The Sophic Hydrolith

Name: The Sophic Hydrolith
Author: Anonymous

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithNature’s Demonstration

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English Page · Branch 170 of 287

Nature’s Demonstration

Book Mode

German & Latin

1619 pp. 158–160 · scans ER162, ER163, ER164

Gedencke nit / daß ich dir meine Heimligkeit entdecke / wenn du nicht suchest das wachsende Körnlein der Metallen / Animalien vñ Vegetabilien / die alle in meiner Gewalt / vnnd in der Erden behalten seyn. Eines so viel die generation, das andere / so viel die Nutrition betrifft. Die Metall haben nur das Esse, die vegetabilia haben das vivere vnd wachsen / die animalia haben die empfindligkeit / welche mehr ist denn das Wachsthumb. Die Metall / Stein vnnd Atramenta, mache ich aus den elementen / die ich in eine mixtion vnnd erste composition bringe im Bauch der Erden / vnd darffest sie an andern orten nicht suchen. Die vegetabilia haben jhren Saamen / jhre Gestalt in demselben zu enthalten. Ingleichen geben auch die animalia jhren Saamen / jhr gleiches zu gebehren. Vnnd kurtz zu melden / thut ein jegliches sein Ampt ohne falsch. Du lasterhafftiger Mensch aber / der du dich meines Ampts vnterstehest / weichest allein vnd mehres denn alle andere Creatur von mir Natura ab. Die Metall haben kein Leben noch einige Nahrung zu wachsen / grünen oder sich zu vermehren: dann sie haben keinen gebährenden Sahmen: darumb zeugen sie auch nicht jhres gleichen. Sie sein anfänglich aus der Substantz der vier Elementen geschaffen / vnnd von diesen laß ich sie werden. Sie vnnd die Gesteine haben nichts mehr als das Esse oder ein Wesen. Alle Gestein seyn brüchig / vnd alle Metall güssig: nach jhrer Fusion aber sollen sie fix seyn / vnnd zu Hammerschlag tüchtig. Eines theils als gold vñ silber nemen durch künstliche reinigung / groß Perfection an sich: die andern aber seyn desto vnreiner: dann jhr Argentum vivum ist zu rohe / vnnd jhr jrdischer Sulphur zu verbrennlich. Darumb kan dergleichen Metall nicht gereiniget werden / dieweil die Materia keine gute formam empfangen. Denn ich ordne alle meine Werck so wol / daß ein jedes seine gestalt herfür bringet / nach dem daß die materia rein ist.

The Sophic Hydrolith: Nature’s Demonstration

1619 pp. 158–160 · scans ER162, ER163, ER164

Do not imagine that I will reveal my secret to you unless you seek the growing little grain of metals, animals and plants, all of which are kept under my power and within the earth: the one as regards generation, the other as regards nourishment. Metals have only being; plants have living and growth; animals have sensation, which is more than growth. I make metals, stones and atramenta from the elements, bringing them into a mixture and first composition within the belly of the earth; you need not seek them elsewhere. Plants have their seed to preserve their form within it. Animals likewise give their seed to beget their like. Briefly, each fulfils its office without falsehood. But you, vicious human being, who presume to undertake my office, alone depart from me, Nature, and do so more than every other creature. Metals have no life or nourishment by which to grow, flourish or multiply, for they have no generative seed; therefore they do not beget their like. They are originally created from the substance of the four elements, and from these I cause them to come into being. They and the stones have nothing beyond being, or existence. All stones are brittle and all metals fusible; after their fusion, however, metals should be fixed and fit to endure the hammer. Some, such as gold and silver, acquire great perfection through artificial purification. The others are all the more impure, for their quicksilver is too raw and their earthly sulphur too combustible. Such metals therefore cannot be purified, because the matter has received no good form. For I order all my works so well that each brings forth its form according to the purity of its matter.

About This Reading Edition

The anonymous Water Stone of the Wise of 1619, with German text, a new English translation, 240 annotations, three companion treatises from the original volume, two separately identified responses of 1661, and the complete supplied study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Wasserstein der Weysen. Frankfurt: Lucas Jennis, 1619. The governing e-rara copy belongs to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich (DOI 10.3931/e-rara-8968). The work is traditionally attributed to Johann Siebmacher; this remains an attribution, not a name printed in the anonymous witness. The separately sourced First and Second Responses use the 1661 Wolfenbüttel witness, qun-642-1s, pp. 200–206.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

Historical texts printed in 1619 and 1661 are in the public domain. The supplied 2026 German reading text, new English translation, introduction, notes and complete study apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization. The original triangle is credited to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich, and e-rara, Public Domain Mark.