The nature of the star of iron.

The nature of the star of lead.

The nature of the star of quicksilver.

As for their true signs, I wish you to know that our red tincture, which contains the stars of gold, is a substance fixed beyond every steadfastness, penetrating with the greatest readiness and intensely red. In powder it resembles saffron in colour, but as a whole body it resembles a ruby. It melts like resin, is transparent like crystal, brittle like glass and very heavy. The white tincture, containing the stars of the Moon, is likewise a fixed substance, unchangeable in increase, intensely white, fluid like resin, transparent like crystal and brittle like glass, corresponding in weight to diamond. The star of copper is intensely citron-coloured, like emerald, melting like resin yet much heavier than its metal. The star of tin is very white like resin, somewhat opaque and tinged with yellow. The star of iron is remarkably red, transparent like garnet, melting like resin, brittle like glass, of a fixed substance and much heavier than its metal. The star of lead is black like cobalt, yet transparent, fluid like resin, brittle like glass, equal in weight to gold and heavier than other lead. The star of quicksilver is brilliantly white and flashing, like snow in extreme cold, of a very subtle, penetrating and corrosive sharpness, transparent like crystal, readily flowing like resin, extremely cold to touch yet inwardly intensely hot, as though fiery; it is also volatile and of a very fugitive substance in fire.

You must recognise the stars of metals according to this description and understand at the same time that preparing either tincture, red or white, requires taking at the beginning not the body of gold or the Moon but their first being. If an error is committed at the beginning, all the work and labour will be ruined.

Concerning metals, one must also hold that each discloses in fire a particular sign by which it is recognised. Such signs are sparks, flames, flashing, the colour of the fire, smell and taste. Thus in the reverberation of gold and silver on a test or cupel, the genuine sign is a flash. When it appears, it is certain that lead and the other accessory metals have departed in fumes and the gold and silver are fully purified. Iron heated intensely white in the furnace discloses clear, transparent sparks flying upwards as its signs. When these appear, unless the iron is immediately taken from the fire, it burns like straw.

Signs of which of the three first principles metals contain most abundantly.

In the same way every earthly body displays its own distinct signs in fire, showing whether it contains mercury, sulphur or salt, and which of these three principles it contains most abundantly. If it smokes before burning with a flame, that signifies more mercury than sulphur. If it immediately burns with a flame and is consumed without any smoke, that signifies much sulphur and no mercury, or very little, concealed within it. You see this in fatty substances such as fat, oil, resin and the like. If it passes away in smoke without any flame, that signifies much mercury and little or no sulphur. You see this in herbs, flowers and other vegetable substances and volatile bodies, such as minerals and metals still in their first being and not yet mixed with bodily sulphur, which emit only smoke and no flame. Minerals and metals which emit neither smoke nor flame in fire, neither smoking away nor burning, indicate an equal mixture of mercury and sulphur and a fixation and perfection of strength beyond all steadfastness.

On Some Particular Signs of Natural and Supernatural Things.

What signature is.

Adam the first signator.

Hebrew as the language of nature.