A New Light of Alchemy

6Bring about such an operation in our earth that the central heat can turn water into air, letting it emerge into the world’s plain and scatter the residue through the earth’s pores, as I said. Then, on the opposite side, the air will turn into water much more subtle than the first. It will happen in this way. Give our old man gold and silver to swallow, so that he consumes them. Finally, as he too is to die, let him be burned and his ashes scattered into water. Cook these until enough has been done, and you have a medicine for curing leprosy. Observe at least this: do not take the cold for the hot, or the hot for the cold. Mix natures with natures. If anything is contrary to nature—and you need one nature—separate it, so that nature may resemble nature. Do this with fire, not by hand. Know that unless you follow nature, everything is vain. Thus, by holy God, I have told you what a father owes his son. Whoever has ears, let him hear; whoever has understanding, let him attend.