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Anonymous

Candida Phoenix Philosophica

The White Philosophical Phoenix

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Candida Phoenix PhilosophicaPart I — Theorem VII

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Facing Pages · Branch 51 of 411

Part I — Theorem VII

Book Mode

German & Latin

35–36

Also ist es nicht weniger hiermit in unserer Kunst beschaffen / da wir zwar die drey: Mercurius, Sulphur und Sal genannte Principia, jedes absonderlich extrahiren und scheiden. Es ist aber der Mercurius nicht absque Sulphure und Sale, der Sulphur nicht absque Sale & Mercurio, und das Sal nicht absque Mercurio und Sulphure. Welches unser Philosophisches truckenes / die Hand nicht nätzendes Wasser zugleich die Schale / und das vehiculum ist / vermittelst dessen / wir diesen dreyfach- oder dreyeckichten Geist zur Hand und Gesicht bringen / und in dreyen unterschiedlichen Gestalten vor Augen stellen / auch sonsten unserer Kunst gemeeß tractiren können. Und solche Schale mag so wenig von den andern Elementen / als dieselbe von diesem geschieden werden; Inmassen der jenige / der sich die Elementen zu scheiden einbilden und rühmen / sich selbsten und andere betrügen wird.

35–36

Candida Phoenix Philosophica: Part I — Theorem VII

35–36

It is the same in our art. We do indeed extract and separate individually the three principles called Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt. Yet Mercury is not without Sulfur and Salt, Sulfur not without Salt and Mercury, and Salt not without Mercury and Sulfur. Our philosophical dry water, which does not wet the hand, is at the same time the shell and vehicle through which we bring this threefold or triangular spirit within reach of hand and sight, presenting it to the eyes in three different forms and treating it according to our art. This shell can no more be separated from the other elements than they can from it. Anyone who imagines and boasts that he separates the elements will deceive himself and others.

35–36

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.