As far as matter is concerned, it comes from the four elements. As for form, heaven informs the quality already contained in the element; through this, over a long time and through purification, the form becomes noble. But this takes place through me alone: I am the mistress of the work, and no human being otherwise knows the way. For even if an artist already knew how to treat things, proportion the elements, how much fire, air, water and earth to use and where to obtain them, how rightly to mingle contrary things so that they possess nothing beyond their substances, and how to impart influence to their essences or beings, he would still be unable to make not merely iron or lead but even anything less. How then could he make gold unless he stole my treasure from me? It does not lie within the power of his handling or art: he must know my art, which is natural and cannot be made by human hands. Although the whole world regards gold as the most splendid thing and everyone seeks their treasure in it, it heals neither disease nor impurity in the metals, for it transmutes none to its own end. Nor can it soften glass so that it melts, as the philosophers’ Stone can otherwise do. It is only the best and most perfect among the metals. Since, following my example, you cannot make a little lead, little grains, a fruit from a plant, or even something less, such as iron, how could you make the more splendid thing from which ducats and rose nobles are coined? If you say you do not want to make gold but only something alchemical, I answer that you are even more foolish than before. Have you not understood my statement that my secrets have been denied you? What Nature is to perform cannot be made by the creature. Moreover, since I have made gold one of the most perfect among the seven metals, and you do not understand this work of mine, how dare you undertake to make that which perfects the imperfect, within which I have placed the art of transmuting the whole being of metals into fine gold, my dearest treasure given to me by God? How lacking in understanding you are if you do not recognise that this high good you seek, as far as the creature is concerned, is Nature’s high secret, whether in metals, ores, herbs or animals, proceeding from heavenly virtue! It heals a person of every disease and nourishes them, and makes imperfect metals perfect through its great power, which I give it from my treasure according to my wisdom. Since it is so perfect in itself that its like cannot be found, tell me whether it would not be necessary for those who claim such a science to know it through high intelligence, since otherwise no one can make gold and this is the treasure of all treasures. It is an error from which there is no recovery. For if you cannot carry ten pounds yet wish to carry a hundred, you must strain yourself and your life. Now consider your undertaking in that light.

My son, I take all my science, power and knowledge quite simply from heaven, and with them the simple substance of the elements. This is an original essence and the fifth being within the elements, which I produce through reductions, time and circulations, turning the lower into the upper, the cold and dry into moist and warm, and dissolving stone and metal within its natural moisture. This happens through the movement of the heavens. The elements are governed by it and obey through a concurrence of these influences. The purer my matter, the more perfect the work I accomplish through the heavens. Do you think that, in your furnace containing your earth and water, through your fire and heat and your white and red colours, I will let you play with me at your pleasure to achieve your desire? Do you suppose you can move the heavens and pour their influence into your greasy work? Do you imagine it is an organ requiring nothing more than fingers playing upon it? You indulge yourself in too many dreams. Do you not know that a great understanding resides within the movement of the heavens, imparting its intelligence downwards and, through its influence, bestowing being upon all things? I beg you to recognise that high things come from on high, from me and from God. Do not suppose that artificial handiwork is as perfect as natural work, for it is too bare and, like an ape, seeks to imitate everything I do. Do you suppose that distilling, dissolving and congealing your materials in your vessel, or drawing water from oil, is the right way to follow me? No, my son, you go astray. When you have spent your time on all kinds of mixing and separations of the elements of your oil, water and earth, you have still accomplished no more. If you ask whether I will tell you why: your matter could not endure the fire’s heat for half an hour; everything would pass away in smoke or be consumed in the fire. But the matter in which I work would be found sound in every assay, however great the fire. Indeed, it is improved in the fire. The water comes from something dry, does not wet what it touches, does not fly away or fall back, and its oil is incombustible. So perfect are my elements. Yours are not of this kind; nor is it your office to carry on my craft. In conclusion, I tell you that you cannot pour heavenly heat into anything through an artificial fire. Nor will you bring forth from your water, oil and earth any matter capable of receiving an influence that gives it a pure substance. It is a gift of God given from the heavens to the elements, more to one than to another, and preserved in a simple, plain essence of which no one but I has knowledge, except the person related to me who is a true philosopher. My son, I will tell you another true word: the whole work is made from one single, humble, simple matter mingled with itself, in one single well-closed vessel and one single furnace. It contains within itself everything it needs for perfection and is worked out by a single regimen of fire.

Consider now human generation and its perfection, upon which I employ all the wisdom God gives me; for you will not make the human form from one matter. I alone shape the body so subtly that neither Plato nor Aristotle knew even a little of this. I make the bones hard and the teeth for chewing, the liver and flesh soft, the nerves cold, the brain moist, and the heart, into which God gives life, warm. I fill all the veins with red blood. To put everything briefly: from a single quicksilver and an active masculine sulphur I make a single maternal vessel, whose belly is the furnace. It is true that the human being greatly assists me through art when he pours the matter into the matrix or mother through external heat; but he can do nothing further in it. So it is with your work. Whoever knows how to choose the right matter, prepare it well in a well-closed vessel and arrange everything properly in the furnace need not delay the work much longer. You and I must perfect it together, with you giving the fire as philosophy requires. Know for certain that everything depends on this. Therefore pay close attention here: consider the fire called epsesin, pepsin, pepansin and aptesin; also natural, contrary-to-nature and unnatural fire, and that which does not burn; likewise warm and dry, moist and cold fire, and get it right. Without the right matter and its proper fire you will never attain the thing. I give you the matter; you must arrange the form. Here I am not speaking of substantial or accidental form but of the right shape or size of your vessel and the proper construction of your furnace. Act rationally and carry out the work skilfully in accordance with Nature. Help me and I will help you; as you act towards me, so will I act, just as I have acted towards my other sons, whom I rewarded with satisfaction because they followed father and mother blamelessly and obeyed my commands. You can see this in the Romance of Jean de Meung, who approves me and rejects the sophists; Villanovanus, Raymond, Morienus the Roman and Hermes, called a father, whom no other equals, do likewise, as do Geber and others who have written of this science and found through work that the art is true. Now, my son, if you wish to undertake the work, you do not need such a very great outlay. It is enough to have a free, unburdened mind and a secure place where no one knows of your labour. Prepare your one matter well into a powder in a single vessel, well enclosed together with its water, and govern it with gentle heat, which will perform the operation. Cold, however, gives putrefaction. For because of great cold, dryness cannot resist the agent so as to prevent quicksilver, through orderly mingling and connection, from becoming a uniform, homogeneous subject returning into first matter.