DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous

Candida Phoenix Philosophica

The White Philosophical Phoenix

Explore the Lexicon
Candida Phoenix PhilosophicaPart II — Chapter 4: Generation of Metals

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

English Page · Branch 156 of 411

Part II — Chapter 4: Generation of Metals

German & Latin

109

Sonderlich aber haben meines nochmahligen Bedunckens die jenige / welche dem Bernhardo nach- oder gleich gearbeitet / auß denen in sothanem Proceß sich begebenden Veränderungen / der Farben und Gestalten unsers Subjecti, auch die Veränderung der Metallen conjecturirt: Ja gantz darvor gehalten / daß der Mercurius erstlich zu Bley / nachmals zu Zinn / ferner zu Silber / dann zu Kupffer / und wiederumb zu Eisen / und letzlich zu Gold werde.

109

Candida Phoenix Philosophica: Part II — Chapter 4: Generation of Metals

109

In particular, I judge that those who worked according to Bernard, or in the same manner, inferred a corresponding transformation of metals from the changes in colour and appearance undergone by our subject during that process. They fully believed that Mercury first becomes lead, then tin, then silver, then copper, then iron and finally gold.

109

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.