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Anonymous

Candida Phoenix Philosophica

The White Philosophical Phoenix

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Candida Phoenix PhilosophicaPart II — Chapter 6: Rainwater as a Subject

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Facing Pages · Branch 221 of 411

Part II — Chapter 6: Rainwater as a Subject

Book Mode

German & Latin

147–148

So habe ich zwar in einem uhralten zu Löwenstein gefundenen und von einem guten Freund mir abschrifftlich communicirten Scripto, gelesen: Von dem aqua ☿ mercke / wenn ich sage von aqua ☿ / so meyne ich nicht den gemeinen ☿ / sondern den Mercurium der Philosophen / das ist der Mercurius, der da ist eine rothe Substanz, loßgezogen mitten von der mineren. Wie auch jene Sendivogianische Wort bekannt: Si ad genua usque foderis foveam &c.

Es sagt aber wiederumb ein anderer Spruch: So balden unsere Materia die Erde berührt / so ist sie zu unserer Kunst nichts mehr nutz.

147–148

Candida Phoenix Philosophica: Part II — Chapter 6: Rainwater as a Subject

147–148

I have indeed read in a very old manuscript found at Löwenstein, which a good friend communicated to me in a copy: “Concerning mercurial water, note that when I speak of mercurial water, I do not mean ordinary mercury, but the Mercury of the philosophers. This Mercury is a red substance, drawn free from the midst of the mine.” The familiar words of Sendivogius are also known: “If you dig a pit as deep as your knees,” and so forth.

Yet another maxim says: “As soon as our matter touches the earth, it is no longer of any use for our art.”

147–148

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.