Page:Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus Vol I (IA cu31924092287121).djvu/151

 be made equal to the richest veins of gold and silver, only by such co-optation. So, also, the Elixir and Tinctures of metals are matured and perfected.

Since, therefore, humidity and warmth mature all things and make them grow, let none wonder that, after a long time, in the case of a criminal on the gibbet, the beard, hair, and nails grow; nor let this be taken for a sign of innocence, as the ignorant read it. It is only natural, and proceeds from natural causes. As long as there is moisture in the body, the nails, beard, and hair grow; and, what is more, in the case of a man buried in the earth itself, nails, beard, and hair grow up to the second year, or up to the time of the man's decay.

It should be known, too, that many substances grow and increase perpetually in size, weight, and virtue, both in water and on land, in each of which they remain good and effective, such, for example, as metals, marchasites, cachymiae, talcs, granites, antimony, bismuths, gems, pearls, corals, all stones and clays. So also it can be brought about that Sol shall grow and increase in weight and in body, if only it be buried in land looking east, and be constantly fertilised with fresh human urine and pigeons' dung.

It is also possible for gold to be so acted upon by the industry and art of the skilled alchemist that it will grow in a cucurbite with many wonderful branches and leaves, which experiment is very pleasant to behold, and full of marvels. The process is as follows: Let gold be calcined by means of aqua regis so that it becomes a chalky lime; which place in a cucurbite, pouring in good and fresh aqua regis and water of gradation so that it exceeds four fingers across. Extract it again with the third degree of fire until nothing more ascends. Again pour over it distilled water, and once more extract by distillation as before. Do this until you see the Sol rise in the glass and grow in the form of a tree with many branches and leaves. Thus there is produced from Sol a wonderful and beautiful shrub which alchemists call the Golden Herb, or the Philosophers' Tree. The process is the same with the other metals, save that the calcination may be different, and some other aqua fortis may have to be used. This I leave to your experience. If you are practised in Alchemy you will do what is right in these details.

Know also that any flint may be taken out of river water, placed in a cucurbite, and sprinkled with its own running water until the cucurbite is full. This may again be extracted by distillation, as long as a single drop ascends, until the stone be dry. Let the cucurbite be again filled with this water, and once more extracted. Repeat this until the cucurbite is filled with this stone. In this way, by means of Alchemy, in a few days you will see that a very large stone can be made, such as the Archeus of the waters could scarcely make in many years. If you afterwards break the cucurbite on a stone you will have a flint in the shape of the cucurbite, just as though it had been poured into the glass. Though this may be of no profit to you, still it is a very wonderful thing.