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Anonymous

Candida Phoenix Philosophica

The White Philosophical Phoenix

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Candida Phoenix PhilosophicaPart II — Chapter 7: Other Waters and Philosophical Earth

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English Page · Branch 256 of 411

Part II — Chapter 7: Other Waters and Philosophical Earth

Book Mode

German & Latin

169–170

Deßgleichen redt gedachter Artista auch gar recht / wann er spricht / die Philosophi hättens nicht anzeigen wollen / (wie bald das Werck zu verfertigen) massen sichs auch nicht eigentlich thun lässt: Dann es ist zwar waar / daß / wie vor gedacht / die Natur ihre Zeit hält / und vor der Zeit nichts herfür bringt / als nemblich und zum Exempel / daß man im Frühling nicht erndten / und im Sommer nicht Wein lesen kan &c. Es gibt aber dannoch die Erfahrung / daß nach deme die Sonne viel oder wenig scheinet / je einmahl die Früchten und Weintrauben eher / oder langsamer zeitig werden / weder das andere mahl. Eben also ists auch mit diesem Werck beschaffen / und nach deme man fleissig oder unfleissig ist / das Regiment des Feuers recht oder unrecht führet / wird das Werck eher / oder langsamer verfertigt / auch wohl gar verderbt.

169–170

Candida Phoenix Philosophica: Part II — Chapter 7: Other Waters and Philosophical Earth

169–170

The practitioner is also quite right when he says that the philosophers would not reveal how soon the work is completed, for this cannot be stated precisely. Nature indeed keeps its time and brings forth nothing before it: one cannot, for example, reap in spring or gather grapes in summer. Yet experience shows that fruits and grapes ripen earlier or later in one season than another, according to how much or how little the sun shines. So it is with this work. Depending on the operator’s diligence or negligence, and on whether the governance of the fire is conducted rightly or wrongly, the work is completed sooner or later—or may even be entirely spoiled.

169–170

About This Reading Edition

An anonymous Hermetic treatise of 1680, presented in its original German and Latin with a new English translation, 279 explanatory notes, the historical phoenix frontispiece, an introduction, reading guide, outline, glossary, bibliography, and original registers.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Candida Phoenix philosophica. Frankfurt am Main: Christian Hermsdorff, 1680. The chosen witness is the Wellcome Library copy digitized as b32993456; German and Latin, with French, Greek, and Hebrew passages retained.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The 1680 source is identified as public domain by the Wellcome/Internet Archive record. The supplied 2026 transcription, English translation, introduction, notes, reading guide, outline, glossary, bibliography, and editorial arrangement are published with the site owner’s authorization. The frontispiece is retained from the supplied edition and credited to its historical witness.