígnea llamada agua menstrual en la que la tierra se pierde y se calcina, y la proporción de tres partes de tierra congelada por una cuarta de agua actuada; el impreso escribe *blin* y el corchete lo glosa como *hesitate*.

«Unto that substance therefore so congealate, The fourth part put of water crystalline, And make them then together to be dispensate, By congealation into a minor metalline: Which like a new slipped sword then will shine, After the blackness which first will show, The fourth part give it of water new.» — estrofa siguiente, con la cuarta parte de agua cristalina añadida hasta congelar en un metálico menor que brilla como espada recién desenvainada, tras la negrura primera.

«When thou has made seven times imbibition, Again thou must turn thy wheel, And putrefy all that matter without addition; First blackness abiding if thou wilt do well, Then into whiteness congeal it up each deal. And by redness into the south descend, Then hast thou brought thy base to an end.» — estrofa siguiente, con las siete imbibiciones y la vuelta de la rueda: putrefacción sin añadido, negrura, congelación en blanco y descenso al sur por la rojez, con lo que la base queda acabada.

«Thus is thy water then divided in parts two. With the first part the bodies to putreficate, And to thine imbibitions the second part must go, With which the matter is afterwards denigrate, And soon upon it by easy decoction albificate. Then it is named by philosophers our stary stone, Bring that to redness, then is the six gate won.» — cierre de la sexta puerta, con el agua repartida en dos: una para pudrir los cuerpos y otra para las imbibiciones, hasta la piedra que el poema llama estrellada; el impreso escribe *stary stone*.

«(It will soon be discovered that every instruction for each stage is reiterated and spread throughout the whole of the work of producing the Philosophers' Stone; each bit of information might equally well apply to the black state, the white, or the red.» — paréntesis del comentarista, que declara la clave de lectura del poema entero: cada instrucción se reitera y se esparce por toda la obra, y cada dato vale igual para el estado negro, el blanco o el rojo.

«We are warned not to move the flask or open it, yet we are to distil the contents, imbibe it with the water we extract, and so on. Read and re-read the different treatises to be found in this book, and by trial and error things will begin to finally clarify. The time required to complete the work is the great bugbear; remember it was not the adepts' intention to expose the whole secret to every dilettante, so patience and perseverence are required above all things.)» — y el mismo paréntesis consigna la contradicción sin resolverla —no mover ni abrir el vaso y a la vez destilar e imbibir— y remite al ensayo y error, a la relectura cruzada de los tratados del libro y a la paciencia frente al factor tiempo.

«Now of cibation I turn my pen to write, Since it must here the seventh place occupy. But in a few words it will be expedite, Take intent thereto, and understand me wittily, Cibation is called a feeding of our matter dry, With milk and meat, which moderately they do, Till it be brought the third order unto.» — primera estrofa de la séptima puerta, la de la cibación, definida como alimentar la materia seca con leche y carne hasta llevarla al tercer orden.

«But first give it not so much that thou it glut, Beware of the dropsy, and of Noah's flood; By little and little therefore to it put, Of meat and drink as seemeth to do it good, That watery humours not overgrow the blood: The drink therefore let it be measured so. That kindly appetite thou never quench therefro.» — segunda estrofa, con la medida de esa comida: poco a poco, cuidando la hidropesía y el diluvio de Noé, sin que los humores acuosos ahoguen la sangre ni se apague el apetito natural.

«For if it drink too much, then must it have A vomit, else will it be sick too long, From the dropsy therefore thy womb thou save, And from the flux, else will it be wrong; Which rather let it thirst for drink awhile. Than thou should give it overmuch at once, Which must in youth be dieted for the nonce.» — tercera estrofa, con el vómito que sigue al exceso de bebida y la regla de dejarlo con sed antes que darle demasiado de una vez, porque en su juventud ha de estar a dieta.

«And if thou diet it as nature doth require, Moderately until it be grown up to age, From cold it keeping and nourishing with moist fire; Then shall it grow and wax full of courage, And do thee both pleasure and advantage. For it shall make dark bodies whole and bright, Cleansing their leprosies with all his might.» — cuarta estrofa, con la crianza a dieta, guardada del frío y nutrida con fuego húmedo, hasta que crezca y limpie de sus lepras los cuerpos oscuros.

«Three times thus must thou turn about thy wheel, About keeping the rule of the said cibation; And then as soon as it the fire doth feel, Like wax it will be ready unto liquidation: This chapter needeth not longer protraction. For I have told thee the dietry most convenient. After thine elements be made equipolent.» — quinta estrofa, con las tres vueltas de rueda bajo la regla de la cibación, tras las cuales la materia fluye como cera al sentir el fuego; el impreso escribe *equipolent*.

«And also how thou to whiteness shall bring thy gold, Most like in figure to the lenies of an Hawthorn tree, Called magnesia afore as I have told.» — sexta estrofa, con el oro llevado a blancura y comparado en figura a las hojas del espino, lo que el poema llama magnesia; el impreso escribe *lenies*. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«And our white sulphur without combustability. Which from the fire away will never flee. And thus the seventh gate as thou desired. In the uprising of the sun is conquered.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: el azufre blanco sin combustibilidad que nunca huye del fuego, con lo que la séptima puerta queda ganada en la salida del sol; el impreso escribe *combustability*.

«(Presented in medieval language and poetry, it is not easy to follow the advice given, especially when it is offered in a manner designed to cast doubts on every move one makes. It will always be necessary to re-read and study the other treatises presented in this book by way of cross-reference to confirm one's conclusions in each case.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que reconoce la dificultad del poema y su modo de sembrar dudas sobre cada movimiento, y manda releer los demás tratados del libro como cotejo.

«In subliming first beware of one thing; That thou sublime not to the top of thy vessel, For without violence thou shalt it not down bring, Again, but there it will abide and dwell; So it rejoiceth with refrigeration I thee tell. Keep it therefore with temperate heat adown, Full forty days, till it wax black abowen.» — primera estrofa de la octava puerta, la de la sublimación, con el aviso de no sublimar hasta lo alto del vaso, porque de ahí no baja sin violencia, y los cuarenta días a calor templado hasta que ennegrezca por arriba; el impreso escribe *abowen* y el corchete lo glosa como *above*.

«For then the soul beginneth for to come out, From his own veins: for all that subtle is, Will with the spirits ascend withouten doubt: Bear in thy mind therefore and think on this, How here eclipsed have been thy bodies. As they do putrefy subliming more and more. Into the water till they be all bore.» — segunda estrofa, con el alma saliendo de sus propias venas y todo lo sutil ascendiendo con los espíritus mientras los cuerpos se pudren y subliman en el agua.

«And thus their venom when they have spouted out, Into the water, then black it doth appear, And become spiritual every deal without doubt, Subliming easily according to our manner, Into the water which doth him bear. For into the air our child thus be bore. [born] Of the water again as I said before.» — tercera estrofa, con el veneno escupido al agua que se vuelve negra, y el hijo del arte nacido en el aire desde el agua; el impreso escribe *bore* y el corchete lo glosa como *born*.

«(Sublimation can refer to any process in alchemy. It means the rarefying of the liquid in the glass, which must be kept closed, or in a retort receiver, from which the liquid is returned. When the water is at length withdrawn, the heat still continues to be applied, for then "The Alchemist's child is born", and a fine white vapour arises which is the alchemists' mercury, so much sought after.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que traduce la sublimación a maniobra de laboratorio: enrarecer el líquido en el vaso cerrado o en un receptor de retorta, y al retirar el agua, manteniendo el calor, sube el vapor blanco fino que es el mercurio del arte.

«But when these to sublimation continual, Be laboured so with heat both moist and temperate, That all is white and purely made spiritual, Then heaven upon earth must be reiterate, Until the soul with the body be reincorporate. That earth will become all that before was heaven, Which will be done in sublimations seven.» — cuarta estrofa, con el cielo reiterado sobre la tierra hasta que el alma se reincorpore al cuerpo y la tierra sea todo lo que antes era cielo, en siete sublimaciones.

«And sublimation we make for causes three; The first cause is to make the body spiritual, The second that the spirit may corporal be, And become fixed with it and substantial; The third cause is that from his filth original, He may be cleansed, and his fatness suphurious, Be diminished in him which is infectious.» — quinta estrofa, con las tres causas de la sublimación: espiritualizar el cuerpo, corporificar y fijar el espíritu, y limpiar la suciedad original y la grasa sulfúrea infecciosa; el impreso escribe *suphurious*.

«Then when they thus together purified be, They will sublime up whiter than snow, That sight will greatly comfort thee, For then anon perfectly thou shalt know, Thy spirits shall be adown I trow. Then this gate to thee shall be unlocked, For out of this gate many a one be shut out and mocked.» — cierre de la octava puerta, con ambos sublimando más blancos que la nieve, señal de que la puerta se abre a quien la vea, mientras muchos quedan fuera y burlados.

«That point I will disclose to thee, Look how thou didst with thy imperfect body, And do so with thy perfect body in every degree, That is to say, first thou them putrefy Her primary qualities destroying utterly: For this is wholly to our intent, That first thou alter before thou ferment.» — primera estrofa de la novena puerta, la de la fermentación: tratar el cuerpo perfecto como el imperfecto, pudriéndolo y destruyendo sus cualidades primarias, porque hay que alterar antes de fermentar.

«To thy compound make ferment the forth part, Which ferments be only of sun and moon. If thou therefore be master of this art, Thy fermentation let this be done, Fix water and earth together soon: And when the medicine as wax do flow, Then upon the amalgam look thou it throw.» — segunda estrofa, con la cuarta parte de fermento hecha solo de sol y luna, fijados agua y tierra, y la medicina echada sobre la amalgama cuando fluya como cera.

«And when all that together is mixed, Above thy glass well closed make thy fire, And so continue till all be fixed, And well fermented to thy desire, Then make projection after thy pleasure, For that is medicine then each deal perfect. Thus must you ferment both red and white.» — tercera estrofa, con el fuego sobre el vaso bien cerrado hasta que todo quede fijo y fermentado, listo para la proyección, y la advertencia de que hay que fermentar tanto el rojo como el blanco.

«For like as flour of wheat made into paste, Requireth ferment which leaven we call, Of bread that it may have the kindly taste, And become food to man and woman most cordial, Right so thy medicine ferment thou shall That it may taste with the ferment pure; And all essays evermore endure.» — cuarta estrofa, con el símil de la levadura en la masa de trigo: como el pan toma su sabor propio, la medicina ha de tomar el del fermento puro y resistir todos los ensayos.

«And understand that there be ferments three, Two be of the bodies in nature clean, Which must be altered as I have told thee, The third most secret of which I mean, Is the first earth to his own water green. And therefore when the lion doth thirst, Make him drink till his belly burst.» — quinta estrofa, con los tres fermentos: dos de cuerpos limpios por naturaleza y el tercero, el más secreto, que es la primera tierra a su propia agua verde, con el león obligado a beber hasta reventar.

«(This needs explaining. "Ferments three" are the antimony, iron and gold or silver. The liquid catalyst on antimony will make it green first of all, the iron will turn it red and black. These two metals must first be properly compounded. Therefore for these two to be properly mixed we have to give the compound enough drink "to make its atoms dissolve "; or in the words of the poet, "till his belly burst".)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que traduce los tres fermentos a antimonio, hierro y oro o plata, con el catalizador líquido volviendo verde al antimonio y rojo y negro al hierro, y la bebida hasta reventar leída como disolución de los átomos.

«But fermentation true as I thee tell, Is of the soul with the bodies incorporation. Restoring to it the kindly smell. With taste and colour by natural confection, Of things dissevered; a true reintegration. Whereby the body of the spirit taketh impression, That either of the other may have ingression.» — sexta estrofa, con la definición de la fermentación verdadera: incorporación del alma con los cuerpos que les restituye olor, sabor y color, y reintegración verdadera de lo disgregado.

«For like as the bodies in their compaction corporal May not show out their qualities effectually, Until the time they become spiritual; No more may spirits abide with the bodies steadfastly, But with them be fixed proportionably; For then the body teacheth the spirit to suffer fire, And the spirit the body to endure to thy desire.» — cierre del tramo, con la reciprocidad entre cuerpo y espíritu: aquel enseña a este a sufrir el fuego y este enseña a aquel a durar.

«Therefore thy gold with gold thou must ferment; With his own water cleansed, thine earth, I mean. Or else to say but element with element; The spirits of life only going between, For like as an adament as thou hast seen, Yearn to him draw, so doth our earth by kind, Draw down to him his soul borne up by the wind.» — estrofa de la novena puerta, con el oro fermentado con oro y el símil del imán: la tierra del arte atrae hacia sí su alma llevada por el viento; el impreso escribe *adament*.

«With wind therefore thy soul lead out and in, Mix gold with gold, that is to say, Make elements with elements together run, To time all fire they suffer may, For earth is also ferment with a nay: To water, and water the earth unto Our fermentation in this wise must we go.» — estrofa siguiente, con el alma llevada y traída por el viento y los elementos hechos correr juntos hasta que sufran todo el fuego.

«Earth is gold, and so is the soul also, Not common gold, but ours thus elementate; And yet the sun thereto must go, That by our wheel it may be alterate.» — estrofa siguiente, con la tierra y el alma por oro, no el común sino el elementado del arte, alterado por la rueda. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«For so to ferment it must be preparate That it profoundly may joined be, With other natures as I said to thee.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: así preparado para fermentar, ha de unirse profundamente con las demás naturalezas.

«And whatsoever I have here said of gold, The same of silver, I will thou understand, That thou them putrefy and alter as I have told: Ere thou thy medicine to ferment take in hand: Forsooth, I could never him find in all the land, Which on this wise to ferment could me teach, Without error, by practice or by speech.» — estrofa siguiente, que extiende a la plata lo dicho del oro y añade la queja del poeta: en toda la tierra no halló quien pudiera enseñarle a fermentar sin error, ni de obra ni de palabra.

«Thus with thy base after my doctrine preparate, Which is our calx, this must be done. For when our bodies be so calcinate, Then water to oil dissolve them soon; Make therefore oil of sun or moon. Which is a ferment most fragrant for to smell, And so the ninth gate is conquered of this well.» — cierre de la novena puerta, con los cuerpos calcinados y disueltos de agua en aceite, hasta el aceite de sol o de luna que llama fermento fragantísimo.

«(This last verse speaks regarding an oil, most redolent, which reveals and is another process and which makes the medicine that cures all the diseases of man, the elixir of life.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que lee ese aceite como otro proceso: el que hace la medicina que cura todas las enfermedades del hombre, el elixir de la vida.

«Proceed we now to the chapter of exaltation, Of which truly thou must have knowledge pure; Full little it is different from sublimation: If thou conceive it right I thee ensure. Hereto accordeth the holy scripture. Christ saying thus; if I exalted be, Then I shall draw all things to me.» — primera estrofa de la décima puerta, la de la exaltación, que el poema declara poco distinta de la sublimación y apoya en la palabra de Cristo sobre atraerlo todo hacia sí una vez exaltado.

«(The third line of this verse states that exaltation is nothing else but sublimation, so this gate is altogether superfluous.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que declara superflua la puerta entera por identificarse con la sublimación.

«If thou therefore thy bodies will exaltate, First with the spirits of life thou them augment, Till time thy earth be well subtilate, By natural rectifying of each element, Him exalting up into the firmament, Then much more precious shall they be than gold, Because they of the quintessence do hold.» — estrofa siguiente, con los cuerpos aumentados por los espíritus de vida y la tierra sutilizada por rectificación de cada elemento, hasta valer más que el oro por participar de la quintaesencia.

«For when the cold has overcome the heat, Then into water the air shall turned be, And so two contraries together shall meet, Till either with other right well agree; So into air thy water as I tell thee, When heat of cold has got dominion,» — estrofa siguiente, con los contrarios que se encuentran y concuerdan: el aire vuelto agua cuando el frío vence al calor. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«And of the fire, then air have thou shall, By loosing, putrefying, and subliming; And fire thou hast of the earth material, Thy elements by craft thus dissevering, Most specially the earth well calcining, And when they be each one made pure, Then do they hold all of the fifth nature.» — estrofa siguiente, con el aire sacado del fuego y el fuego de la tierra material, y los elementos ya puros participando todos de la quinta naturaleza.

«In this wise therefore make them to circulate, Each into other exalting by and by, And in one glass do all this surely congealate, Not with thy hands but as I teach thee naturally. Fire into water then turn first hardily, For fire is in air, which is in water existent, And this conversion accordeth to our intent.» — estrofa siguiente, con la circulación de unos en otros dentro de un solo vaso, no con las manos sino por vía natural, empezando por volver el fuego en agua.

«Then furthermore turn on thy wheel, That into earth thy air converted be, Which will be done also right well; For air is in water being in earth trust me, Then water into fire contrarious in this quality, Soon turn thou may, for water in earth is, Which is in fire conversion, true is this.» — estrofa siguiente, con la vuelta de la rueda: el aire en tierra y el agua en fuego, porque cada elemento está contenido en el siguiente.

«Thy wheel is now well nigh turned about; Into air turn earth, which is the proper nest, Of other elements there is no doubt, For earth in fire is, which in air taketh rest, This circulation thou must begin in the west. Then forth into the south until they exalted be, Proceed duly in the figure I have taught thee.» — estrofa siguiente, con la vuelta casi completa —la tierra en aire— y el recorrido cardinal de la circulación, que empieza en el occidente y sigue al sur.

«In which process thou mayest clearly see. From an extreme how to another thou may not go; But by a mean, since they in quality contrarious be; And reason will show, forsooth, that it is so. As heat into cold with other contraries more: Without their means, as moist to heat and cold. Examples sufflcient, before this have I told.» — estrofa siguiente, con la regla de los medios: de un extremo no se pasa a otro sin un medio, porque son contrarios en cualidad; el impreso escribe *sufflcient*.

«Thus have I taught thee how to make, Of all thy elements a perfect circulation. And at thy figure example for to take; How thou shalt make this aforesaid exaltation, And of thy elements a true graduation. Till it be brought to a quite right temperate, And then thou hast conquered the tenth gate.» — cierre de la décima puerta, con la circulación perfecta de los elementos y su graduación verdadera hasta un temperamento justo.

«Multiplication now to declare I proceed, Which is by philosophers in this wise defined. Augmentation it is of that elixir indeed, In goodness, in quantity, both for white and red. Multiplication is therefore as they have said, That thing that doth augment the medicine in each degree. In colour, in odour, in virtue, and also in quantity.» — primera estrofa de la undécima puerta, la de la multiplicación, definida como aumento del elixir en bondad y cantidad, en color, olor, virtud y cuantía.

«And why thou may thy medicine multiply, Infinitely, the cause forsooth is this; For it is a fire which teigned will never die; Dwelling with thee as fire doth in houses, Of which one spark may make more fires, I wis; As musk in pigments, and other spices more. In virtue multiplyeth and our medicine right so.» — segunda estrofa, con la razón de la multiplicación infinita: la medicina es un fuego teñidor que nunca muere, y de una chispa salen más fuegos, como el almizcle multiplica su virtud en los pigmentos; el impreso escribe *teigned*.

«So he is rich, the which fire hath less or more, Because he may so greatly multiply; And right so rich is he which any part hath in store, Of our elixirs which be augmentable infinitely; One way if thou dissolve our powders dry, And oft times of them make congealation, Of it in goodness thou maketh then augmentation.» — tercera estrofa, con la primera vía de la multiplicación: disolver los polvos secos y congelarlos muchas veces, con lo que aumenta la bondad.

«The second way both in goodness and in quantity, It multiplyeth by reiterate fermentation, As in that chapter I showed plainly unto thee, By divers manner of natural operation, And also in the chapter of our cibation, Where thou may know how thou shalt multiply, Thy medicine with mercury infinitely.» — cuarta estrofa, con la segunda vía: la fermentación reiterada, que aumenta bondad y cantidad, y la multiplicación con mercurio remitida a la puerta de la cibación.

«(For more details of Multiplication, see Artephius, The Secret Book, paragraphs 44, 45 and 46 onwards.)» — paréntesis del comentarista, que remite para el detalle a los apartados cuarenta y cuatro a cuarenta y seis del Secret Book de Artefio.

«But if thou wilt loose and also ferment, Both more in quantity and better will it be; And in such wise thou may that so augment, That in thy glass it will grow like a tree, The Tree of Hermes named, seemly to see, Of which one pepin a thousand will multiply, If thou can make thy projection wittily.» — estrofa siguiente, con la medicina que crece en el vaso como un árbol, el árbol de Hermes, de cuyo solo pepino salen mil.

«And like as saffron when it is pulverisate, By little and little if it in liquor be Tempered, and then with much more liquor dilate, Tingeth much of liquor in quantity, Than being whole in his own gross nature: so shalt thou» — estrofa siguiente, con el símil del azafrán pulverizado que tiñe mucho más diluido que entero. El tramo se corta aquí porque la estrofa cruza el cambio de plana.

«That our elixirs the more they be made thin, The further in tincture so softly will run.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: cuanto más delgados se hacen los elixires, más lejos corre su tintura.

«Keep in thy fire therefore both evening and morrow, From house to house, that thou need not to run, Among thy neighbours, thy fire to fetch or borrow; The more thou keepest, the more good shalt thou win, Multiplying more and more thy glass within, By feeding with mercury to thy life's end, So shalt thou have more than thou needest to spend.» — estrofa siguiente, con la orden de mantener el propio fuego mañana y tarde para no andar pidiéndolo a los vecinos, alimentando el vaso con mercurio hasta el fin de la vida.

«This matter is plain, I will say no more. Right now thereof, let reason thee guide, Be never the bolder to sin therefore, But serve thy God the better at each tide: And whilst thou shalt in this life abide. Bear this in mind, forget not I thee pray. As thou shalt appear before thy God one day.» — estrofa siguiente, con la advertencia moral que el poema intercala: no envalentonarse para pecar por lo que se ha ganado, sino servir mejor a Dios ante quien habrá de comparecerse.

«His own great gifts therefore and His treasure Dispose thou virtuously helping the poor at need, That in this world to thee thou may procure Mercy and grace with heavenly bliss to mede. And pray devoutly to God that he thee lead. In this eleventh Gate He will thee best. Soon after then thou shalt end thy quest.» — cierre de la undécima puerta, con el mandato de repartir virtuosamente los dones socorriendo al pobre, y la promesa de que la búsqueda acabará pronto; el impreso escribe *mede*.

«In projection it shall be proved if our practice be profitable, Of which it behoveth me the secrets here to move, Therefore if thy tincture be sure and not variable, By a little of this medicine thus shall thou prove, With metal or mercury as pitch it will cleve, And tinct in projection all fires to abide, And soon it will enter and spread full wide.» — primera estrofa de la duodécima puerta, la de la proyección, que el poema da por prueba de si la práctica es provechosa: la tintura segura se pega como pez al metal o al mercurio y se extiende de par en par.

«But many through ignorance doth mar what they made, When on metals uncleaned projection they make For because of corruption their tincture must fade, Which they would not away first from bodies take, Which after projection be brittle, blue and black: That thy tincture therefore may evermore last. Upon ferment thy medicine look thou first cast.» — segunda estrofa, con el error de proyectar sobre metales sucios, que quedan quebradizos, azules y negros, y la orden de echar antes la medicina sobre el fermento.

«Then brittle will thy ferment as any glass be, Upon bodies cleaned and made very pure, Cast thy brittle substance and soon thou shalt see, That they shall be curiously coloured with tincture, Which at all essays for ever shall endure.» — tercera estrofa, con el fermento quebradizo como vidrio echado sobre cuerpos limpios, que quedan curiosamente coloreados de una tintura que dura en todo ensayo.

«But at the psalmist and psalter example thou take, Profitable projection perfectly to make.» — estrofa siguiente, que remite al salterio como ejemplo de cómo hacer la proyección provechosa.

«On fundamenta cast first this psalme nunc dimittis; Upon verba mea then cast fundamenta blive, [quickly] Then verba mea upon diligram, conceive me with thy wits, And diligram on attende, if thou wish to thrive; Thus make thou projection three, four or five. Till the tincture of thy medicine begin to decrease, Then it is time for projection to cease.» — estrofa siguiente, con el enigma de los incipits de salmos —*fundamenta*, *nunc dimittis*, *verba mea*, *diligram*, *attende*— echados unos sobre otros tres, cuatro o cinco veces, hasta que la tintura empiece a mermar.

«By this misty talking I mean nothing else, But that thou must cast first the less on the more, Increasing ever the number as wise men thee tells; And keep thou this secret to thyself in store, Be covertous of cunning, it is no burden sore: For he that joineth not the elixirs with bodies made clean, He knows not surely what projection doth mean.» — estrofa siguiente, que el propio poema descifra: echar lo menos sobre lo más aumentando siempre el número, y quien no junte el elixir con cuerpos limpios no sabe qué es la proyección.

«Ten if thou multiply first into ten, One hundred that number will make assuredly; If one hundred into a hundred be multiplied then, Then thousand is the number count it wittily, Then into much more than ten thousand multiply: That is a thousand thousand, which multiplieth I wis, Into as much more as a hundred million is.» — estrofa siguiente, con la aritmética de la proyección llevada de diez a cien, a mil, a un millón y a cien millones.

«That hundred millions be multiplied likewise, Into ten thousand millions, that is to say. Maketh so great a number I wot not what it is, Thy number in projection thus multiply always; Now child of thy courtesy for me thou pray. Since that I have told thee our secrets both all and some. To which I beseech God by Grace thou may come.» — estrofa siguiente, que llega a un número que el poeta dice no saber nombrar, y pide al lector una oración por él a cambio de haberle dicho todos sus secretos.

«Now thou hast conquered the twelve Gates. And all the castle thou holdest at will, Keep thy secrets in store unto thy self, And the commandments of God look thou fulfill, In fire continue to keep thy glass still. And multiply thy medicine aye more and more, For wise men did say that store is no sore.» — última estrofa del poema, con las doce puertas ganadas y el castillo entero en poder del lector, a quien manda guardar el secreto, cumplir los mandamientos y seguir multiplicando.

«To recapitulate, the interested student should now possess the whole picture of the art of alchemy, both in theory and in practice. Indeed he should have gained enough knowledge of the subject to enable him to commence research by practical experiment.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo undécimo con el balance de lo dado: el estudiante debería tener ya el cuadro entero del arte, en teoría y en práctica, y saber bastante para empezar a experimentar.

«Few of those who studied the art from books in the past ever learned much: their reading could give them no idea even of the materials to practise upon.» — y opone a eso el resultado de quienes estudiaron el arte solo en los libros: su lectura no les daba idea siquiera de con qué materiales practicar.

«The few books published in later years by modern scientists are mainly fragmentary and a rehash from older treatises, padded with comment which, at best, is meaningless instruction, only serving to leave the reader more perplexed. Thus they have buried the whole art deeper still.» — con su objeción a la bibliografía moderna, que llama fragmentaria y refrito de tratados viejos con comentario sin sentido, y a la que carga el haber enterrado el arte más hondo todavía.

«The student is recommended to follow Pontanus's advice, remembering what he said regarding Artephius and his Secret Book, it being the only one among thousands that he found to be true, clearly written, frank, and useful. Therefore the researcher should return again and again to this Secret Book for confirmation, studying it closely and noting carefully what is laid down therein.» — y su consejo final de método, tomado de Pontanus: volver una y otra vez al Secret Book de Artefio, único entre miles que halló verdadero, claro, franco y útil.

«Shall be converted by craft of circulation.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: esa conversión se hace por arte de circulación.

«To repeat what has been already said, the main reason for failure in finding the true road to success has been ignorance of the true mercury, which is nothing else than the metallic vapour of Antimony purified by iron, with which everything is done, and without which nothing will be achieved.» — Lapidus repite la causa que asigna al fracaso general: la ignorancia del mercurio verdadero, que no es sino el vapor metálico del antimonio purificado con hierro.

«Although it is well known to the modern metallurgist that ordinary mercury or quicksilver (or argent vive, as the alchemists called it) will mix with most metals, and reduce them to a liquid condition even at room temperature, many experimenters of old failed, as they never imagined that anything else could take its place. Thus they never gave up experimenting with this metal.» — y explica por qué tantos se quedaron en el azogue: se sabe que mezcla con casi todos los metales y los licua aun a temperatura ambiente, y nadie imaginó que otra cosa pudiera ocupar su lugar.

«But mercury will separate from any metal with which it has been amalgamated if it is heated. As soon as a correct heat is applied, it separates and as the alchemist's work was to produce a fixed metal that would not do this, ordinary mercury was not the answer.» — con el argumento que a su juicio lo descarta: el mercurio se separa de la amalgama al calentarla, y el alquimista buscaba un metal fijo que no lo hiciera.

«An important treatise on Antimony entitled The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, by Basilius Valentinus, gives us this valuable hint. The treatise was written from a medicinal angle, by a monk: remember, the "Elixir of Life" is another name for the "Philosophers' Stone".» — Lapidus presenta *The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony* de Basilius Valentinus, escrito por un monje desde el ángulo medicinal, y recuerda que el elixir de la vida es otro nombre de la piedra.

«"Therefore one should not think any labour too great, which is likely to advance his knowledge of antimony . . . one should in the first place become acquainted with the manner of its solution, so as to proceed in the right way, without entering into devious paths.» — arranque del extracto de Valentinus: ningún trabajo es demasiado si adelanta el conocimiento del antimonio, y lo primero es familiarizarse con el modo de su solución.

«Secondly he should learn how to regulate the fire, so that it be neither too fierce or too feeble. Fire is the root of the whole matter. By means of the fire, the vital spirits are extracted and dissolved for the purposes of the operation. But care must be taken not to destroy the spirit by means of too much fire."» — y lo segundo, regular el fuego, raíz de todo el asunto, por el que se extraen y disuelven los espíritus vitales sin destruirlos por exceso.

«It should always be remembered that the Philosophers' Stone must be produced in a natural manner, which to the adepts meant long digestion in a heat not much more than blood heat, which they term cooking Later in a dry stage they used a greater heat, which they called roasting, never more than the heat required for the roasting of food.» — Lapidus traduce el modo natural de los adeptos a dos regímenes: digestión larga a poco más que calor de sangre, que llaman cocer, y luego un calor mayor en seco que llaman asar, nunca más que el de asar alimentos; el impreso no cierra la frase de *cooking* con punto.

«The red powder apparently could stand the greatest heat, more than the white stage, but a heat below the melting point of gold. The heat required to melt metals in a furnace would "kill" them, according to the true alchemists.» — y fija el techo térmico: el polvo rojo aguanta más que el blanco pero siempre por debajo del punto de fusión del oro, porque el calor de horno mataría los metales.

«The whole business must be brought about naturally, and that meant slowly working up to the highest temperature during which period the» — con la marcha lenta hacia la temperatura más alta que el modo natural impone. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«experimenter could watch the matter in the glass changing colour and condition. The stages followed the pattern, first black, then white, next citrine, and finally blood red, and in that order only.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: el experimentador mira cambiar el color en el vaso, y el orden es negro, blanco, cetrino y rojo de sangre, y solo ese.

«But in between these colours all the colours of the rainbow were generated. These various colours were often referred to as the "peacock's tail". If the main colours were out of order then this was a warning of error in the experiment.» — y los colores intermedios, que llama cola de pavo real, con la regla de diagnóstico: colores principales fuera de orden avisan de un error en el experimento.

«Also too much accumulated heat often burst the vessel during the drying and rarefying of the liquid in the glass. This liquid was the catalyst, the "secret fire" spoken of earlier, the mercury, which vaporised, arose from the compound, and was cooled in the neck of the flask, before condensing again into a liquid, and falling back into the bottom of the flask.» — Lapidus describe el circuito del catalizador dentro del vaso: el fuego secreto se vaporiza, sube del compuesto, se enfría en el cuello del matraz, condensa y cae al fondo.

«If when the long neck of the flask was not some degrees cooler than the compound below, the vapour would expand too rapidly and explode the vessel.» — y la condición térmica que evita la rotura: el cuello largo ha de estar algunos grados más frío que el compuesto, o el vapor se expande demasiado rápido.

«The alchemists believed that when creation started, seed was granted to everything in creation, and metals were no exception; for to the adepts, metals are also living things. We all know where the seed of animals and vegetables are to be found, but the great secret of alchemy is to know that the seed of metals is to be found in or by the aid of their vapour, and by this they are able to produce their kind ad infinitum as with all other created things.» — Lapidus resume la doctrina de la simiente de los adeptos: a todo lo creado se le dio simiente, los metales incluidos por ser cosas vivas, y la de los metales está en su vapor.

«Artephius has claimed "that the whole of this secret is antimony and a mercurial sublimate". This sublimate of antimony is a white vapour. But do not think that even Artephius has quite casually given the whole secret away to everyone who tries his hand at making gold: it must be laboured for.» — y vuelve sobre la sentencia de Artefio, con el sublimado de antimonio identificado como vapor blanco y la salvedad de que ni aun así el secreto queda regalado.

«True, the adepts have claimed that the work is "child's play and woman's work ", and so it is, but only to those who have the "knowhow", and this has eluded countless clever minds for hundreds of years. The very simplicity of the work may have been the cause, for nature is simple in all her works.» — Lapidus concede la fórmula de los adeptos y la acota: es juego de niños para quien tenga el modo, que se escapó a mentes agudísimas durante siglos, y la causa pudo ser la simplicidad misma.

«The unveiling of a secret of such a tremendous importance could be a blessing to mankind but it could also be a curse, and the masters of the art appreciated this fact in a world of selfishness, greed and brutality, and therefore they used all their ingenuity to hide the knowledge, and those who found it did likewise.» — y da su explicación moral del ocultamiento: un secreto así podría ser bendición y también maldición en un mundo de egoísmo, codicia y brutalidad, y por eso los maestros lo escondieron.

«Here follow extracts concerning sulphur, mercury and the secret fire from a comparatively modern publication entitled Bacstrom's Alchemical Anthology published by Watkins in 1960 and edited by J. W. Hamilton-Jones.» — Lapidus presenta la última fuente del capítulo, *Bacstrom's Alchemical Anthology*, que fecha en 1960 con pie de Watkins y edición de J. W. Hamilton-Jones; es la obra más reciente que el volumen cita.

«WHAT IS SULPHUR "The invisible tinging spirit is the pure fire of Gold . . . The father of the stone is Sol.» — bajo el rótulo con que el volumen abre la sección, el extracto declara que el espíritu tintóreo invisible es el fuego puro del oro y que el padre de la piedra es el sol; el corchete del volumen glosa que el oro es el azufre.

«"As gold is the most perfect of all metals, so gold contains the tincture of redness. Silver is a tincture of perfect whiteness.» — con el reparto de las dos tinturas: la rojez en el oro por ser el más perfecto de los metales y la blancura perfecta en la plata.

«"He who knows how to make a tinging venom from gold or its shadow that is Luna [i.e. common silver] obtains our stone.» — y la promesa de la piedra a quien sepa hacer un veneno tintóreo del oro o de su sombra, que el corchete del volumen identifica con la plata común.

«"He who knows not how to extract the soul from the body of gold, and return it to the body, wholly deviates from the right path.» — con el reverso: quien no sepa sacar el alma del cuerpo del oro y devolvérsela se aparta del todo del camino recto.

«Whosoever desires to enjoy the secret of the ' Golden Fleece ', let him know that our gold making powder [which we call our stone] is only gold dige sted into the highest degree of purity and subtile fixity, whereto it may be brought, by nature and a discreet artist; which gold thus essensified, is called our gold [and is no more vulgar] and is the period of the perfection of nature, and of art.» — el extracto define el polvo que hace oro como oro digerido al grado más alto de pureza y fijeza sutil, al que llama su oro, ya no vulgar, y término de la perfección de la naturaleza y del arte; el troceo parte *dige sted* en dos y el impreso escribe *essensified*.

«Let gold therefore be the one true sole principle of gold making. This doth in our work supply the place of the male, and therefore it is joined to our white and more crude gold [the regulus of antimony and mars] Sulphur doth, in this work, supply the place of the male. [Observe that Sol is here called sulphur.]» — y le adjudica el papel del macho, unido al oro blanco y más crudo que el corchete del volumen identifica con el régulo de antimonio y Marte, con la advertencia de que aquí al sol se le llama azufre.

«"Nature is to be amended by its own nature, that is gold or silver are to be exalted in our water. [Luna is antimony and Mars reduced to water, which is also known as mercury.]» — con la máxima de enmendar la naturaleza por su propia naturaleza, y el corchete del volumen traduciendo la luna a antimonio y Marte reducidos a agua.

«"Gold will yield fruit and seed, in which it multiplies itself, by the industry of the skilful artist, who knows how to exalt nature. The body which yields the seed is gold; Our silver [the regulus of antimony and mars], is that which receives the seed of the gold. This Luna is the garden in which the noble scion is planted.» — el extracto reparte los papeles de simiente y huerto: el oro da la simiente y la plata del arte, glosada en corchete como régulo de antimonio y Marte, la recibe y es el jardín donde se planta el vástago.

«"Seek not the principles of gold anywhere else; for in gold is the seed of gold: though being shut up it retires in deed and is to be sought by us with tedious labour.» — con la prohibición de buscar fuera del oro los principios del oro, cuya simiente está encerrada y se busca con trabajo tedioso.

«"Two metals are more pure than the rest, namely gold and silver without which the work cannot be begun or finished; because in them is the purest substance of sulphur, perfectly purified by the ingenuity of nature.» — y la razón por la que oro y plata son imprescindibles: en ellos está la sustancia más pura del azufre, purificada por la propia naturaleza.

«"Sol, which is our sulphur, is reduced into mercury by mercury. [Mercury is the regulus of antimony and iron.]» — con la fórmula que el volumen ya había citado en el capítulo séptimo, aquí con el corchete que identifica el mercurio con el régulo de antimonio y hierro.

«"Therefore, my son observe that the red philosophical sulphur is in the gold . . . all philosophers do witness that the red sulphur is gold.» — el extracto declara que el azufre filosófico rojo está en el oro y que todos los filósofos atestiguan que el azufre rojo es el oro.

«"If you wish to obtain the greatest secret you must endeavour not only to purify the vulgar gold, but also to tinge it so that it may become seven times more red. To make Sol more perfect than it is naturally, is not in the power of nature, but this may and must be accomplished by an intelligent artist if he wishes to obtain the jewel of knowledge.» — y el trabajo que exige: no solo purificar el oro vulgar sino teñirlo hasta siete veces más rojo, cosa que la naturaleza no puede y ha de hacer el artista inteligente.

«WHAT IS "OUR MERCURY" "A crude immature and coagulated mercury vive, not yet fixed, is the destroyer of the perfect bodies [i.e. gold and silver], for truly it destroys them, incrudates and softens them, and renders them fit for our work. It is the only and greatest secret in the whole art.» — bajo el segundo rótulo de la sección, el extracto repite casi con las mismas palabras el pasaje del *Vade Mecum* citado en la plana 45: el mercurio vivo crudo destruye los cuerpos perfectos y al ablandarlos los vuelve aptos para la obra.

«The sign of its right preparation is a beautiful whiteness, like the purest silver, a heavenly brightness, and a wonderful glittering on the face of its fractures when broken, like the polish of a bright sword . . . [this is a description of the raw metal].» — y el signo de la buena preparación, con el corchete del volumen aclarando que se describe el metal en crudo.

«The mercury of the philosophers [regulus of antimony and mars], is not found in the earth, but must be prepared by art, by joining the sulphur [of mars] to the mercury [of antimony]. He never shows himself openly in his naked form.» — con la definición operativa del mercurio de los filósofos: no se halla en la tierra, se prepara por arte juntando el azufre de Marte al mercurio del antimonio, y nunca se muestra desnudo.

«He is put under a disguise by nature [it is found in the form of a sulphuret]. We say sulphur and mercury are the minera of our Venus in a crude state [i.e. common sulphur and» — y el disfraz que la naturaleza le pone, glosado en corchete como la forma de sulfuro. El tramo se corta aquí porque el corchete cruza el cambio de plana.

«antimony]; and this mercury has the power to unlock, kill and revive the metals, which power it has received from the acid sulphur of its own Nature. [Venus is here added to cause a problem. Some have called it useless and others say a little is necessary.]» — continuación en la plana siguiente: ese mercurio abre, mata y revive los metales por el azufre ácido de su naturaleza, y el corchete del volumen consigna el desacuerdo sobre Venus sin resolverlo, unos llamándola inútil y otros necesaria en poca cantidad.

«"Antimony is a mineral participating of saturnine parts and has in all respects the nature thereof. This saturnine antimony agrees with gold and contains in itself argentum vivum, in which no metal is swallowed up except gold; and gold is truly swallowed up by this antimonial argent vive . . . for this water is friendly and agrees with the metals, whitening gold, because it contains in itself white or pure argent vive.» — el extracto reimprime el primer apartado del Secret Book de Artefio con variantes menores —aquí *gold* donde la plana 22 decía *sol*—, y el locator es el de esta segunda aparición.

«"Let the two heroes saturn [antimony] and mars [iron] fight together. Though the former is peaceably inclined, let them have three or four violent assaults [viz. by the addition of nitre in the glass when making the regulus]. After this they will be reconciled and as a token thereof they will erect a glorious banner resembling a star.» — con el emblema del combate de los dos héroes, glosados en corchete como antimonio y hierro, y la estrella que levantan al reconciliarse; el corchete del volumen atribuye los asaltos violentos a la adición de nitro al hacer el régulo.

«"All the metals have their rise from water, the root of all metals. Therefore they are reduced into water, as ice by heat is reduced into water-because it hath been water before....» — el extracto funda en el agua la raíz de todos los metales, que a ella se reducen como el hielo por el calor, por haber sido agua antes.

«It [our water] disposeth the bodies [of gold and silver] readily. It is father and mother; it openeth and shutteth, and reduceth metals into what they were in the beginning. It disposeth the bodies and coagulates itself along with them.» — y los oficios que atribuye a esa agua: padre y madre, que abre y cierra, devuelve los metales a lo que eran al principio y se coagula con ellos.

«The spirit [our secret fire] is carried upon the water [i.e. is added to it]; that is, the power of the spirit is seen to operate there, which is done when [or after] the body is put into the water [i.e. The secret fire must not be added till after you have made Rebis] . . . one of the greatest secrets is to free this stone or mercury vive from its natural bonds . . . that is to reduce and dissolve it into its primordial water [the natural crude sulphur must be separated from it, and the sulphur of mars substituted] for unless this is done, all will prove lost labour....» — con el orden de las adiciones que el corchete del volumen impone contra la letra del extracto —el fuego secreto no entra hasta hecho el Rebis— y el secreto de librar la piedra de sus ataduras naturales sustituyendo el azufre crudo por el de Marte.

«"Let him who by divine assistance obtaineth this blessed water render thanks to God, for he hath the key in his hands wherewith he may open the fast locks of all metallic chests.» — cierre de la sección, con la acción de gracias por el agua bendita y la llave que abre las cerraduras de todos los cofres metálicos.

«WHAT IS "OUR SECRET FIRE" "Our philosophical mercurial water [secret fire] is the key whereby all coagulated, fixed and unfixed metallic and mineral bodies are radically and physically dissolved and reduced into their first principles. This mercurial water has been kept very secret by all the philosophers, as the secret of the whole art.» — bajo el tercer rótulo de la sección, el extracto define el agua mercurial filosófica como la llave que disuelve radicalmente todo cuerpo metálico y mineral hasta sus primeros principios, guardada en secreto por todos los filósofos.

«"When this spirit [mercury] has been sublimed [converted into sublimate] it is called, the water which washes and cleanses itself because [in the work] it ascends with its most subtile essence and leaves its corrupting particles behind.» — el extracto de Bacstrom explica el nombre del agua que se lava a sí misma: al sublimar sube con su esencia más sutil y deja atrás las partículas que corrompen.

«"Our whole secret and work is made with our water, and from it and by it we obtain all that we require. It dissolves the body, not by a common solution as the ignorant think, who [the word 'who' is a stumbling block, leave it out] look for a clear water like that of rain, but by a true philosophical solution, so that the body is converted into an unctuous and viscous water [Azoth], out of which the metals were originally formed.» — con la solución filosófica opuesta a la común: no un agua clara como la de lluvia sino la conversión del cuerpo en agua untuosa y viscosa, que el corchete del volumen nombra Azoth. Otro corchete manda al lector saltarse una palabra del impreso por tenerla por escollo.

«"Our moist fire, by dissolving and subliming that which is pure and white, casts forth or rejects its faeces or filth, like a voluntary vomit . . . the pure and white substance ascends» — y el fuego húmedo que arroja las heces como vómito voluntario, en un pasaje que reimprime el apartado diecinueve de Artefio. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«upwards, and the impure and earthy remains fixed in the bottom . . . this must be taken away and removed because it is of no value, taking only the middle white substance rejecting the foeculeus earth which remains below [also any light flowers which rise into the neck of the subliming vessel].» — continuación en la plana siguiente, con el corchete del volumen añadiendo a lo que se descarta las flores ligeras que suben al cuello del vaso; el impreso escribe *foeculeus*.

«"The clear, white, pure and clean matter [in place of the word 'matter' read 'water'] is wholly and only to be taken and made use of. This sublimation is without doubt, the key of the whole work» — con otro corchete que manda leer otra palabra en lugar de la impresa, y la sublimación declarada llave de toda la obra.

«in this whiteness [sublimation] the antimonial and mercurial soul is by natural compact infused into and joined with the spirits of Sol or Luna . . . in this whiteness is the soul infused into the body. [This is the priest that joins the male and female into an indissoluble union.]» — y el alma antimonial y mercurial infundida en los espíritus de sol o luna, con el corchete del volumen llamando sacerdote a lo que une macho y hembra en unión indisoluble.

«"I will tell thee, and that faithfully, what kind of water this is, it is the water of Salt Peter which is known as mercury. [It is like Salt Peter, a white salt known to be mercurial.] Whosoever has once made our water, nothing remains to be done but to cast in a clean body in a just quantity, shut the vessel and so let it stand till the compliment of the work.» — el extracto nombra el agua como agua de salitre, conocida por mercurio, y reduce el resto de la obra a echar un cuerpo limpio en cantidad justa, cerrar el vaso y dejarlo estar.

«"Our sulphur [Sol] when it is joined with its water [our luna] or mercury doth little by little consume and drink up the same by the help of the fire.» — con el azufre que poco a poco consume y bebe su propia agua por auxilio del fuego, glosados en corchete como el sol y la luna del arte.

«And since, as I have told, the element of fire does not predominate in mercury, in its crude state which is the very thing which digests the matter, it is necessary to know how much more subtle the element of fire is than the other elements [viz. of our compound] and what proportion of it [by weight] is necessaryto conquer them."» — con la razón de ese cuidado: el fuego no predomina en el mercurio crudo y hay que saber cuánto más sutil es que los demás elementos y qué proporción hace falta para vencerlos; el troceo imprime *necessaryto* pegado.

«(Distilled vinegar, often mentioned in alchemical literature, is not the vinegar of the philosophers. Their most sharp vinegar is the secret fire, which extracts the essence from the regulus of antimony and mars and forms azoth, which is again "our mercury".)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen, que deslinda el vinagre destilado del vinagre de los filósofos: este es el fuego secreto, que saca la esencia del régulo de antimonio y Marte y forma el azoth.

«WHAT IS "REBIS" (Two things) "The error in this work is chiefly attributed to the ignorance of the true fire, which is one of the moving principles that transmutes the whole matter into the true philosophers' stone.... In a short time, that fire without any laying on of hands will complete the whole work.... And by means of this our fire the medicine will be multiplied-if joined with the crude matter-not only in quantity, but also in quality or virtue. Therefore seek out this fire with all thy industry for having once found it thou shalt accomplish thy desire, because it performs the whole work, and is the true key of all the philosophers, which they have never yet revealed.» — bajo el rótulo del Rebis, el extracto reimprime el pasaje de Pontanus de la plana 18 con variantes menores: el error viene de ignorar el fuego verdadero, que sin imposición de manos hace la obra entera y es la llave de todos los filósofos.

«"The whole art is comprehended in . . . Sol or Luna [gold or silver] and mercury.... In two of these is found the sulphur white and red. [The Philosophers' Stone is a white or red powder.] . . . The tinging rays . . . but the stone of mercury unites and binds them both. [The stone of mercury is the secret fire.]» — con la reducción del arte entero a sol o luna y mercurio, y los corchetes del volumen identificando la piedra con un polvo blanco o rojo y la piedra de mercurio con el fuego secreto.

«We have three conjunctions, all of which must be known by him who intends to complete the mastery. The first is gross; it is the amalgamation by fusion of the regulus of antimony and mars, which compound is called "Rebis", that is two things. Res Rebis est una confecta. In this mixture there aro two natures, the one more active, and the other more passive.» — y la primera de las tres conjunciones que el extracto exige conocer: la gruesa, amalgama por fusión del régulo de antimonio y Marte, llamada Rebis, dos cosas, con su sentencia latina; el impreso escribe *aro* por *are*.

«"The beginning of this art is only one thing [Rebis] composed of two substances.... The one is the red fixed servant and the other is the wife. [Later] One is Sol, which is the seed, and the other is the mother. One is Sulphur, and the other is mercury [antimony and mars].» — el extracto reparte los papeles de esas dos sustancias: el siervo rojo fijo y la esposa, el sol que es la simiente y la madre, el azufre y el mercurio.

«"As gold is the most perfect of all the metals, so gold contains the tincture of redness-silver a white tincture, tinging with perfect whiteness. With these bodies the mercury is mixed [with either of them], and is fixed [by its digestion afterwards with the secret fire]» — con la repetición del reparto de tinturas y el orden de las operaciones que el corchete del volumen impone: el mercurio se mezcla con uno de los dos y se fija después por digestión con el fuego secreto.

«"The invisible tinging spirit is the pure fire of Gold. This is concealed and caught in the centre of the coagulated salt [our mercury]. The universal medicine which cures all human and metallic diseases is concealed in gold and its magnet [the regulus of antimony and mars], the Chalibs of Sendivogius.» — y la medicina universal que cura las enfermedades humanas y metálicas, escondida en el oro y en su imán, que el corchete identifica con el régulo de antimonio y Marte y el extracto llama el *Chalibs* de Sendivogio.

«"The true matter has been named by various appellations, so in truth it is one thing, Rebis, the philosophers mercury. [It is called Hermaphrodite when the regulus of antimony and mars is animated with Sol.]» — con la unidad de la materia bajo muchos nombres y el corchete que reserva el de hermafrodita para cuando el régulo queda animado con el sol.

«"First take thy body which is gold and thy water [the regulus of antimony and mars] which is mercury-the one [gold] ready made by nature to hand, and the other thou must prepare.... Mix these together in due proportion.» — y el reparto de trabajo entre naturaleza y arte: el oro viene hecho de la naturaleza y el agua hay que prepararla, y luego se mezclan en debida proporción.

«"A single small furnace wherein the degrees of heat can be maintained, is sufficient; let it be safely placed where no accident can happen from fire. Put your small glass phial therein, and do not take it out until you see the whole mass converted into a beautiful bloodred colour, the sign of ultimate perfection.» — bajo el rótulo de temperatura, horno y vidrio, el extracto reduce el equipo a un solo hornillo capaz de sostener los grados de calor, con la ampolla dentro hasta el rojo de sangre que señala la perfección última; el impreso escribe *bloodred*.

«"During the solution, the fire must be gentle, but in the sublimation it must be a little increased, and towards redness, it must be strong.» — con la primera escala de fuegos: suave en la solución, algo mayor en la sublimación y fuerte hacia la rojez.

«"During the solution the fire must be soft, in sublimation middling, in the coagulation temperate, in the white-making steady, in the rubyfying strong. If you are ignorant of the heat, you will fail.» — y la segunda escala, más detallada: blando en la solución, mediano en la sublimación, templado en la coagulación, firme en el blanqueo y fuerte en la rubificación, con el aviso de que quien ignore el calor fracasará; el impreso escribe *rubyfying*.

«"The heat must be linear to the end of the work. When the fire is equally kept, the subject by theaction of heat, is better altered from one nature to another, and that which was humid first will become dry, the black will become white, and the white citrine and red.» — con el calor lineal hasta el fin y la alteración que produce: lo húmedo se hace seco, lo negro blanco y lo blanco cetrino y rojo; el troceo imprime *theaction* pegado.

«"When thou seest that the fixt water [secret fire] without any ascending thereof, fret not about the fire; only have patience until the spirit and the body have become one.» — y la orden de no inquietarse por el fuego mientras el agua fija no ascienda, sino esperar a que espíritu y cuerpo se hagan uno; el impreso escribe *fixt*.

«"Put it on the fire with such a proportion of heat as shall only excite or stir up the matter, and in a short time that fire [the secret sophic fire] will complete the whole work.» — con el calor que apenas excita la materia, tras el cual el fuego sófico secreto acaba la obra entera.

«"I swear unto thee, upon the faith of an honest man that if thou urge thy fire so as to make ought sublime in the first regimen, thou wilt destroy the work irrecoverably; be content then to wait forty days and nights [at least], and suffer the tender nature to remain below in the bottom. [Avoiding any kind of sublimation.]» — y el juramento del extracto sobre el primer régimen: forzar el fuego hasta sublimar algo destruye la obra sin remedio, y hay que esperar cuarenta días y noches dejando la naturaleza tierna en el fondo.

«"The heat of the first regimen must be like that of a hen sitting on her eggs, to hatch chickens.... This heat continues until blackness, and it may even be continued till the matter is changed into whiteness;» — con la medida del primer régimen, la gallina que empolla, sostenida hasta la negrura y aun hasta la blancura.

«but if this heat be transgressed and the matter be kept too hot, you will never obtain the wished for "Raven's Head" [blackness]: but either a sudden transient redness, or a red oily matter may begin to sublime, or swimming upon the superficies.» — y lo que pasa si se transgrede: no se obtiene la cabeza de cuervo sino una rojez súbita y pasajera o una materia aceitosa roja que sublima o flota.

«In that case the composition may be taken out of the glass and imbibed anew with our virgin's milk [secret fire] and then you may recommence the concoction with more prudence, endeavouring to avoid similar errors in the future.» — con el remedio que da para ese error: sacar la composición del vaso, imbibirla de nuevo con la leche virginal, glosada en corchete como el fuego secreto, y recomenzar la cocción con más prudencia.

«When the white appears, you may increase your heat a little to the second degree, until the matter be perfectly dried up. [The degree of heat now spoken of is merely comparative. If his winter heat is equal to a hen on her eggs when hatching them, his spring heat must have a proportional increase of temperature. This remark applies equally to what follows.] When the stone is perfectly dry the fire must be increased again.» — y la subida al segundo grado tras el blanco, con el corchete del volumen advirtiendo que los grados son comparativos: si el calor de invierno equivale a la gallina empollando, el de primavera ha de subir en proporción.

«"Take heed to defend your glass from a violent heat and a sudden cold; make use of a moderate fire and beware of vitrification."» — cierre de la sección, con la defensa del vaso contra el calor violento y el frío súbito y el aviso de la vitrificación.

«Further warnings about the heat and the glass are included in: The Marrow of Alchemy by Eirenaeus Philalethes» — Lapidus enlaza con el poema siguiente, que vuelve a adjudicar a Philalethes, para más avisos sobre el calor y el vidrio.

«beware impatience do not cause thee Through an itch of mind for to be bold, In this thy work to transgress Nature's laws For no man errs sooner through heat or cold Than he who through impatience of mind Cannot expect its time which he would find» — primera estrofa del poema: la impaciencia hace transgredir las leyes de la naturaleza, y nadie yerra antes por calor o por frío que quien no sabe esperar el tiempo de la obra.

«Move not thy glass, nor open, else thou wilt Endamage, may destroy thy work; beside Increase not fire rashly, lest that spilt Thy work thou see. There's nothing all the tide That this thy work doth stand so much in fear As too much fire: one hour will cost thee dear» — segunda estrofa, con la prohibición de mover o abrir el vaso y de subir el fuego con prisa, porque nada amenaza tanto la obra como el exceso de fuego y una hora sale cara.

«Beware thy spirits find not where to exhale, For that thy work would spill, and also cause Much hurt to the workman. If you fail Therein, you break one of the strictest laws Of all this work: nor cause them so to rise As for to break the glass, which brittle is.» — tercera estrofa, con la fuga de los espíritus como una de las leyes más estrictas de la obra, por el daño que hace al operador y por el riesgo de romper el vidrio.

«Therefore as strong thy glass be sure thou get As may be, without either knots or flaws, Equally blown for strength, which thou shall set Within a ring of brass, where thou shalt cause It to be fixt....» — cuarta estrofa, con el vidrio fuerte, sin nudos ni fallas, soplado parejo y fijado dentro de un anillo de latón.

«With gentle fire thy work assay, .... For that is certain. Be not moved with haste Thy work to anticipate; no, not a day: But bide with patience till the black be past, Then May'st augment thy fire, but not too much, Rather too little than too great, for such The Counsel of all the sages old.» — última estrofa, con el fuego suave y la prohibición de anticipar la obra ni un día hasta pasado el negro, prefiriendo siempre el fuego escaso al excesivo, que dice ser consejo de todos los sabios antiguos.

«But to continue with Bacstrom: "You need only to prepare the matter. Nature herself alone will perfect it: and if she be not hindered by some contrary thing, she will not overstep her own proper motion, neither in conceiving, nor in generating, nor in bringing forth.» — Lapidus vuelve al extracto de Bacstrom, que reimprime el apartado cuarenta y uno de Artefio: basta preparar la materia y la naturaleza la perfecciona sin salirse de su movimiento propio.

«Therefore after the preparation of the matter, beware only, lest by too much heat, you make it too hot. Secondly, take heed, lest the spirit should exhale, lest it hurt the operater, also lest it destroy the work, . . . Decoct the composition till it be invested with a most perfect red colour.» — con las dos precauciones del mismo apartado —no calentar de más y no dejar exhalar el espíritu— y la decocción hasta el rojo perfectísimo; el impreso escribe *operater*.

«"Having prepared your principles, put them, most intimately mixed into a proper glass, so that only one third part of the glass, may be filled. Shut the glass closely that nothing may evaporate.» — y la disposición del vaso: los principios bien mezclados llenando solo un tercio y el cierre bien hecho para que nada se evapore.

«Place it on the fire, and administer the first degree of heat; such a heat that without burning yourh and, you may be able to suffer it to rest on the upper part of the neck of the glass.» — con la medida del primer grado dada otra vez por el tacto: el calor que la mano aguante en la parte alta del cuello del vaso; el troceo parte *yourh and* mal.

«Keep it in this heat without moving or disturbing it until blackness and the various colours appear, and whiteness follows; and until the matter has become snow or silver white and fixed, and the queen is born. After blackness the matter will become dry."» — y el término del primer régimen: mantener ese calor sin mover nada hasta la negrura, los colores varios y la blancura de nieve o plata, cuando nace la reina y la materia se seca.

«This ascention has been called distillation, washing, and sublimation.» — y los tres nombres que se han dado a ese mismo ascenso: destilación, lavado y sublimación; el impreso escribe *ascention*.

«"In our work, we must attend to the weight of the sulphur in the mercury.» — y la atención al peso del azufre dentro del mercurio que el extracto declara necesaria.

«"Make the marriage between the red man and his white wife and thou shalt have the master.» — cierre de la sección, con la fórmula del matrimonio del hombre rojo y su mujer blanca que da título al capítulo séptimo del volumen.

«In the first degree, the stone is called Adrop, philosophical lead, which is not lead, but a supposed derivative of lead, antimony. In the second degree, when the sulphur of Mars has been joined to it, it is called the philosophers' water, and is now their mercury.» — Lapidus abre el capítulo duodécimo con los dos primeros grados de la piedra: Adrop o plomo filosófico, que no es plomo sino el antimonio, y luego, unido el azufre de Marte, el agua de los filósofos que es su mercurio.

«Distilled vinegar is not the vinegar of the philosophers. Their most sharp vinegar is another name for the " Secret Fire ".» — y repite el deslinde del vinagre: el destilado no es el de los filósofos, cuyo vinagre agudísimo es otro nombre del fuego secreto.

«The beginning of this art is only one thing; composed of two substances, a fixed Sol and an unfixed mercury. The fixed sol is the seed, and the other remains the Mother, as is called by the adepts. The one is the red fixed servant, and the other is the white wife.» — con la cosa única compuesta de dos sustancias, sol fijo y mercurio no fijo, repartidas en simiente y madre, siervo rojo fijo y mujer blanca.

«"If you wish to see the sign of putrefaction, it is necessary that you procure an external moving heat, for as nature in the mine boileth by means of a gentle heat, in a like manner, our philosophical matter receives power to alter itself, from such a degree of artificial heat and may be able to stir up its inward power.» — extracto sobre el signo de la putrefacción: hace falta un calor motor externo, porque así como la naturaleza cuece en la mina con calor suave, la materia recibe de ese calor artificial el poder de alterarse.

«This artificial heat must not be violent, but soft and gentle, only able to act on the most subtil particles, to raise and mix them, until the whole composition be broken, divided without any manual separation, and converted into perfect blackness."» — y la medida de ese calor artificial: blando y suave, capaz solo de obrar sobre las partículas más sutiles hasta romper la composición sin separación manual y volverla negrura perfecta.

«When commencing experimental work, it is well to be resigned to the fact that nothing will be achieved before twelve months at least, so a settled patience of mind is very necessary. It was however the proud boast of the successful Philalethes that he managed to uncover the whole secret in two and one half years.» — Lapidus fija el plazo mínimo del trabajo experimental en doce meses y contrapone el alarde de Philalethes, que dice haber descubierto el secreto entero en dos años y medio.

«The temperatures to be used must be regulated from 150°F. at the commencement to about 250°F. Later the temperature may be higher, but it must be remembered that the compound will itself generate heat as time goes on.» — y da su rango de trabajo, de ciento cincuenta a unos doscientos cincuenta grados Fahrenheit, con la advertencia de que el compuesto genera calor propio con el tiempo.

«The necessary liquid in the flask, with the correct heat will moisten the contents. Inadequate heat will not initiate this reaction, and too much heat will drive the vapour upwards, leaving the contents dry and hard, which will coalesce into a solid lump, spoiling the experiment. Thus the temperature is most important.» — con los dos errores simétricos del calor: por defecto no arranca la reacción y por exceso sube el vapor y deja el contenido seco y duro, coalescido en un terrón que echa a perder el experimento.

«The very first secret uncovered was the nature of the "Secret Fire" which is the mercury of the philosophers, where it is to be found, and how it is to be made, so that it will dissolve the compound of metals into a liquid, exactly as sugar or salt might dissolve in water.» — Lapidus declara cuál fue el primer secreto descubierto: la naturaleza del fuego secreto, dónde se halla y cómo se hace, para que disuelva el compuesto de metales como el azúcar o la sal en agua.

«Remember that the alchemist's mercury is not quicksilver or common mercury, for such has no place whatsoever in the art of alchemy.» — y repite el deslinde que gobierna el libro entero: el mercurio del alquimista no es el azogue ni el mercurio común, que no tienen lugar alguno en el arte.

«"Mercury" appears everywhere in all the treatises, and is the greatest stumbling block of all, for common mercury will mix with most metals, but will not remain amalgamated with them, as is desired.» — con la razón por la que ese nombre es el mayor escollo de los tratados: el mercurio común mezcla con casi todos los metales pero no permanece amalgamado con ellos.

«Common lead is another metal which the alchemist should never use, but there are derivatives of lead which one can use. Lead contains a great deal of dross, which in alchemy is not acceptable.» — y el segundo metal que Lapidus proscribe, el plomo común, admitiendo sin embargo derivados suyos; la razón que da es la mucha escoria que contiene.

«(1) By repeated solution and coagulation. This coagulation increases the Stone in virtue; (2) By fermentation, which added, then increases the Stone in quantity. The multiplication by fermentation however is soonest accomplished.» — y las nombra: solución y coagulación repetidas, que aumentan la virtud, y fermentación, que aumenta la cantidad y es la más rápida.

«What has been resolved operates much quicker when fixed by its own ferment, that is gold, or silver (according to which the alchemist desires to produce). The action is similar to leaven: a small quantity leavens the whole lump, and the Stone when projected on imperfect metals transmutes a large quantity into perfect gold.» — con el símil de la levadura para el fermento —oro o plata según lo que se quiera producir— y la piedra proyectada que transmuta gran cantidad de metal imperfecto.

«There are three colours which must of necessity appear in the work, Black, White, and Red. The first two must be produced by a very slow heat, which must be increased very gently.» — y los tres colores que declara necesarios, con la nota de régimen: los dos primeros piden calor lentísimo, aumentado con mucha suavidad.

«"Decoct the male and female vapour together with the Secret Fire, until such time as they shall become one dry body, for except they be dry, the divers and various colours will not appear. For it will ever be black, while the moisture has the dominion. But if it be once wasted, then it will emit diverse colours, after many and several days.» — el extracto reimprime con variantes el pasaje ya dado en la plana 50: cocer macho y hembra hasta un solo cuerpo seco, porque mientras la humedad domine todo seguirá negro.

«"And many times it will be changed from colour to colour, till such times as it comes to the fixed whiteness. All the colours of the world will appear in it when the black humidity is dried up. But value none of these colours, for they be not true tincture: yet many times it becomes citrine and reddish, and many times it is dried, and must become liquid again before the whiteness will appear.» — y sigue la reimpresión, con los colores del mundo apareciendo una vez seca la humedad negra y la advertencia de no dar valor a ninguno de ellos.

«[Author's note: All this must have its proper time; one simply cannot hurry it, for, as warned, it is nature's work. Yet the expert might learn in course of experiments how to force things, in the same way as fruit and vegetables are produced before their natural time.» — nota que el volumen marca por primera vez como del autor y no solo entre corchetes: todo tiene su tiempo y no se puede apurar, aunque el experto podría aprender a forzarlo como se fuerzan frutas y verduras antes de su sazón.

«Skill must be used, which can only be learnt by experience, with regard to not interfering with the work, and when to interfere, for with so many instructions, one must know when to leave wetness in the flask, and when to dry the matter. Open and shut, dissolve and coagulate, is one of the axioms of the adepts in alchemy, and how can one do this without moving the metals? Working in the dark, that is without knowing whether the work will be spoiled or progressed by manual movement, is a constant problem at first trials.]» — y la misma nota consigna el problema que el libro no resuelve: el axioma de abrir y cerrar, disolver y coagular exige mover los metales, contra la prohibición repetida de poner manos, y en las primeras pruebas se trabaja a ciegas.

«"Now while all this is going on the spirit is not joined with the body, nor will it be joined or fixed but in the white colour. Astanus hath said, between the red and the white, all colours will appear, even to the utmost imagination.» — vuelve el extracto, que adjudica a Astanus la sentencia de que entre el rojo y el blanco aparecen todos los colores imaginables; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana.

«The cause of these colours is from the extension of the blackness. Therefore as often as any degree or portion of the blackness descends, so often various colours arise until it comes to whiteness. Then it will go on in the same manner to redness.» — y la causa que asigna a esos colores: la extensión de la negrura, de modo que a cada porción de negro que desciende suben colores hasta la blancura, y luego igual hasta la rojez.

«"Repeat this rubifying three or four times [for however, there must be an addition of new matter-the infant must be fed with his mother's milk or secret fire] and you will have the most perfect red stone, like blood in colour, with which you may tinge mercury and all the imperfect metals into perfect gold."» — cierre del extracto, con la rubificación repetida tres o cuatro veces y el corchete del volumen exigiendo materia nueva —el infante alimentado con la leche de su madre o fuego secreto— hasta la piedra roja como sangre.

«It is necessary that you take of the above red tincture or sulphur three parts, add thereto one part of pure gold, reduced into a subtil calx, and two parts of its water [secret fire]. Rub these three together in a clean glass mortar, put it into a strong glass, and in a graduated strong heat, melt it together into a red stone. [The author points at fermentation, but which other artists recommend to be done without adding any secret fire.]» — receta de la fermentación: tres partes de tintura roja, una de oro reducido a cal sutil y dos de su agua, molidas en mortero de vidrio y fundidas a calor graduado en piedra roja, con el corchete del volumen consignando que otros artistas lo hacen sin añadir fuego secreto.

«"The 'Fountain' [regulus of antimony and mars] is as it were a mother of the King [gold]. She draws him to her, and killeth him, but the king arises again from death, through her, and unites so firmly with her, that he becomes invulnerable.» — con el emblema de la fuente, glosada en corchete como el régulo de antimonio y Marte, madre del rey que lo atrae, lo mata y por la cual resucita hasta hacerse invulnerable.

«"The body of gold must be dissolved, destroyed, putrefied and deprived of all its powers [or natural properties] and this the beginning of the work, assumes first a dark, and later a perfectly black colour called the Raven's Head. This takes place in about forty days.» — y el comienzo de la obra: el cuerpo del oro disuelto, destruido y putrefacto toma color oscuro y luego negro perfecto, la cabeza de cuervo, en unos cuarenta días.

«During this blackness the anima of gold is extracted and separated, and is carried aloft and totally separated from the body, the body remaining for some time without life, and like ashes at the bottom of the vessel."» — con lo que ocurre durante esa negrura: el ánima del oro se extrae, se separa y se lleva a lo alto, y el cuerpo queda un tiempo sin vida y como ceniza en el fondo.

«To save much time in research and experiments, and to shorten the time gap before results, it is wise to try more than one experiment at the same time using the same hot-plate, for much depends on the quantity, quality and purity of the metals used.» — Lapidus repite su consejo de llevar más de un experimento a la vez sobre la misma placa, porque mucho depende de la cantidad, calidad y pureza de los metales.

«Use a hot-plate that would be safe to leave working for weeks on end and which has an effi cient thermostat, for to stay watching beside the experiment (especially when there is doubt as to the correct procedure) is a heart-breaking business.» — y el requisito de la placa: segura para dejarla semanas enteras y con termostato eficiente, porque velar junto al experimento es un trabajo desmoralizador; el troceo parte *effi cient* en dos.

«A housewife preparing food at least knows exactly what to expect and how long the work must take; and the farmer knows the time he must expect to wait before his crops ripen.» — con los dos símiles domésticos que Lapidus opone al alquimista: el ama de casa y el labrador saben qué esperar y cuánto ha de tardar.

«To make and prepare the regulus of antimony and iron (which has been called by alchemists silver or Luna or mercury) take four parts antimony, two parts iron, and mix well in powdered form. Then saturate with "Secret Fire", and heat, but only at such a low heat, just to stir up the matter and make it sweat. Wait forty-two to fifty days, by which time the compound should be black.» — receta propia de Lapidus para el régulo: cuatro partes de antimonio y dos de hierro en polvo, saturadas de fuego secreto y calentadas apenas para que la materia se mueva y sude, con espera de cuarenta y dos a cincuenta días hasta la negrura.

«You might try adding one part venus (or copper) to the mixture at the start, but this venus has traditionally been looked down upon with contempt as useless, although one master in alchemy has told us in his treatises that venus must be added. This adept was Eireneaus Philalethes, who wrote many books and claimed he had done the work many times. However the addition of copper is probably a blind.» — y Lapidus vuelve al desacuerdo sobre el cobre sin cerrarlo del todo: la tradición lo desprecia, Eireneaus Philalethes manda añadirlo, y él sospecha que el añadido es un engaño; el nombre va tal cual lo imprime la plana.

«When the regulus is black, dry off the water and crush it into a fine powder. Of this take three parts and mix in one part Sol in powder. Saturate with Secret Fire, and place into the heat again.» — con el paso siguiente de su receta: secada el agua y molido el régulo negro, tres partes de él por una de sol en polvo, saturadas de fuego secreto y devueltas al calor.

«When the perfect powder, white or red, is taken out of the philosophical egg, it appears like the most impalpable powder, whose atoms appear more minute if possible than those in the sun's light, and yet it is very ponderous, like burnished gold [or silver]. But when united to or mixed with a perfect body of its own kind, it appears like white or red glass ... easily pulverizable....» — el extracto describe el polvo perfecto sacado del huevo filosófico: impalpable, de átomos más menudos que los del rayo de sol y sin embargo pesadísimo, que unido a un cuerpo perfecto de su especie parece vidrio blanco o rojo.

«undeterminate-too far above specificated metallic nature [for instant projection] and therefore must be familiarized to metals by mixture with a perfect metallic body.... The philosophers advise us to project by gradation till projection ceases; that is to project one part of the tincture on ten parts and again one part of the latter on ten, until after the last projection [no longer glass but] pure gold or silver comes from the fire.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: el polvo está demasiado por encima de la naturaleza metálica y hay que familiarizarlo con los metales, proyectando por gradación de uno sobre diez hasta que salga del fuego oro o plata pura.

«"If in its first state the stone should only go one upon a hundred parts, yet by reiterated solution and coagulations, the energy, penetration and virtue of the tincture may be increased to such a degree that its extent can hardly be calculated.» — con la multiplicación de la virtud por soluciones y coagulaciones reiteradas, hasta un alcance que el extracto dice apenas calculable.

«"If projection is made on mercury, as is mostly done, let the mercury be heated in a crucible, until its crackling noise announces its approaching flight. Then the known quantity of the fermented elixir must be projected on it which enters in an instant and tinges and fixes the mercury....» — y la maniobra de la proyección sobre mercurio: calentarlo en crisol hasta que su crepitar anuncie la fuga y echar entonces el elixir fermentado, que entra al instante y lo tiñe y lo fija.

«The heat must then be augmented till you perceive the matter in the crucible flow thin and clear. When poured out it will be found to be gold or silver, according to the kind of elixir.... The tincture obtained by one continued linear motion, by the first circulation, is called, when perfected, the elixir of bodies. This must be cibated by seven imbibitions, and with the last it must be putrefied, whitened and again congealed and fixed....» — con el aumento del fuego hasta que la materia corra delgada y clara, y el elixir de los cuerpos que ha de cibarse con siete imbibiciones y putrefactarse, blanquearse y fijarse con la última.

«"Many working in this art lose their labour by making projection on impure metals . . . but when melted with a perfect metal, of its own species, whereby it is converted into a metallic tinging glass, then and not before, it flows like wax on an imperfect ignited metal, or when thrown on heated mercury. The imperfect metals, being too far removed from perfection, the unfermented tincture does not enter fast enough, not having affinity for the imperfect metals of strength sufficient to separate their scoria in a strong heat. Therefore the powder or tincture gets confusedly mixed and dispersed among the faeces, and the hope of the deluded artist is frustrated."» — cierre del extracto, con la causa del fracaso en la proyección: sobre metales impuros la tintura no fermentada no entra ni tiene fuerza para separar la escoria, y queda mezclada y dispersa entre las heces.

«The augmentation or multiplication of the Stone can be performed in two ways.» — Lapidus anuncia las dos vías de la multiplicación de la piedra.

«By way of summary, the following treatise is quite helpful:» — Lapidus enlaza con el tratado siguiente, que ofrece a modo de resumen.

«The powder in its first state, whether aurific or argentific is too universal or» — y la razón por la que ese polvo no sirve todavía para proyectar. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«"I know that many authors do take fermentation in this work for the internal invisible agent, which they call ferment, by whose virtue the fugitive and subtile spirit, without laying on of hands, are of theirown accord thickened; and our aforementioned way of fermentation they call cibation with bread and milk [sol and mercury], but I know as well as they, have followed my own judgement in my writings.» — el extracto del *Vade Mecum* consigna el desacuerdo sobre el nombre de la fermentación —otros la llaman cibación con pan y leche— y declara haber seguido su propio juicio; el troceo imprime *theirown* pegado.

«"There is then another operation, by which our stone is increased in weight more than virtue. Take of thy sulphur, white or red [this is the completed stone], and to three parts of the sulphur, add a forth of the water [our mercury], and after a little blackness, in six or seven days decoction, thy water newly added shall be increased or thickened, like unto thy sulphur. [Note how the adept does his best to hide his secret, by calling the stone sulphur, and his mercury water.]» — con la operación que aumenta el peso más que la virtud: tres partes de azufre por una cuarta de agua, con el corchete del volumen denunciando el disfraz de los nombres, azufre por piedra y agua por mercurio.

«Then add another fourth part, not in respect of the whole compound, which is now increased a fourth part by the first imbibition, but in reference to thy first sulphur, as thou tookest it at first, which being dried, add another fourth part, and let it be congealed with a convenient fire.» — y la contabilidad de las imbibiciones, que el extracto refiere siempre al azufre de partida y no al compuesto ya crecido.

«Then put in two parts of the water in reference to the three parts of the sulphur, which thou tookest at first, before the first imbibition and in this proportion, imbibe and congeal three other times. At last add five parts of water in the seventh imbibition, still remembering to reckon the water in reference to the sulphur as it was taken at first. [This deliberate manner of writing is done to confuse, and usually succeeds.]» — con el resto de la serie —dos partes de agua tres veces más y cinco en la séptima imbibición— y el corchete del volumen declarando que ese modo deliberado de escribir busca confundir y suele lograrlo.

«Seal thy vessel, and in a fire like to the former, make thy compound pass through all the aforesaid regimens, which» — y el sellado del vaso para pasar por todos los regímenes. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«will be done in one month, and then thou hast the true stone of the third order; of which one part will fall on a thousand, and tinge perfectly."» — continuación en la plana siguiente: en un mes se tiene la piedra verdadera del tercer orden, de la que una parte cae sobre mil y tiñe perfectamente.

«(All the above was written in one sentence, but has been separated and punctuated as clearly as possible.)» — paréntesis del comentarista del volumen que declara una intervención suya sobre el texto ajeno: el pasaje venía en una sola oración y aquí se separó y puntuó.

«"To the multiplication of the Stone, is required no labour, save only that thou take the stone, being perfect, and join it with three parts or at the most four parts of mercury of our first work, and govern it with a due fire, in a vessel well closed, so that all the regimens pass with infinite pleasure, and thou shalt have the whole increased a thousand fold beyond what it was before the multiplication of it.» — el extracto reduce la multiplicación a juntar la piedra perfecta con tres o cuatro partes del mercurio de la primera obra y gobernarla a fuego debido en vaso cerrado, con aumento de mil veces.

«And if thou shalt reiterate this work again, in three days thou shalt run through all the regimens, and thy medicine shall be exalted to another millenary virtue of tincture; and if thou shalt yet reiterate the work, it will be perfected in a natural day, and all the regimens shall pass-which will be done afterwards with another reiteration in an hour, nor shalt thou at last be able to find the extent of the virtue of thy stone; it shall be so great that it shall pass thy ingenuity to reckon it, if thou shalt proceed in the work of reiterate multiplication. Now remember to render immortal thanks to God, for thou has now the whole treasure in thy possession."» — y la aceleración progresiva de las reiteraciones —tres días, un día natural, una hora— hasta una virtud que dice imposible de calcular, con la acción de gracias que cierra el extracto.

«"The manner of Projection is to take of thy stone perfected as it is said, white or red, according to the quality of the medicine, take of either gold or silver four parts, melt them in a clean crucible, then put in of thy stone, white or red, as the metal that is melted is in quality, and being well mixed together in fusion, pour them into an ingot, and thou shalt have a mass which is brittle;» — el extracto describe la primera parte de la proyección: cuatro partes de oro o plata fundidas en crisol limpio con la piedra de su mismo color, vertidas en lingotera hasta dar una masa quebradiza.

«take of this mass one part, and mercury well washed ten parts, heat the mercury till it begin to crack, then throw upon it this mixture, which in the twinkling of an eye will pierce; increase thy fire till it be melted, and all will be a medicine of inferior virtue; take then of this, and cast one part upon any metal, purged and melted, to wit, as much as it can tinge, and thou shalt have most pure gold and silver, purer than which nature cannot give.» — y la segunda: una parte de esa masa sobre diez de mercurio lavado y caliente hasta crepitar, que la atraviesa en un abrir y cerrar de ojos y da una medicina de virtud inferior con la que se tiñe cualquier metal purgado.

«But it is better to make projection gradually until projection cease; for so it will extend farther; for when so little is projected on so much, unless projection be made on mercury, there is a notable loss of the medicine, by reason of the scorias, which do adhere to impure; by how much then the metals are better purged, before projection, by so much more will the matter succeed.» — con la regla de proyectar por gradación y la razón: proyectar poco sobre mucho, salvo en mercurio, pierde medicina por la escoria adherida, y cuanto mejor purgados los metales, mejor sale la cosa.

«"He who has once, by the blessing of God, perfectly attained this art, I know not what in the world he can wish, but that he may be free from all snares of wicked men, so as to serve God without distraction. But it would be a vain thing, by outward pomp to seek for vulgar applause, such trifles are not esteemed by those who have this art, nay, rather they despise them.» — el extracto describe la vida del adepto: nada le queda por desear salvo verse libre de las asechanzas de los malvados, y desprecia el aplauso vulgar y la pompa exterior.

«He therefore whom God has blessed with this talent, hath this field of content, which far exceeds popular admiration; First if he should live a thousand years, and every day provide for a thousand men, he could not want, for he may increase his stone at his pleasure, both in weight and virtue; so that if a man would, one man that is an adeptist, might transmute into gold and silver that is perfect, all the imperfect metals that are in the whole world;» — con el primero de los tres bienes que le atribuye: aunque viviera mil años proveyendo a mil hombres diarios no le faltaría, y un solo adepto podría transmutar todos los metales imperfectos del mundo.

«secondly, he may by this art make precious stones and gems, such as cannot be paralleled in nature, for goodness and greatness; thirdly and lastly, he hath a medicine universal, both for prolonging» — el segundo bien, hacer piedras preciosas y gemas sin par en la naturaleza, y el arranque del tercero. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el cambio de plana.

«life, and curing all diseases, so that one true adeptist can easily cure all the sick people in the world. I mean his medicine is sufficient."» — continuación en la plana siguiente: el tercer bien es la medicina universal, con la que un solo adepto curaría a todos los enfermos del mundo, salvando el propio extracto que habla de que la medicina bastaría.

«Now to God Eternal, Immortal and Almighty, be everlasting Praise for these unspeakable gifts, and invaluable treasures.» — doxología con que el volumen cierra el cuerpo del libro antes de los apéndices, con la alabanza por dones indecibles y tesoros invaluables.

«To attempt to present a general overall conception of alchemy, we now quote an important work by Paracelsus, a physician very famous in his day, in which a theory of the art is set forth by question and answer: it is given in an abridged form.» — Lapidus presenta el apéndice primero: una obra de Paracelso, a quien llama médico famosísimo en su día, con la teoría del arte por pregunta y respuesta, y declara que va abreviada.

«This work was written to appeal to the medieval scientific mind, and it is by no means an easy matter for the beginner to appreciate the value of the work, nor will he comprehend how the whole secret is embraced herein in theory; yet it is so. To understand all its implications, the reader is advised to read it though slowly, and after digestion, to read it again. What is not understood at first, will make sense when reverted to subsequently.» — y su instrucción de lectura: el texto no es fácil para el principiante y hay que leerlo despacio, digerirlo y releerlo, porque lo que no se entiende la primera vez cobra sentido después.

«Q. What is the chief study of the philosopher? A. It is the investigations of the operations of nature. Q. Whence are all things derived? A. From one and indivisible nature. Q. Into how many regions is nature separated ? A. Into four primary regions. Q. What are they? A. The dry, the moist, the warm, the cold, which are four elementary qualities, whence all things originate.» — primeras preguntas y respuestas del texto atribuido a Paracelso: el estudio propio del filósofo es la operación de la naturaleza, todo deriva de una naturaleza indivisible y esta se reparte en cuatro regiones primarias, seco, húmedo, caliente y frío.

«Q. Give a concise definition of nature. A. It is not visible, though it operates visibly, for it is simply a volatile spirit, fulfilling its office in bodies, and animated by the universal fire which vivifies all things that exist.» — y la definición concisa que da: no es visible aunque obra visiblemente, siendo un espíritu volátil que cumple su oficio en los cuerpos, animado por el fuego universal.

«Q. What should be the qualities possessed by the examiners of nature? A. They should be like nature itself. That is to say, they should be truthful, simple, patient, and persevering.» — con las cualidades que el texto exige a quien examine la naturaleza: ser como ella, veraz, simple, paciente y perseverante.

«Q. What matters should subsequently engross their attention? A. The philosophers should most carefully ascertain whether their designs are in harmony with nature, and of a possible and attainable kind. If they would accomplish by their own power anything that is performed usually by the power of nature, they must imitate her in every detail.» — y la regla de imitación que impone: comprobar que los designios concuerden con la naturaleza y sean alcanzables, e imitarla en cada detalle si se quiere hacer por propia mano lo que ella hace.

«Q. What method must be followed in order to produce something which shall be developed to a superior degree than nature herself develops it? A. The manner of its improvement must be studied, and this is invariably operated by means of a like nature. For example, if it be desired to develop the intrinsic virtue of a given metal beyond its natural condition, the chemist must avail himself of the metallic nature itself, and must be able to discriminate between its male and female differentiations.» — con el método para superar a la naturaleza: obrar siempre por naturaleza semejante, de modo que quien quiera subir la virtud de un metal ha de valerse de la naturaleza metálica y distinguir en ella lo macho de lo hembra.

«Q. With what materials can the philosopher alone accomplish anything? A. With the germ of the given matter. This is its elixir or quintessence, more precious by far, and more useful to the artist than is nature herself. Before the philosopher has extracted the seed or germ, nature on his behalf will be ready to perform her duty.» — y la única materia con la que el filósofo puede algo: el germen de la cosa dada, su elixir o quintaesencia, que declara más precioso y más útil al artista que la naturaleza misma.

«A. It is the subtle and perfect decoction and digestion of the subject itself; or rather it is the balm of sulphur, which is identical with the radical moisture of metals.» — respuesta en la plana siguiente: el germen es la decocción y digestión sutil y perfecta del sujeto, o más bien el bálsamo de azufre, que el texto iguala a la humedad radical de los metales.

«Q. By what is this seed or germ engendered? A. By the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, and through the direct intervention of the imagination of nature.» — con lo que engendra ese germen: los cuatro elementos y la intervención directa de lo que el texto llama la imaginación de la naturaleza.

«Q. After what manner do the four elements operate? A. By means of an incessant and uniform motion; each one according to its quality, depositing its seed in the centre of the earth, where it is subjected to digestion and action, and is subsequently expelled in an upward direction by the laws of movement.» — y el modo en que obran esos elementos: por movimiento incesante y uniforme, depositando cada uno su simiente en el centro de la tierra, donde se digiere y de donde es expelida hacia arriba.

«Q. What do the philosophers understand by the centre of the earth? A. A certain void place where nothing may repose, and the existence of which is assumed.» — con la definición del centro de la tierra que el texto adjudica a los filósofos: un lugar vacío donde nada reposa y cuya existencia se supone.

«Q. When then do the four elements expel and deposit their seeds? A. In the ex-centre, or in the margin or circumference of the centre, which after it has appropriated a portion, casts out the surplus, into the region of excrement, scoria, fire and formless chaos.» — y el lugar del depósito, que llama excentro o margen del centro, el cual toma su parte y arroja el sobrante a la región del excremento, la escoria, el fuego y el caos informe.

«Q. Illustrate this teaching by example. A. Take any level table and set in its centre a vase filled with water; surround the vase with several things of different colours; especially salt, taking care that a proper distance intervenes between them all. Then pour out the water from the vase, and it will flow in streams here and there; one will encounter a substance of a red colour, and will assume of red; another will pass over the salt and will contract a saline flavour; for it is certain that water does not modify the places which it traverses, but the diverse characteristics of places change the nature of water. In the same way the seed which is deposited by the four elements at the centre of the earth, is subject to a variety of modifications in the places through which it passes; so that every existing substance is produced in the likeness of its channel, and when on its arrival at a certain point encounters pure earth and water, a pure substance results, but the contrary in an opposite case.» — con el experimento de mesa que el texto propone —el agua vertida que toma el color y el sabor de lo que atraviesa— para sostener que el lugar modifica la simiente y no al revés, de donde toda sustancia sale a semejanza de su cauce.

«Q. After what manner do the elements procreate this seed? A. In order to the complete elucidation of this point, it must be observed that there are two gross elements that are heavy, and two that are volatile in character. Two in a like manner are dry, and two humid, one of the four being actually excessively dry. There are also masculine and feminine. Now each of them has a marked tendency to reproduce its own species within its own sphere. Moreover they are never in repose, but are perpetually interacting, and each of» — y el reparto de los cuatro elementos en pesados y volátiles, secos y húmedos, masculinos y femeninos, cada uno con tendencia a reproducir su especie dentro de su esfera y en interacción perpetua. El tramo se corta aquí porque la frase cruza el límite del troceo.

«Q. How is nature differentiated? A. Into male and female.» — con la segunda partición de la naturaleza que el texto enuncia, en macho y hembra.

«Q. Where does the metallic nature store her seeds ? A. In the four elements.» — con el lugar donde el texto sitúa las simientes de la naturaleza metálica: los cuatro elementos.

«Q. What is the germ or seed of any substance?» — pregunta con que el texto pasa a definir el germen. El tramo se corta aquí porque la respuesta cae en la plana siguiente.