Nine Books on the Nature of Things

All natural things have a twofold generation: one occurs naturally without art; the other occurs through art, namely alchemy. Yet in general it could be said that everything is generated naturally from the earth with the help of putrefaction. Putrefaction is the highest stage and the first beginning of generation. Putrefaction itself begins in moist heat. Continuous moist heat produces putrefaction and changes every natural thing from its first form and essence, and likewise from its powers and efficacy, into something else. Just as putrefaction in the stomach changes and reduces all food to dung, so putrefaction in glass outside the stomach changes everything from one form into another, from one essence into another, from one colour into another, from one smell into another, from one virtue into another, from one force into another, from one property into another, and altogether from one quality into another. It is evident, and confirmed by daily experience, that many good things which are wholesome and medicinal become bad, unwholesome and sheer poison after putrefaction. Conversely, many bad, unwholesome, poisonous and harmful things become good after their putrefaction, lose all their harmfulness and become excellent medicines. Putrefaction brings forth great things. We have a fine example in the holy Gospel, where Christ says: Unless a grain of wheat is cast into the field and putrefies, it cannot bear a hundredfold fruit. From this we must understand that many things multiply in putrefaction so as to bear excellent fruit. Putrefaction is the change and death of all things and the destruction of the first essence of every natural thing; from it there emerges for us a regeneration and a new generation a thousand times better, and so forth.