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 the
Photography
Storytelling
Workshop
 the
Photography
Storytelling
Workshop
FINN BEALES
Foreword by Alex Strohl
 For my family. My raison d’etre.
Contents

First published in 2020 by White Lion Publishing,

an imprint of The Quarto Group.
The Old Brewery, 6 Blundell Street
London, N7 9BH,
United Kingdom
T (0)20 7700 6700
www.QuartoKnows.com 6 Foreword
8 Introduction
Text and photographs © 2020 Finn Beales
11 The Power of Images
Finn Beales has asserted his moral right to be identified 13 Sparking the Imagination
as the Author of this Work in accordance with the
Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
14 Where to Start?
17 What You Will Need
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or 18 Gear: DSLR or Mirrorless
utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information
20 Gear: Phone Apps
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing 21 Exercise / Image Editing on
from White Lion Publishing. a Smartphone
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders
of material quoted in this book. If application is made in
writing to the publisher, any omissions will be included
in future editions.
22 Storytelling 101
A catalogue record for this book is available from 24 What is a Story?
the British Library. 26 Location
ISBN 978 0 7112 5470 1 28 Character
Ebook ISBN 978 0 7112 5471 8 30 Event
32 Environmental Portraiture
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
34 Project / Capture an Environmental
Commissioning Editor Zara Anvari Portrait
Project Editor Ellie Wilson
Editor Charlotte Frost
38 The Importance of Shot Type
Designer Isabel Eeles 40 Shot Types: Extreme Long & Long
42 Shot Types: Medium & Medium Close
Typeset in Garamond Pro and Akzidenz Grotesk
44 Shot Types: Close-Up & Cutaway
Printed in China 46 Project / One Subject, Ten Ways
50 Creating a Body of Work
52 Project / Everyday Cinematic
56 Step 1: Pitch 118 Shooting Technique: 50 & Stitch
(The Brenizer Method)
58 Website 119 Exercise / Stitching
60 Instagram 120 Shooting Technique: Beginner Panning Shot
64 Ask the Right Questions 121 Exercise / Panning with a Smartphone
66 The Creative Call 122 Project / Keep Moving: Motion Blur
68 Project / Develop a Treatment 126 Shooting Technique: Advanced Tracking Shot
72 Pricing 127 Exercise / Tracking
74 Selling the Estimate 128 Shooting Technique: Cinematic
130 Project / Dreamlike Scenes with Lens Flare
134 Shooting Technique: Dirty Foreground

76 Step 2: Prep
78 Developing a Mood Board 136 Step 4: Edit
80 Mood-boarding for Colour
84 Combining Colour Palettes 138 Save Time: Organise Your Images
86 Developing Your Own Colour 140 Making Your Selects
Palette for Image Grading 142 Lightroom Collections
86 Exercise / Making the Grade 143 Exercise / Making Collections
88 Project / Edit Like a Painter 144 Grading: Basic Adjustments
90 The Location Recce 148 
Project / Shoot with Film to Influence
92 Mission Control Your Grade
150 Introducing Film Grain & Effects
150 Exercise / Adding Light Leaks
152 Building a Story
96 Step 3: Shoot 158 Backup, Backup, Backup

98 Meeting Your Subjects

100 See the Light
102 Types of Sunlight 162 Step 5: Deliver
104 P
 roject / Capturing Mystery:
Shooting Silhouettes 164 File Formats
108 Camera Settings 166 Sharpening
110 Shooting with Prime Lenses 168 Project / Finalising Your File
112 Exercise / Phone Portraits 172 Delivering Your Selects
114 Shooting Technique: Rembrandt
115 Exercise / Rembrandt Lighting
116 Shooting Technique: Catchlights
117 E
 xercise / Experimenting with 174 Index
Catchlights 176 There is No Finish Line
6    F O R E W O R D
Foreword
by Alex Strohl

I started out as a graphic design major Finn and I are part of a new generation of
and ended up getting into photography at creatives who have built careers out of living
university. One of my classes, ‘Introduction in remote places. With the advent of the
to Photography’, was taught by a veteran of internet and more specifically, social media,
documentary photography who encouraged gone are the days were photographers had
us to use film cameras and taught us a host to be based in Paris, New York, or any large
of old-school techniques including how to city to ‘make it’. The age where if you wanted
go from negative to print and how to dodge to become a photographer you had to take
and burn as Ansel Adams famously did. an internship at your local newspapers are
This new world was thrilling, and I was just gone. All you need is a camera, a phone and
following my curiosity with no clear plan in internet access. And some damn good stories
sight until somehow, I ended up shooting to tell. This is exciting because it puts the
advertising campaigns for some of the world’s control back in the hands of the creatives, it
largest brands and carving a niche in the has levelled the field as we all have the same
competitive adventure photography world. tools and only the stories and ideas make
Never did I imagine I'd be running a thriving the difference. You can see this in Finn's
photography studio with a full-time team all photography throughout the book, in the way
from the woods of Montana. that he uses his home surroundings in Wales
as a backdrop to his shoots.
Among the talented people I've met on this
journey, Finn is the one who has inspired me Finn and I have both walked the same
to use stories within my work. This, in turn, squiggly line, sometimes falling off but always
led me to create a workshop focusing on getting back on and carrying on. He has been
his approach to visual storytelling. After I'd bold and chosen his own path and as a result,
finished filming it, I remember being so excited he's become a world-class photographer who
to get home and view it in a whole new way – deserves every one of his achievements. This
following his process and looking for stories book shares the practices that have helped
in the everyday. His method for building a him get there, together with the knowledge
narrative using the three impactful prompts: that he’s picked up working with just about
1. Character, 2. Location, 3. Event (covered in every brand you’d dream of shooting. There
this book) has encouraged me to rethink my are only a handful of people who could write
own approach to my photographic projects. this book and Finn sits at the top of this list.

F oreword    7
Introduction

Today’s world is awash with images, but what makes The Workshop
people stop scrolling or walking by? What makes
them remember an image or a photographer’s This book was inspired by a photo story I
work? In my mind, it’s the stories they tell. Stories created for a company called Cool & Vintage,
are the real ‘influencers’. From fairy tales and based in Portugal. Cool & Vintage specialise
legends, to religious texts and political campaigns, in the restoration of vintage Land Rovers, but
it’s the stories that capture us and the emotions don’t think of this as an automotive shoot.
they elicit that make the messages last. The aim of I want to show you how to incorporate a
this book is to help you create lasting photographs, product (like a car) into a broader story that
the sort Dorothea Lange called ‘second lookers’. makes for a more entertaining set of images.
using a tried-and-tested approach that puts the
story at the heart of everything you do. With the rise of influencer-based marketing,
this is especially useful when developing
branded content for platforms like Instagram.
How to Use this Book Straightforward product placement is a lazy
way to market anything, in my opinion. It is
We’ll start with the basics, including what much better to build a story around a product
equipment you need and the essence of a great and entertain your audience along the way.
photograph. Then we’ll examine the craft of
storytelling and how this can be applied to So, following my process in this workshop we
photography. From there, the book follows the will pitch, prepare, shoot, edit and deliver.
process of making a photo story. I cover pitching
for work and doing your prep, the actual shoot, By the end of this book you will be able
the edit and the final collation of your images. In to pitch for jobs, win contracts and craft a
each section you will find step-by-step exercises shoot from start to finish. We’ll look at shoot
illustrating fundamental techniques and projects preparation, including working with mood
to challenge your creativity and broaden your skill boards and call sheets, directing models, and
set. You’ll also find tips, creative briefs and plenty post production and editing. We’ll even touch
of real-world examples. on the tricky topic of pricing your work.

8    I n t rod u c t io n
I n t rod u c t io n    9
1 0    I n t rod u c t io n
T H E P OW E R
O F I M AG E S

The thing I love most about photography, over

other mediums, is that something is always left to
the viewer’s imagination. I liken it to the difference
between a movie and a book: I love both, but I’m
sometimes disappointed if I watch a movie after I’ve
read the same story. That’s because a book allows me
to bring my own imagination to the table. The story
feels richer because my mind is working on a deeper
level. I feel the same way about photographs.

What are my kids reading here? Where are they?

These questions are posed to a stranger viewing the

image, piquing their interest.

Photographs leave gaps in the narrative that viewers

can fill with their own imagination. There’s always
something left unanswered; there’s no verbal
communication, sound or music adding atmosphere.
These feelings must be present in the images alone
and the photograph should tell you just enough to
activate your desire to know more. This might come
from lighting or maybe a close-up of a character’s
face or hands. An image should provoke an intuitive,
visceral feeling – there might not be a rational
explanation for it, but you know when you feel it.

⁄ Pose questions to your audience and

TIP

compose your image in a way that

leaves something to the viewer’s own
imagination. Don’t give too much away.

T H E P O W E R O F I M A G E S    1 1
 3
1
2

Photographed for Fforest by Sian Tucker. Published by Kyle Books.

 S PA R K I N G T H E
I M AG I N AT I O N

Photographs that leave 1 P O S E A Q U E S T I O N TO YO U R A U D I E N C E

gaps in the narrative allow a There is a pleasure in not knowing. It activates the mind.
viewer to fill it with their own Frame your images in a way that poses a question to your
imagination, but how do you audience and engages them in your work.
go about making pictures
along these lines? Consider this image: there is a story here but it isn’t evident.
What is my son looking at? Why is he standing on so much
driftwood? Is he in danger? Compose your shots so your
subjects are looking at something outside of the frame to add
intrigue to the image.

2 A R E A S O N TO P R E S S T H E S H U T T E R
When you make a photograph you are essentially preserving
a memory. Use your own memories as a trigger to press the
shutter. Think about your own childhood: fun times, sad times,
exciting times and so on.

Another image of H here. Learning to ride a bike is a strong

memory for most people… the freedom, the speed and the thrill
of exploring on two wheels. When I saw H’s T-shirt sprayed with
mud from his BMX, it brought back a flood of memories from
my own childhood. I wanted to preserve this memory. I had a
reason to press the shutter.

3 R E D E F I N E YO U R U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F E M OT I O N
Emotion doesn’t just mean laughing or crying. It is an instinctive
feeling related to the human condition. Think about this as much
as the environment you are working in. Motivate your subjects
to do something that your audience can relate to.

See the examples of my daughter collecting hazelnuts – the

first image in particular. I have a lovely portrait of her standing
with the basket that I could have included, but I prefer this one.
Bending down, basket over her arm to pick a nut from the forest
floor – this is a picture about the human condition and not just a
girl in the forest. It has more emotion. The audience can relate to it.

S PA R K I N G T H E I M A G I N AT I O N   1 3
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
this is not without virtue, for it carries over with it self a very subtle
Martial Spirit, of which a little put into ones Mouth, penetrates the
Tongue, so that the taste thereof remains long after. And this
penetrating taste and smell, is nothing else but the most subtle
Narcotick Sulphur of Mars, which is set at liberty in the Solution, and
carried over with the sweet Water, in the deflegming. It doth
wonders in Internal Obstructions; and Externally it easeth all Pains,
because it is Narcotick and Stupefactive; It serveth for Physicians
and Chyrurgeons in many cases, but because I have already written
of this, I need not here repeat it. And this you ought to note, that
you draw not off the Phlegm to dryness, but the Solution of ♂ must
remain in form of an Oyl. This sweet Oyl of ♂ is the Opake Tree of
Virgil, from which he hath taught us to pluck its Golden Branches,
and how this is to be done, he hath also obscurely hinted, but I here
publish it plainly. Virgil saith, that those Golden Branches are the gift
of Proserpina, but what was to be understood by this Proserpina,
which the Heathens have said to be the Wife of Pluto, is not here
expressed, but only this, that this Golden Branch was Consecrated to
the Goddess Juno. He that will have the foundation of those
Heathenish Gods, cannot better accomplish his Desire, than by
Reading the last Edition of the Dictionary of Eight Languages,
written by Ambrosius Callepine, for there he will find many curious
secrets of the Ancient Poets illustrated. Now concerning Proserpina,
many Philosophers and Chymists understand the Corrosive Oyl or
Butter of Antimony, of which I have already made mention, although
obscurely, in my Treatise De Sale Philosophorum, but shall here give
it you more plainly. Now, it according to a due weight, you put some
of this Proserpina to the Solution of Mars, and unite them well
together, and then distil this mixture by a Glass Retort well Coated,
there first comes over a certain unprofitable Humidity, then a white
Oyl of Antimony, which is to be kept by it self, and when you see
yellow drops begin to fall, you must then change your Receiver, then
give a stronger Fire, and the Proserpina brings over with it self the
Tincture of Mars, as red as Blood. This Blood-red Oyl of Mars and
Antimony is the Golden Branch, plucked from the obscure Tree,
which may easily be fixed into a particular Tincture, as we shall hear
anon. Now when you have pulled one Golden Branch, you may also
pluck a second and third, for they will easily follow. As for the
manner of plucking more such Golden Branches, it is thus: You must
dissolve the remaining ♂ with Spirit of Salt, and there will remain
many Feces, but the Solution will be clearer and better than the first,
although less in quantity: Now, after (as I told you before) you have
put to it the due quantity of Butter of Antimony, for which purpose
that which came over in the first Distillation will well serve, and
when you have driven this over by a Retort as before, the Proserpina
again brings over more of the Tincture in a Blood-red Oyl, which
may as the first, be fixed into a Tincture. After this manner you may
pluck many Branches, one after another, but it is not convenient,
because the Solution of Mars is diminished by every Distillation, and
at length your Branches would be very small, therefore it is better
when you have plucked the first Branch, so go to another Tree, and
thereto pluck a Golden Branch, for the Tree is not so precious, and
you may collect the Trees from which you have pulled the Branches,
and dissolve them in Spirit of Salt, and then pluck from them more
Branches. Proserpina hath learned this spoiling and bearing away, of
her Husband Pluto, for he stole Proserpina from her Parents, and
carried her with him into Hell, and made her his Wife. N. B. Pluto
carried Proserpina into Hell, but Proserpina doth the contrary,
carrying the dead Bodies and Souls out of Hell. For she hath her
Original only from the Spirit and Salt of the World, which Spirit and
Salt of the World have power to carry the Souls of the dead Bodies
out of Hell, as you may see in the Books of Philosophers which say.

Sal & Spiritus Mundi, ducunt Anima Mortuorum ex Orco.

The Salt and Spirit of the World, bring the Souls of the Dead
out of Hell.

Let this suffice concerning the bringing over the Metallick Souls or
Tinctures, which is done by Proserpina. But there is yet other ways
to draw out the Tinctures of Metals out of Red Bodies, and they are
chiefly to be had by means of our secret Sal Armoniack in a far
greater quantity, than by the help of Proserpina, which is somewhat
troublesome, but yet these are more easily and perfectly acquired by
our Alcahest. Now, after we have heard how to draw Tinctures out
of Metals and Minerals by the help of Proserpina, it is further
necessary to know how to fix those Volatile Tinctures, so that they
may not only endure the strongest Fire, to which they may easily be
brought, but that is not enough, they must be made so fixed, that
the Corroding Saturn may not have power to injure them upon the
Cupel; if that be not done, these Tinctures can profit nothing to
Metals. I have seen very many who very well know, how to Extract
Tinctures out of Mars, Venus, Vitriol and Antimony, but they wanted
the Fixation, the perpetuation upon the Cupel, and also Ingress, and
therefore they could do nothing with them. These following ancient
Verses are read by many, but understood by few, viz.

Fixum si solves, faciesque volare solutum

& volucrem figes, faciet te vivere tutum.

If thou dissolve that which is fixed, and render it Volatile,

And again fix the Volatile, thou shalt not want.
We have proceeded according to this Verse, in making the fixed
Iron Volatile, although we have not yet again rendered the Volatile
fixed and constant upon the Cupel. The Fixation requires but little
Art, so that it may abide the Fire, but to make it abide the Cupel is a
great Art, and cannot be done by idle talking, but by a fundamental
knowledge, without which all is in vain.
Now concerning the Fixation of those Volatile Tinctures, so as to
abide the Cupel, I have (thanks to God) often experimented, and
have already communicated to some who are Curious, out of
kindness, whose success I do not yet know. This Fixation cannot be
effected without Common Gold, for when Gold in a liquid form
according to a due proportion, is mixed and radically conjoyned with
the Tincture, and cast into Hell to Pluto, and Pluto finds his dear
Consort deeply in love with the Anima of Mars, or this Beautiful
Hermaphroditical Youth, he burns with Jealousie, so that he bends
them so close together, as they can never afterwards be parted by
Saturn. But wheresoever one of these three goeth, draweth the
other two with it. And because they are also constantly together, as
if it were one Spirit and Tincture united to the fixed Body of Gold,
therefore they have an easie admittance into the Chamber of the
Queen Diana; for Diana doth by no means shut out her dearest King
Apollo, but willingly admits him, and therefore she is recompensed
with all the Treasures which he hath received from his true and
Warlike Servant, Mars: And of this, by Neptunes help, she hath made
her self a glorious and constant Red Garment, which neither Water
nor Fire, nor the old and envious Saturn can spoil her of. Here I have
Fundamentally described the Fixation of the Martial and Antimonial
Tincture, clearly without any reservation, yet somewhat
enigmatically, according to the manner of the Poets. He that doth
but a little consider, cannot fail, but must comprehend it, if he hath
but a moderate Capacity, except God shall prohibite him.
Now let us further see, what may be further done with our Red
Oyl of ♂, and ♁, in Physick and Alchymy. When we powr upon this
Oyl our Alcahest, and again draw off the Liquor by a Retort with a
gentle heat, and at length give a stronger Fire, the most subtle and
cleanest part of the Tincture will come over, and the grossest part
will remain behind, which is an Universal Purge. The subtle part,
may yet be made purer and nobler by Rectification, and this you
may afterwards dulcify from its Salt, and dry the Anima Martis and
Antimonij, then put it into a Glass, and with an easie Sand-Fire melt
it into a Red Stone, for this Stone melts as easily as Wax, and hath
as easie Ingress into all Metals, as Oyl hath into dry Leather. This
Stone hath not its equal, for it is better than the Fire-Stone of
Basilius, it is better than Butlers Stone, to which Helmont hath
ascribed such Wonders. Of this Stone and its incredible Virtues,
which it shews in Physick, I shall treat at large in the following
Treatise. This Treatise shall Discourse of three unknown Fires, and
Stones: First of the secret Fire of the ancient Philosophers, which is
called the Fire of Artephius, by Virtue of which secret fire, is
generated the vegetable, Animal and Mineral stone of Philosophers,
and also particularly out of all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals,
their Quintessence, or highest Power, without the help of any
common Fire, without Furnace, Glasses, or any other known
Chymical Instruments, is to be obtained in a few hours, without any
Labour or Cost: And also things incredible and unheard of are by it
brought to pass; of which great Secret, no Philosopher hath hitherto
made the least mention; as the before cited Treatise will sufficiently
testifie. The second Fire is like to it, viz. the same with which the
Israelites in old time did set fire to their Sacrifices, which their
Priests, when they were to go into the Babylonish Captivity, did hide
in a dry hole in the Earth; and many years after, when they were
released from their Captivity, and returned, they found not a Fire,
but instead of it a Viscous water, which they poured upon their
Sacrifice, and it kindled it, as well as if it had been done by the
secret heavenly fire, of which you may read more in the Maccabeus.
This secret fire of the Ancient Caldeans is also comparable to the
Æthereal fire, of which Meteors, Thunder and Lightning are
generated, and also the Thunderbolts themselves, which are cast
down upon the Earth, to the great astonishment of Mankind. Hermes
hath very well said, that what is above is also below, which is proved
by the secret Fire of the Caldeans. For by a light, plain and cheap
Art, one may easily produce the same Lightning fire, together with
the Thunder, here upon Earth; of which the following Book shall
treat more fully. And therefore to that I refer the Reader. I could not
but here touch a little at these three Principal Fires, by which are
generated the three chief Jewels of the World, that the Enquirer
after the Wisdom of God may know, what great Mysteries of God are
to be imparted hereafter to the ungrateful World, before I publish
this Book of Fires and Stones. Now to return to our particular, and
see by what means our Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony may be
Coagulated, after a nearer way, into a tinging Stone, with which
Silver particularly, with all other inferiour Metals, may be Meliorated,
that out of them may be had good Gold and Silver with profit. And
also, how by it the Tinctures of Stones, both noble and ignoble, may
be drawn out of them, and after the Tincture is drawn out, to
incorporate it with Silver, and Colour it. And also, all precious Stones
exalted in their natural Colour, and if their Colour be too high, it may
be diminished, and the Stone rendred more precious, and how this is
to be done, the following Practice will reveal. The second and easier
way, how to bring our tinging Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony into an
hard, sweet, and not Corrosive Stone, is this.
In the foregoing Appendix, I have said somewhat of the
Coagulation of the sharp Spirits, of Metals and Minerals, and have
proved, that such Coagulation is to be made by the help of Old, cold
and dry Saturn, but because I did not there declare, how it is to be
effected, I think fit to do it here, and it is thus. All Liquors or moist
things, if they are to be dryed, then the moisture must be drawn off
from the thicker part by an easie heat, and then the thicker part
remains by it self, and is used according to its Appropriation, as we
know, that Aloes, Myrrh, Opium, and all other Gums and Juices were
thin at the first, and were inspissated into concrete Juices, by the
Sun or Fire. It is true, such an Inspissation of vegetable Juices is
easily done in this manner; but Mineral distilled Spirits, and Corrosive
Oyls, cannot be thus dryed, for they will endure heat, but if you give
too great a heat, they will fly away and not be thickned, as you may
see in Oyl of Vitriol, which by it self can never be dryed, although it
be never so long kept in heat. But if you will have it dry, you must
add something to it which is more than dry, and hath also power to
exsiccate moisture. We see in the baking of Bread, when we put
water to the Flour, and mix them together to make Dough, and of
that bake Bread, that the Flour, although it be dry, yet it cannot
retain with it self the Water, in a hot Oven, for that perfectly flies
away from the Meal by the heat, and if the Fire be encreased, all the
moisture would be gone, and only the Meal remain in form of a dry
Earth, having quite lost the form of Bread, because the Meal was not
radically united with the water, and therefore they could not endure
the heat together. If one take a dry Earth, Sand or Powder of a
Stone, and put water to it, the dry Earth will imbibe the water, and
to the Eye reduce it into Earth, but this is not constant. For if you
distil this Earth by a Retort, all the added water will again come over,
and leave the Earth alone, but this is to be understood of common
water. But suppose, one should add a heavy Mineral water as ol.
Vitrioli to a dry Earth, and should commit this mixture to the Fire, in
hopes, that the dry Earth should retain with it self the Corrosive Oyl
of Vitriol, and also reduce it into a dry Earth, it would prove a
mistake, for the Oyl of Vitriol, in a sufficient heat, would wholly
forsake the Earth, because the Earth is dead, and hath no
Sympathetick, or Magnetick power, to conjoyn it self radically with
the Oyl of Vitriol, so as to remain together constant in the Fire; but
such an Earth, which by an innate Love draws the Oyl of Vitriol to it
self, and endures with it in heat, or cold without Separation, must
proceed from the same Original with it, for every thing loves its like,
and hateth what is unlike to it. Now, because the Oyl of Vitriol
proceeds from a Mineral kind, therefore it loves the Metals, but no
common Earth or Stones, for it hath no affinity with them. Now if
the Oyl of Vitriol be to be converted into an hard Mineral stone, it
must be done by its like, to wit, by Metals, and by such Metals as
are most nearly related to it, viz. the Metals that are yet imperfect,
for all Metals and Minerals proceed from the same Root, and
therefore they all love one another, yet one Metal loves Oyl of Vitriol
more than another, and the immature Metals, better than the ripe
ones. For although Gold and Silver also love Oyl of Vitriol, yet they
do it by Compulsion, and not out of true Love, for they are very
difficultly dissolv’d by it, because they have put off their vitriolick
Nature in their Fixation: On the contrary, Mars and Venus have not
yet so done, and therefore they easily assume the Oyl of Vitriol, and
are dissolved by it, because it was driven out of their Body by the
force of Fire, therefore one might say, that Mars and Venus were the
true Metals, and easiest to Coagulate the Oyl of Vitriol and
Antimony, and to fix them into a Stone, yet this is not so, for Mars
and Venus are of a gross Nature, and have too much unprofitable
Earth, which may easily be seen by their difficult melting in the Fire.
Then what is to be done? Shall Saturn or Jupiter do it, both which
are of an easie Fusion? Or shall Mercury do it, which is always
Liquid? I answer, that Mercury cannot Coagulate, nor make fixed,
because he himself is not fixed, nor Coagulated. Neither can Jupiter
do it, for although he is fluxible and dry, yet he is easily
transmutable by a small Fire, into an influxible Earth, which cannot
again be reduced into a fluxible Metallick Body: What then, shall
despised Saturn do it, (may one ask) who is unfixed himself? and
which way is it then possible for him to fix a Body, which is more
fluid than himself? To this I answer, that the Fixity is not the only
cause of the Coagulation of the Oyl of Vitriol, for then this
Coagulation might be easiest performed, by Gold and Silver, which,
yet is not done, and therefore this Coagulation of Corrosive Spirits
must be done by dry Metallick Subjects. Now we know very well,
that among all the Metals Saturn is the driest, of which Paracelsus
writes very well in his Book of Vexations, which I have already
alledged, and confirmed in the foregoing Appendix, [viz.
Pharmacopœa Spagyr. Pars 7.] It is also true, that a better
Coagulator, of all Corrosive Mineral Spirits cannot be found, than old,
cold, and dry Saturn; for by his great dryness he Coagulateth the
moist Mineral Spirits; by his great innate sweetness, he dulcifies all
Corrosives; and by his fluxible Sulphur, he renders all influxible
Metallick Subjects, fluxible. Now we need nothing more to our Red
Oyl of Vitriol, Mars and Antimony, but that it be Coagulated into a
hard, sweet and fusile Stone, which Coagulation can only be done by
Saturn, and by no other Metal or Mineral, which I have sufficiently
proved in the before mention’d Appendix, and also in my Book of the
Three Principles of Metals. Now we have sufficiently understood,
that the Coagulation and Dulcification of our Red Corrosive Oyl of ♂]
and ♁ into a fusile Red Stone, can only be done by the help of the
Old, Cold, and, of all Fools, despised Saturn. Concerning the Nature
and Property of Saturn, it would not be here amiss, to say somewhat
of it: But because Paracelsus hath already sufficiently done it, in his
Cœlum Philosophorum, and I have already confirmed it in the
forementioned Appendix, I think it here unnecessary to add any
more. Yet I cannot forbear to say this, that Saturn naturally contains
yet a good quantity of the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, which doth not
vanish in melting, nor cannot be easier perceived, than when other
Metals are added to him upon the Cupel, how soon he swallows
them, and draws them with himself into the Cupel, except Gold and
Silver, which he cannot touch, because they have no radical
Communion with him, but are cleansed by Nature from their
superfluous Sulphur, for this devouring Wolf Saturn, can consume
nothing, but the combustible Sulphur of Metals, but the
incombustible fixed Sulphur and Mercury, he cannot touch, as
appears in Gold and Silver. The ancient Philosophers painted Saturn,
as an Old Man, with one foot on a Wooden stilt, having in one hand
a Sythe or Sickle, and in his other hand a Child, which he puts to his
mouth to devour it. By this they would intimate the devouring
Nature of Saturn, which they have also expressed in these Words,
Falx ejus Mordax est, he hath a sharp Sickle, beware of him, for he
hath no mercy, which I have found to be true, not only by the Cupel,
that he Corrodes and eats through them, for he Corrodes Sand and
Stones, and reduceth them into a transparent Glass; if he doth this
by his own Nature, what will he not do, when his Sythe is whetted
by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol? Certainly he can do ten times more: I
have experimented it, he that will know it, may also do the same: By
him we wash and cleanse common Gold and Silver on the Cupel, but
that Gold and Silver, which is still hid in the imperfect Metals, as
Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, as also in the vile Minerals and Stones,
which is still closely tyed to the combustible Sulphur, here the
common Saturn is too weak and can make no Separation. On the
contrary, ours can effect it very well, and therefore I commend him,
for after his Sythe is whetted by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, if then
one handle any Metal, or Mineral with him in a Crucible, he will in a
moment eat a hole through it, and run out; Nay, if one should put
two or three Crucibles one into another, he would do the same, but
if one cast somewhat before him, to satiate his Wolf-like Appetite,
then he leaves the Crucibles whole, but doth what the Artist would
have him, and is used as a tame Wolf, devours the Sheep no more,
but keeps them from other devouring Wolves.
Before I could bring him to that pass, to prevent his biting, I tryed
many sorts of Vessels to hold him, nay I have put him upon a Test
made of bone Ashes. ’Tis true, he did not eat in, but remained fixt
upon the Cupel like Silver, and would not Coppel, by which I
perceived, that any common Lead, by help of the Red Oyl of Mars
and Antimony, may in a very short time, not only be reduced into
Gold and Silver, but also be fixed into a true Tincture, which I have
sufficiently shewn in the foregoing Appendix, that some of the
ancient Philosophers have made their tinging Stone out of Saturn.
But setting this aside, because I yet never went so far, but I should
not think it at all difficult, to make an universal Tincture, to
transmute all the Metals into perfect Gold and Silver out of Saturn,
with the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, if my weakness of Body would permit.
But I concern not my self about that, but leave it to those that are
younger, for I can easier come to an universal Tincture, by the help
of the secret Fire of Philosophers, than by Saturn; but in the
particular Transmutation of Metals, I have performed many things
with the Stone of ♄, as the following Practice sheweth.

Now followeth the easie Coagulation of our Red Oyl of Mars and
Antimony, into a Red, Sweet, and fluxible Stone.

℞. Some Pounds of common Lead, melt it, and pour it out into a
long Ingot, and rasp as much thereof as need shall require;
take of this a Pound of more, and put it into a Glass Retort well
coated, pour to it half the quantity of the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, set it
in a Sand Cupel, and give Fire gently by degrees, and there will
come over no Red Oyl, but only a clear and insipid Water, and all the
sharpness, with the Red Tincture, will remain with the ♄. If you
break the Retort, you will find no Saturn, but this Red, Tinging, and
easie melting Stone, of such Virtues as I have told you before. Now
if you will make use of this Stone for the particular Meliorating of the
inferiour Metals, as also for noble and ignoble Stones, you must
powder it, and mix it with the Metallick Ashes, and melt them, and
you will find the good Metal to be separated from the rest, the
unprofitable part, and superfluous Sulphur, will turn into dross, and
the purer part will settle into a Regulus, which you must blow off
upon a Cupple, and you will find the Silver and Gold, which our
Stone hath separated out of that Metal; for our Stone hath this
Nature, to separate in the Fire the good from the bad, to turn the
Good into a Metalline Regulus, and the inferiour into Dross. For
Example, I have a mixture of Metals containing Gold, Silver, Venus,
Mars and Jupiter together, I granulate this mixture, and mix them
with our Stone, melt them together in a Crucible, our Stone only
spoils the inferiour Metals, as ♂, ♀ and ♃, which it consumes into a
Dross, but the purer as ☉ and ☽ it separates from this Dross, and
precipitates them into a Regulus. But if this Regulus should not be
fine enough at the first melting, you must Cupel it with Lead, neither
doth all the ☉ and ☽ come out of this mixture at one melting, but
some remains with the Dross, therefore you must again put this into
a Crucible, and put to it some filings of Iron, and so melt them
together, then the wild Sulphur will be destroy’d by the ♂, and so let
the Gold and Silver fall by Cupellation. The Dross you must reserve,
till you have enough to melt in a small Wind Furnace, and it will be
again reduced into Lead, which you may again use for the same
Labour; for the Reduction of this, I have invented a peculiar small
Furnace, which may be carried from place to place, and also you
may pour out the Dross after it is melted, without breaking any thing
of the Furnace, so that you may use it very often, before the Hearth
will need mending. What is here said of the Separating of Metallick
mixtures, the same may also be understood of those Mixtures, which
are yet in the Oar, for the Oars are as easily separated by our Stone,
as the Metals. This is the use of our Stone, before its Tincture is yet
fixed, and therefore not able to transmute ☽ into ☉. Presently you
shall also hear, how it may be rendred capable to transmute any
Silver, by Degrees, into good Gold. I think it fit, first to say
somewhat, how by the help of our Stone one may attain great Profit
from Gems. For the Gems have in them fixed Tinctures, which our
Neptune can spoil them off and so incorporate them with the naked
Diana, to make her a Golden Vest, which is done thus: ℞ The
fragments of coloured Gems, viz. of Granates, Rubies, Saphirs,
Hyacinths, Jaspis, &c. put a little of these into a good Crucible, and
put to it three times as much of our Stone, cover it well, and melt it
upon those Stones, and our Stone draws out the Colour of the
Gems, and Colours it self yet deeper. With this Red Stone, if any filed
☽ be mixed with it, and melted, it draws the fixed Tincture to it and
becomes Golden, so that in the Separation it yeilds much Gold, N. B.
The fittest Silver for this work is, that which is precipitated by ♀ out
of Aqua Fortis, yet you may also use that, which is precipitated by
Salt water. If the work be well done, the Gems will be white, which
you may use instead of small Diamonds, for the Fire doth not take
away their hardness, N. B. If a Man hath Skill enough to take away
the Colour from the great Gems, as Granates, and Hyacinths, he
may acquire Riches in a short time; for afterwards you may tinge
other white Stones into Rubies, by the help of this Colour, but this
Labour requires an experienced Artist, but no Pratler: And this is
sufficient for this time, he that delighteth in these Arts may Practise
them, and try how God will prosper him in it. If he can but obtain
the Extracting of the Gems, he needs no more, for one Gem, of a
Drain, is worth more than several Ounces of Gold. After we have
briefly understood, how to make good Profit with our Red
coagulated Oyl of Antimony and Mars, before it is yet fixed, with the
imperfect Metals and Gems: You shall also hear what it will do, when
fixed. And this you must know, that if a Tincture very well prepared,
can endure melting in the Fire, yet for all that, it may not be
accounted fixed; for inasmuch as they are made out of unfixed
Metals, they cannot themselves be fixed; if one should object, and
say, that the Tincture was drawn out of fixed Iron, and therefore it
must also be fixed, although the Antimony was not fixed: I answer,
that Iron cannot be called fixed, although it doth not fly in the fire,
for Saturn can still devour it, but this only is to be reputed fixed,
which endures the Cupel, which neither ♂ nor ♁ doth. Therefore the
Tinctures which are extracted out of them, cannot endure the Cupel
before they are made fixed. For which reason the highly experienced
Philosopher Paracelsus tells us, that we must not take common Iron
to draw our Tincture, but such as cannot be again reduced into Iron,
which we must seek in the green and blue Scoriæ, out of which Iron
hath been melted by the strength of Fire, and are cast away.
Because the Iron, and also every imperfect Metal, containeth two
sorts of Sulphur, viz. a combustible, and incombustible; the
combustible is melted by a strong Fire, into a dead Glass, but the
incombustible remains unhurt, hidden in the said Glass, and may be
drawn out of it by Art, and brought into a Tincture, that will endure
the Cupel. I could cite Paracelsus for several other things, because
he writes very honestly, but it is not here convenient. It would be
very well, if some one would reprint this Treatise, for it is out of
Print, that the way to the Truth might be shewn to them that err.
And if none will do it, I shall do it my self, for it is commendable to
preserve a lighted Candle, and not suffer it to go out. This is enough
of the Fixation of Paracelsus, which is done by the great strength of
common fire. Now we will also hear, how this Fixation may be
effected by an artificial moist fire, much easier than by the former. In
my Treatise lately published of the Three Principles of Metals, I have
taught how any combustible Sulphur may be fixed in a very few
hours, so that no Fire can any more hurt it. Now if such a quick
Fixation of combustible Sulphur, can be done with a moist Fire, as I
have shewn it may in the said Treatise, what may not be done, by
the same Fire in the more fixed Metals, such as Iron? I have also
shewn in the same place, that ♁, as well as common 🜍, may be
made fixed in few hours, I have also said that ♁ and common 🜍, so
fixed have no ingress into Metals. After that, I have also taught, how
to procure this ingress by common Gold, if the Gold and the Sulphur
be united, and then a fixing Aqua Fortis drawn from them, that then
it can never be separated from the Gold, but that the Gold so
preserves it upon the Cupel, that Saturn cannot enter it: Now if this
may be done with common Sulphur and Antimony, why not also with
Mars, which in its Nature approacheth Fixity? Therefore it behoveth,
that we should fix our Tincture of ♂ and ♁, after the same manner
being united with ☉, by the Humid fire, that both may be permanent
upon the Cupel. For without this Fixation nothing of moment can be
done. For if these Tinctures be added to Silver, and are not constant
in the Fire, they with the Silver, become Metals again, vanish upon
the Cupel with ♄, and leave the ☽ nothing bettered. Therefore
nothing else is to be observed, but to bring into Perpetuation the
prepared Tinctures of ♂ and ♁, by the addition of Gold, and the due
Abstraction of the fixing Waters; and then the Tinctures remain with
the Silver unseparable, and the devouring Saturn cannot hurt them
upon the Cupel. Let this suffice concerning the particular Fixation of
our Red Oyl of ♂ and Antimony. Now followeth, how to make an
universal Coagulation and Fixation of this Oyl.

The P R O C E S S.

℞. Three or four Ounces of our Coagulated Oyl of Mars and

Antimony, into a Red Stone by the help of ♄, grinde it into an
impalpable Powder, and draw from it ten or twelve Ounces of strong
Aqua Fortis, which hath been first abstracted from decrepitated Salt,
and in which is dissolved half an Ounce of Gold: Secondly, and
Thirdly, abstract from it again fresh Aqua Regia, but without Gold;
then the Gold will radically unite it self with the Tincture of Mars and
Antimony, and they will be constantly fixed together, by means of
Aqua Regia. When this is done, pour upon it a good quantity of
common Water, let it boyl for some hours, and it will draw out the
sharp Spirits, which remained with the Tincture, this may be once or
twice repeated, then dry it, and it is fit to tinge Silver into Gold. This
Tincture melts as easily as Wax; the Saturn which is mixed with it,
doth not hinder it, it is true, he goes into the Silver with the
Tincture, but is easily separated by the Cupel. I could set down
many more Dexterities, in the Preparation of this Tincture, but it
would swell too much, it being already greater than I expected, for I
only thought to have annexed this to the Appendix, as a Corollary,
but it is grown bigger than the Appendix it self. Here should have
been added, how this Tincture of Antimony and Mars, by the help of
our Alcahest, might be made into a constant Tincture, easily and in
great quantity, without Cost; so compendiously, that in three or four
days time, a good quantity of Tincture may be made fit to graduate
a great part of Silver into Gold: But the time will not allow me here
to insist any farther on it, but must defer it the second Appendix,
where the Reader will find greater Contentment. For this work is so
easily done with the Alcahest without great Cost, that the most
ordinary Mechanick may imitate it, and profit by it. There will come
another World, when Art will flourish, and Pratlers perish. Take
notice of this, for the time is at hand, Elias the Artist will soon
appear, of this Read Paracelsus in his Book of Vitriol. At such a time
there will be great changes in Europe, and chiefly in the German
Empire, France and Swedland. For Elias the Artist, it may be, when
he comes, will bring with him some Military inventions, and by his
great Power establish the Fifth Monarchy. That in these times great
Changes will be in Europe, is not to be doubted, for the Heavens do
foretel it. God send us what is good, there being now nothing of
good left, how then is it possible, it should remain longer in Peace?
 OF
E L I A S the A R T I S T:
OR ,
What we are to understand by Elias the Artist,
and what he is to reform in the World at his
coming.

V I Z.
The true Spagyrical Medicin of the Ancient Egyptian
Philosophers, which has been lost for above 1000
Years, and will be restored by him, and illustrated
with many new Inventions, by rejecting much
unprofitable Smut-work, and pointing out a nearer
and better way to obtain good Medicines, with
little Trouble or Charges; which true Medicine he
will bring along with him, and declare the same to
the present deceived World. Translated out of the
High-Dutch.
Courteous Reader,

T
owards the end of my last published Treatise concerning the
Infernal Goddess Proserpina, I took occasion to mention, that
probably soon after my Death, the long-since fore-told Elias
Artista would appear, and bring along with him a great Light, to
enlighten the dark World, enabling them to reject the Evil, and
embrace that which is good: As likewise, that many great changes
will happen in divers Kingdoms, and especially in the Roman Empire,
where one Potentate will overcome the other, and make himself
Master of his Dominions. I there also shewed what, Paracelsus hath
declared concerning Elias Artista, and fundamentally confuted the
groundless Opinion of some Persons concerning the same in my
Fourth Part of the Prosperity of Germany, shewing that that
Prophecy is not to be understood according to the Letter, and to be
meant of some great Man in the World, but Magically; for the word
Elias by transposition of Letters, makes out Salia, and so likewise
doth the word Elisha, as I have formerly explained these words in
my Treatise of the Nature of Salts. Elias Artista therefore according
to the style of Philosophers, signifies extraordinary and unknown
Salts, by which great and incredible things may be performed, and
accordingly when manifested, will be the cause of great changes in
the World.
These Salts were known to the Philosophers of old, who yet did
not think fit any further to open themselves concerning them, than
in declaring, that the Philosophers Stone must be prepared by them.
Turba Philosophorum speaking concerning this matter, saith, This our
Salt encreases the Redness in ☉, and whiteness in ☽, and further, if
God had not created this Salt it were impossible to make the Elixir. It
is probable, that the Philosophers who wrote concerning this
wonderful Salt, had no knowledge of any other, supposing that this
Salt only was proper to extract and prepare Tinctures. I must
acknowledge there is no Salt in the World, that hath such virtue to
encrease and exalt the Tincture in common as well as Philosophical
☉ and ☽, and that as it were in a moment, as soon as the Monarch
of Salts is added to them. Neither doth our Salt only exalt, but it also
joyns the King of Metals so indissolubly with his Queen, that no Art
can separate them. A thing worth our wonder, that a Volatile white
Salt should have the power to meliorate ☉ and ☽, and to exalt the
same permanently. For to give some further light to the matter, I
declare, that this Salt of which the Turba speaks, doth sublime
white, and being dissolved in Water, gives a white Solution: It is
white, and continues white both in and out of the Fire, and is
altogether Volatile, for which reason I have called it my Secret Salt
Armoniack; but as soon as it is join’d with ☉ or ☽ it becomes fix, and
makes the ☉ and ☽ fixer than they were before, affording them a
kind of plusquam perfection, and inseparable Conjunction. Let none
think that this Salt of which I here speak, is like, or the same with
that, which is made of Oyl of Vitriol and Spirit of Urine, of which I
have treated in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopæa Spagyrica; for
this our Sovereign Salt has no affinity with that, for as much as that
Salt makes all things Volatile, and separates their purer part by
Sublimation from the gross fæces, but this our white Salt, though it
be unfixt it self, yet has the power to fix unfixt Metals, so as to
endure the Test, provided always that the virtue of this unfixt Salt,
be first fixed by its conjunction with ☉ and ☽. For the whole
substance of this Salt (which the Philosophers have called a Bishop
or High Priest) when ☉ and ☽ as King and Queen are inseparably
join’d by it, doth not abide with the ☉ and ☽, but only by its hidden
Tincture and Virtue, whereby it exalts all colours, the unprofitable
body of the Salt separating from them, as soon as the Conjunction is
made, even as a Priest, when he has join’d two Persons in Wedlock
goes his way, having performed his Office. And indeed this
inseparable Conjunction of ☉ and ☽, may well be compared with the
Conjunction in Marriage performed by a Priest; for as when the
Priest has join’d two Parties together in Wedlock, they must
inseparably continue so till death; so likewise when the Metallic
Copulation of ☉ and ☽ is performed by means of our Metallick High
Priest, consecrated by Jupiter, then are their Bodies thence forward
inseperable; the Water finds no ingress into them, the Air cannot
pierce them, and Earth much less, yea, the strongest of all Elements,
the Fire hath no power over them, but, like a Married Couple, abide
together in all contrariety and adversity, and according to their Kind
do multiply in infinitum, being supported with due Food and
Nourishment; for we know, that except we be refreshed and
strengthened with Meat and Drink, we can neither live nor multiply;
the multiplying virtue in many and all Creatures proceeding from the
Nourishment they take in. And the same we are to understand also
concerning the Metallick Multiplication, for when ☉ and ☽ are
permanently conjoined, by means of the Metallick High Priest, this
alone is not sufficient in order to their multiplication, but they
moreover must be supported with convenient Meat and Drink. And
as Man at his first coming into the World is nourish’d with his
Mothers Milk, in like manner the Philosophers do feed their ☉ and ☽
with their Mothers Milk, that is, with their first Essence, from whence
they deriv’d their Original. Now we know that in contemptible
Antimony, the first Ens of ☉, is copiously to be found, and may with
ease be drawn thence, in the appearance of Milk, with which ☉ and
☽ are to be nourished in order to their Multiplication and Increase.
The Nourishment then wherewith our conjoined ☉ and ☽ are to be
refreshed, and disposed to a Multiplication in infinitum, is our Lac
Virginis, Virgin Milk and Mercurial Water, which strengthens and
increaseth the Procreative Seed in ☉ and ☽ both in quantity and
quality. Wherefore also this feeding or inceration has always been
recommended by the Philosophers, as a most necessary thing,
whereby, as it were, a new life, and multiplying virtue is
communicated to the inseparably united ☉ and ☽.
Furthermore we are to know, that after common ☉ and ☽ by
means of the Salt of Art, are inseparably conjoined and exalted in
their colours; yet nothing can be performed with them, because they
want an ingress into other Metals, which they have lost by their
Conjunction, which therefore must be restored to them by means of
our mercurial Water, which not only communicates Ingress, but also
easie Fluxibility and Multiplication to the destroyed Bodies of ☉ and
☽. For when our ☿ Water is fixed in Conjunction with the fixt ☉ and
☽, then it is no longer a Volatile ☿, but is changed by the exalted ☉
and ☽ to a fixt Tincture. This done, if we would multiply this
Tincture, we must add to it some of our Mercurial Water, and fix
them together as before, which Multiplication we may repeat as oft
as we please. For when once ☉ and ☽ are made irreducible and
more than perfect, by means of our Salt of Art, we need never after
to begin our Work a-new, but only mingle the fixt with the volatile in
order to their Fixation; seeing that our Mercurial Water is in its inside
better than ☉, for which reason also it turns the ☉ and ☽ when fixed
with them into mere Tincture. Let no Man wonder why in this
Operation we join ☉ and ☽ together, and not rather make use of ☉
alone, forasmuch as this ☽ hath no colour at all outwardly, though in
its inside it be higher of colour than ☉ it self, both which Metals
nevertheless, except their colours be exalted by the Salt of Art, and
Inceration, without our Mercurial Water can never be changed into a
true Tincture, because ☉ and ☽ have no mere Tinctures than is
sufficient for themselves, but being exalted by the tinging Salt of Art,
they are capable of colouring white Metals, but not before. Indeed ☉
alone without the addition of ☽ may be exalted by our Salt of Art,
and Mercurial Water into a Red Tincture. In like manner also may ☽
alone be exalted in its whiteness by our Salt of Art, and ☿, one part
of which exalted ☽ tingeth many parts of ♀ into good and fixt ☽♀,
for our ☿ wherewith we incerate and multiply, may be fixed into a
Red or White Tincture, according to the ferment we join with it, with
☉ it makes a red, and with ☽ a white Tincture. However the best
way is to put ☉ and ☽ ♀ together in due weight and proportion,
exalting them with the Salt of Art, by which means the whiteness in
☽ ♀ when join’d with ☉, becomes changed into Redness, of which
mine Eyes are Witness. Of this Exaltation of ☉ into a high purple
colour, and of ☽ ♀ into the highest whiteness, I gave an Ocular
Demonstration to some of my Friends, before my Sickness, but none
of them have since undertaken the Work, and my self by Sickness
have been hindered hitherto.
Ovid excellently describes the preparation of this Tincture, where
he tells us, that Jupiter, having chang’d himself into a Golden Rain,
fell through the Tiles into the Lap of Danaë, (shut up by her Father
Acrisius King of the Argives in a strong Tower) and got her with
Child, of whom afterwards Perseus was born, who in process of time
being mounted on the Winged Horse Pegasus, killed the Sea-
Monster, delivering the fair Andromeda, whom he took to Wife; and
afterwards vanquished the Gorgons, and made himself Master of the
Golden-fruit-bearing-Orchard. In which Fable the whole Work is
clearly and punctually described, but the reason why it is so little
understood, is, because so few makes it their business to consider
thereof, or put their hands to the Work. For attentively considering
the matter, we find that the King of the Argives, in the sense of the
Philosophers, is our Black Lead, whence we prepare our Snow-white
Virgin Milk or Mercurial Water, which is the Beautiful Danaë, that
becomes inpregnate by Jupiter’s Golden Rain. Archivum signifies a
Treasury of secret and important Records, and no Subjects contains
more secrets, than doth our Black Magnesia. What is more lovely to
behold than Jupiter’s Golden Rain, whereby the fair Danaë becomes
impregnate? And from whence does this Rain proceed, but from our
Salt of Art, without which it were impossible for ♃ to change the ☉
into such a desirable Rain? What is the Beautiful Andromeda else,
but Diana the Consort of Apollo, who is exposed to the Sea-Monster
to be devoured, and is delivered by Perseus. And, in a word, the
whole Work of preparing a Tincture from the foresaid Subjects is so
clearly set down by Ovid, as it could not well be set down more
clearly; and yet how little is it understood, by reason of the general
Stupidity and inadvertency of the Readers. I have here discovered all
the ingredients belonging to this Tincture, so as nothing remains,
except putting hand to the Work, and begging God’s Blessing upon
it: For no good thing was ever the effect of idleness: But Praying,
Seeking, and unwearied Labour, are the Well-Springs of all useful
Arts.
And herewith I shall conclude the use of the Salt of Art, in
preparing the universal Tincture upon all Metals, transmuting the
same into ☉ and ☽♀. I suppose it hath been sufficiently made out,
that the foretold Elias Artista is nothing else, but this our Salt of Art,
whereby the Redness in ☉, and Whiteness in ☽ ♀ are exalted into
Tincture. Wherefore also this Salt, by those who know its use, has
been called the Monarch of Salts: For every Species of things hath
its Monarch, excelling all the rest of the same kind; upon which
account, Paracelsus, who in his Life-time had not his Peer, obtain’d
the Title of Philosophers, Physicians and Monarch of Chymists.
Forasmuch therefore, as our Salt of Art hath not its like in the World,
for working Wonders in Alchimy, it may well be call’d the King of
Salts: Tho’ indeed there be one only Salt which excels him, as far as
Elias excell’d his Servant Elisha: For as Elias went up to Heaven in a
fiery Chariot, leaving his Mantle to Elisha, so this Salt may more
properly be compared to Elisha than Elias, because Elisha staid here
beneath, and did not ascend to Heaven, as Elias did. Now the
Chymists generally prefer that, which ascends by the force of the
Fire, before that which stays behind, tho’ this Rule be not without
Exceptions; for that which remains is not always to be rejected,
because sometimes much good lies hid in it: As we may perceive in
Elias his Ascension to Heaven, who left his Mantle behind, which was
not without Virtue, as appeared when Elisha with it divided the River
Jordan, going over dry-shod. The Chymists commonly call that which
remains after Distillation, or Sublimation, Caput Mortuum, but
without good ground, because in that which stays behind, often a
great vivifying Virtue lies hid. This we may gather from the Virtue
(as has been said) remaining in the Mantle of Elias, and in the dead
bones of Elisha, which as soon as it touch’d the dead Body, raised it
again to Life: If Elias his Mantle had been a dead thing, Elisha could
never have divided Jordan therewith, nor could Elisha’s bones have
raised the dead to Life, if they had been dead and without Power.
Consider well what I have said, and you will find more in it, than I
dare more plainly declare; remembring always, that Jordan is
nothing else, but our ☿ Water.

Concerning the Salt of Art.

Having already heard, how by means of the fixative Salt of Art,
common ☉ and ☽♀ may be prepared into a Tincture, for the cure of
Men and Metals; it now remains to be declared, how, by means of
the Volatilizing Salt of Art, most excellent Medicines may with ease,
and small Charges, in a very short time be prepared, out of all
Vegetables, Animals and Minerals. We are here to take Notice, as
has been already hinted, that the Property of our Salt of Art, is, to
make the volatile Metallick Subjects fixt; of which fixative Property,
notwithstanding it may in a few hours, easily and without Charges
be devested, and a Power of Volatilizing all things introduced into it,
instead thereof, by which, incredible things may then be performed,
both in Physick and Alchimy. Of which Wonder-working Salt, the
present World knows nothing at all, and probably nothing will be
known of it, till God shall permit it to be revealed by Elias the Artist.
What I know of it, I am willing to communicate for common Good,
not doubting, but that God in his due time by means of Good men
will reveal the rest. To volatize this fixative Salt of Art, is an easie
thing to the Wise, but to the Ignorant altogether incredible; though
it be no difficult thing to me, to make it credible and apparent, which
if thou wouldest do likewise, proceed thus: Pour upon our Salt of
Art, in due proportion good Spirit of Wine, which draw off by
Distillation, and you will have a wonderful Spirit, of great Virtue; but
you will find your Salt of Art so weakened, as it cannot be used
again: But the Spirit of Wine, impregnated with the Virtue of the
Salt, performs Wonders, that were never yet made known to the
World, of which we shall hear more hereafter. For the Spirit of Wine
in this abstraction hath its Virtue multiplied ten fold, so as it not only
extracts the Essence of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, both
easily and suddenly, carrying them over the Helm; but also extracts
the Tinctures from ☉ and ☽, and all precious and common Stones,
and brings them over. Of which Extraction and Separation of the
tinging Soul from fixt and unfixt Bodies, no Philosopher hitherto hath
divulged any thing. Let us now take a view of the great Secrets,
which may be obtained by means of our Alcolized Spirit of Wine.
Paracelsus had an Alcolized Spirit of Wine, which he called Alcohol
vini, with which he did great things; but it is not likely, that his
Alcohol vini was of the same Virtue, as mine here described; for if
so, it could not have been so long concealed. However it be, we
cannot deny Paracelsus the Title of Monarch of Physicians and
Alchymists, though he may have been ignorant of our Salt of Art,
with which our Alcohol vini is prepared; for no Body knows all
things; and God bestows his Gifts, as best pleaseth him.
But to our return to our Alcohol vini, and the manner of using it.
First we are to take Notice, that as for Vegetables and Animals, they
are to be reduced to Powder, if they be dry, but if fresh, they need
only to be a little bruised or chopt, and then pour upon them our
Alcohol vini; if the Subjects be dry, we may digest a while before
abstraction, but in Case they be moist, we may distil the Spirit
immediately, which carries over with it all the Virtue of the said
Vegetables and Animals, together with the Taste and Smell, and
poured upon Flowers, and distill’d, sometimes brings over their
Colours also, which hitherto hath been looked upon as very difficult,
if not impossible. But before we make use of it upon Minerals, we
must prepare them, for our Alcohol vini is not strong enough to lay
hold on hard Minerals, and compact Metals, so as to extract their
Essences, and therefore they must be first opened with Waters, that
are not Corrosive, and afterwards be digested with our Alcohol vini
and then distilled; which being performed in this Order, the Alcohol
will carry their Essences with it over the Helm. This is the true
Preparation of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, in order to the
extracting of your Essences, by means of our Alcohol vini. But here
we must observe, that this Preparation of fixt Metals, by opening of
their Bodies, must be done with fixt Liquors, and not Volatile; for if
the dissolvent were Volatile, it would come over in Distillation with
the Spirit of Wine, and spoil all; because after Distillation, the Spirit
of Wine must be separated from the Essence it hath brought over
with it; now if the dissolvent, by being Volatile, should come over the
Helm, it would remain with the Medicine, and consequently spoil it.
We are therefore to remember, that this dissolvent must be Firey,
not Corrosive, without any Smell or bad Taste: The dissolvent being
as necessary to our Work, as is the Spirit of Wine it self: Wherefore
he who intends to plant good Fruit, in this Gold-bearing Orchard,
must be provided with both these Keys, viz. with a Menstruum, not
Corrosive, to dissolve Metals and Minerals, and with a well prepared
Alcolized Spirit of Wine, without which, he cannot obtain the
Tincture of Metals.
Having thus spoken of the foregoing Preparation of Vegetable,
Animals and Minerals, in general: I shall now proceed to shew in
particular, how out of them most surpassing, and excellent Medicines
may be prepared.
And first to begin with Vegetables; their Essences are to be
distilled in Balneo, with a moderate heat, changing the Recipient
when it is needful: For that which comes over, first is of another
Nature, than that which distils next, and that again differs from that
which comes last. There are some Vegetables, that first give their
best part, and the worst last, whereas in others, the worst comes
first, and the best stays till the last. For the rest, it is easily
apprehended, that the Virtue of Flowers and Herbs; especially when
green and tender, doth more easily yield to Distillation, and come
over sooner than the Essence of hard Wood, which is more closely
shut up in its Body. He that proceeds aright in this Work, will meet
with great delight and Satisfaction, and bless God for the
Communication of this Light. For our Alcolized Spirit of Wine brings
over Vegetable Essences, of a most fragrant Odour, which common
Spirit of Wine can never do: We may indeed extract Vegetables, and
Minerals with common Spirit of Wine, but cannot carry the said
extracted Essences over the Helm: Which extracts made with
common Spirit of Wine, are not to be compared with those, which
our Alcohol vini brings over with it, differing as much as the shell
from the kernel. For our Essences, as soon as they are taken into the
Body, penetrate it throughout, passing every where to find out their
Enemies, and when found Attack, and put them to flight, which
gross Medicines cannot perform. The like Virtue is also in those ☿
Salts, Tinctures or Souls of Metals, that come over in the flame of
the distilled Spirit of Wine, which also penetrate the Body
throughout, chasing their Enemies before them; and the Tinctures of
Stones in the same manner prepared do the like. Which we must not
so understand, as if the Alcolized Spirit of Wine were to be taken
into the Body, together with the Tincture, for indeed it must be
separated from it. As for instance, when I have brought over the
Quintessence of Flints or Crystals, with our Alcohol vini, and have a
mind to make use of it against the Stone in the Bladder or Kidneys,
or Stones that are grown in the joynts, I must not exhibit this
Essence, as it is mixed with the Spirit of Wine, for if so, the good
effect, that might be looked for from the Essence, would be spoiled
by the great heat of the Spirit of Wine, which is the reason the same
must be separated from the Essence, before it can be given
inwardly. Now this Separation cannot be done by Distillation,
because both would come over together. Neither can the Tincture, or
Essence of the Stone, be separated from the Spirit of Wine, by
Precipitation. What is to be done therefore in this Case? The only
way to attain our desire is, to kindle the burning Spirit, and let it
flame away under a large and capacious Helm or Head, made for
that purpose; by which means the Spirit of Wine is consumed in the
flame, and the incombustible Essence of Crystal remains in form of a
sweet and pleasant Oyl. We are also to note, that in this burning
away of the Spirit of Wine, the Sulphur of Wine only is consumed,
and the incombustible ☿ of Wine, being condensed in the Head, falls
into the Receiver, in the appearance of a sweet Water. [see more of
this instrument in the Sixth Part of Phar. Spagyr.]
N. B. We are to observe, that the most highly rectified Spirit of
Wine, is much about half water, which water ascends with the flame,
and is caught in the Recipient. Yet is not this ⛛ any common ⛛, but
indeed a powerful ⛛ of Life, especially when the Spirit of Wine hath
been rectified from Aromatical, or Medicinal Subjects, but even
without this, it is of very good use, because the incombustible ☿ of
Wine lies hid in it, and may be separated from it, by abstracting the
said ⛛ in a very gentle vaporous Bath, which done, the ☿ of Wine
stays behind, in the form of a white lovely Salt, full of heavenly
Powers and Virtues: For which cause this Salt or ☿ of Wine, hath
been always termed by the Philosophers, Heavenly Salt.
It is likewise to be noted, that after the ⛛ is abstracted from the
Spirit of Wine, the said ⛛ is not devoid of all Virtue, as invisibly
containing some part of the foresaid Heavenly Salt, especially if the
Spirit of Wine in its Rectification, hath been impregnated with
Spices, or other good Subjects: For according to the different
impregnation of the Spirit of Wine, the Heavenly Salt, or ☿ of Wine,
will be more or less powerful. Thus we have seen in what manner
the Essences of Flints and Chrystals are to be prepared, with the
help of our Alcohol vini.
When this Spirit of Wine Crystallized is kindled and burnt away
under a large Head, the greatest part of the Essence of Crystals
remains behind, in the form of a pleasant clear Liquor, which is the
most Sovereign Medicine against all Diseases proceeding from
Tartar, viz. Stone in the Bladder, Kidneys and other parts of the
Body, which it dissolves, and carries off. But the most pure part of
the Crystals mounts with the flame into the Helm, in form of a clear
Water, which when abstracted in a vaporous Bath the ☿ of Crystals
stays behind, in form of a lovely white Salt, which is of far greater
power in the Stone, Gout, and like Diseases, than the fixt Oyl or
Liquor, which remains in the Vessel after the Spirit of Wine is burnt
away. In like manner, we may proceed with other Stones. Yet we are
to understand, that all Stones have not the same Nature or Property:
Thus we find Several sorts of Crystal, viz. some White, Transparent
and clear, others White, but Opake and dark, also Green, Blew,
Yellow, Red, and Black Crystals, all which by the help of Salts, are
melted into Glass of several Colours. Amongst these Crystals are also
reckoned. Flints, Pebbles, Gravel and Sand, which likewise suffer
themselves with Salts to be melted into Glass. All these
forementioned Stones, may with Alkalick Salts be melted, and
afterwards by Deliquium be resolved into a Liquor, concerning which
Liquors, I have treated at large in the Second Part of my Furnaces.
These Stones that suffer themselves to be melted, with the
Addition of Alkalies, may also, with Lead-ashes, be reduced to
transparent Glass. Whereas precious Stones, viz. Diamonds, Rubies,
Saphirs, Jacinths, Granates, &c. are of a quite different Nature,
which neither by Alkalies, nor Lead, can be run down into Glass:
Wherefore also none have been found hitherto, that have been able
from them to prepare any good Medicine, as not yielding to the most
Corrosive Waters whatsoever.
N. B. And though indeed, I know a way to dissolve them without
any Corrosive, yet do not I think it proper, to Communicate the same
in this publick manner.
There is another sort of Stones, which are commonly found in Rich
and fat Earth, and sometimes also in Rivers or Brooks, such as Lapis
Judaicus, Lyncis and others, which being not very hard, may be
dissolved in good Spirit of Salt, which Solutions are by some of our
common Chymists used against the Stone, but without any good
Success, forasmuch as the Body of the Stone is not at all meliorated
by being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, but rather made worse; because
by this means, there is no Separation of the pure from the impure.
But if any Man will take the pains to reduce these Stones into
Essences, in the way before specified, he will find them much more
available in all sorts of Tartarous Distempers.
There are also several kinds of Lime-stone, which cannot be
melted with Addition of Alkalies, or the Ashes of Lead, but by a
strong Fire are burnt into Lime. Amongst which Lime-Stones, we
may reckon the Ludus of Van Helmont, which like other Limestones,
may be sublimed with our strong ♓ , and afterwards reduced into a
Liquor, of which I have treated elsewhere, and particularly in the
Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica. Out of these Stones,
after they have been first burnt into Lime, a most excellent Medicine
may be prepared against all kinds of the Gout: Basil Valentine
assuring us, that he with Essence of quick Lime, cured the
Chancellor of the Emperour of Germany of the Gout: Which we may
the rather believe, because Basil Valentine knew the way of
separating the ☿ from the Spirit of Wine, by enkindling it; and hath
also described an instrument of Copper, for performing that
Operation: And knowing all this, he could not be unacquainted, that
the Essence of Quick-lime, being united with Spirit of Wine, and
afterwards meliorated, and putrified by burning it away, was
separable from it, which he having reduced to Practice, obtained this
excellent Medicine for curing of the Gout.
We are further to know, that there be other, and better Stones, to
prepare an universal Medicine against the Gout and Stone, by means
of our Alcohol vini, after they have been first burnt into Lime, viz.
Oyster shells, which, being burnt afford a Lime that is very Caustick;
and of a like Nature are all Sea-productions, viz. the Stones that are
found in Spunges, all sorts of Coral, Pearl, and Mother of Pearl, all
which may be reduced by Fire, into a Lime of great and excellent
use.
But above all other Stones, I esteem those that are found in
Beasts, Birds, Fishes or Man, which being reduced into a Calx, and
their Essences extracted with our Alcohol Vini, may then be brought
into a pleasant Liquor of great Use.
Amongst Fishes, the best Stones are found in Haddocks and
Whitings, Crabs Eyes also are very good, but must be calcined
before they can be of any good use in Physick; for without that, they
are more proper to generate the Stone, than to expel it.
Having thus declared, how, from some Stones, good Medicaments
may be prepared against the Gout and Stone both of the Bladder
and Kidney; we will next shew, what kind of Stones are proper to be
extracted with our Alcohol Vini, in order to the obtaining of true
Tinctures for Men and Metals. For all Stones that have good fixt
colours, are not therefore fit to have their Tinctures extracted;
because some of the Precious Stones are too costly, though we
should only make use of their Fragments. Some will not submit to
any Operation, viz. Granates, Saphires, Rubies, Jacinths, Emralds,
Turkoises, &c. though they abound with much fixt Tincture; whereas
all those Stones which are high of colour, and suffer themselves to
be dissolved, are proper for this work, because without preceding
Solution, it is impossible to extract the Tincture from hard and
compact Bodies: Wherefore we must make choice of Stones that are
soluble, and abound with fixt Tincture, viz. Green and Red Jasper
Stones, Lapis Lazuli, and the Black Magnesia which contain
abundance of Solar Tincture. All Stones likewise that are high
coloured, and break smooth like Glass, whether found on Mountains
or in Brooks, are good for this purpose.
It was because of this Solar Tincture abounding in the Jasper
Stone, that the Ancients preferr’d it before ☉, as containing a most
high and excellent Tincture. A very rich Tincture may also be
extracted from the Lapis Lazuli; and from the Black Magnesia,
(which is not costly) a richer. Let us therefore take this despised
Stone in hand, and see how easily its Tincture, by means of our
Alcohol Vini may be extracted, and what uses it serves for, as well in
Physick as Alchimy.

The P R O C E S S.

℞. One pound or two of black and ponderous Magnesia, pulverize

the same, and dissolve it in our Universal Stone-Water,
wherewith all hard Stones may be dissolved, and thou wilt have a
Solution of a Grass-green-colour, filter it, and in case thou hast
proceeded aright, the undissolved fæces will be of small quantity.
Now is thy Solution ready to have our Alcohol Vini pour’d upon it,
in order to the extracting of its Tincture, and carrying it over the
Helm.
N. B. That notwithstanding the Solution be at first of a green
colour, yet the Spirit of Wine in Distillation comes over yellow as Sol.
And when the Spirit of Wine is kindled under a large head, the pure
Mercury of the Magnesia ascends with the flame, which is of great
use in Physick; and a Blood-red Liquor stays behind, being not only
a Tincture for the Bodies of Men and Metals, but also by means of
the same may Crystals be tinged with several fair colours, so as to
resemble Precious Stones in all things, except hardness. I dare not
set down here the manner of applying this Tincture to white Metals,
he to whom God vouchsafes this Tincture, will easily find out the use
of it.