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Anonymous

The Sophic Hydrolith

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithThe Way of Truth

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English Page · Branch 207 of 287

The Way of Truth

German & Latin

1619 pp. 236–238 · scans ER240, ER241, ER242

Darumb so du vortheil begerest zu schaffen, mustu alle die Sublimation, Calcination, Solution vnd Coagulation mit der Putrefaction gantz vbergeben, vnd begehren Jünger zu sein vnd genant werden, den rechten wahren grund der Philosophiæ, welcher dir durch den rechten Verstand ein ander Solution, ein ander Coagulation, vnd ein ander Regiment, welches natürlich ist, wird weisen vnd lehren (vnd auch mit der Natur vberein kommen) Dann wie es die Natur in den Adern der Erden arbeitet, da die Metallen wachsen, also mustu der Natur bequemlich folgen. Du sihest ja, daß die Natur nicht mehr dann eine einige Substantz in jrem wesen gebraucht, vnd in derselben Substantia sihestu alle ding verborgen. Diese Substantia darff keiner andern Arbeit, denn allein eine warhafftige kochung, durch welche sie sich höher vnd höher gradirt, biß auff jhren höchsten Gradum. Aus dieser schlechten kochung vnd gradirung haben die spitzsinnigen Sophisten ein Solution, Coagulation, Calcination, Putrefaction, Sublimation, auch noch viel mehr phantastische Namen erdichtet, haben also von dem wahren schlechten wesen oder schlechten kochung ein gantz ander wesen gemacht vnnd erpintisirt, vnnd diese schlechte, wahrhafftige Kunst inn die gröste beschwernuß gebracht, gleich als ob so grosse mühe vnnd arbeit, so lange zeit, vnd so viel Vnkosten darzu gehöreten, daß sie doch fälschlich, auß haß vnd neid, haben erdichtet, damit sie die Nachfolger von der waren Kunst ableiteten, vnd in grosse Armut führeten, welches sie für Gott schwerlich mügen verantworten, in dem sie wenig betracht, das Gott spricht: Liebe deinen Nechsten als dich selber. Die warheit haben sie vnter die füsse getretten, vnd lügen an die stad gesetzt, welche sie herrlich geschmückt, vnd grosse Bücher davon geschrieben, gleich als wann es ein wichtige sache were, die metallische Natur zu verbessern, da es doch nichts anders ist, dann eine schlechte kochung.

1619 pp. 236–238 · scans ER240, ER241, ER242

The Sophic Hydrolith: The Way of Truth

1619 pp. 236–238 · scans ER240, ER241, ER242

If you wish to make progress, therefore, you must entirely abandon all this sublimation, calcination, solution and coagulation, together with putrefaction. Desire to be a disciple and to be called one, learning the true and proper foundation of philosophy. Through right understanding, that foundation will show and teach you a different solution, a different coagulation and a different regimen, which is natural and agrees with Nature. You must follow Nature fittingly, as it works in the veins of the earth where metals grow. You can see that Nature uses only one substance in its being, and that all things lie hidden in that substance. This substance needs no other labour than a true coction, through which it rises from degree to degree until it reaches its highest degree. Out of this plain coction and progression, the subtle sophists have invented solution, coagulation, calcination, putrefaction, sublimation and many more fanciful names. They have thus contrived something entirely different out of the true, plain being, or plain coction, and have burdened this plain and truthful art with the greatest difficulty, as though it required such enormous labour, such a long time and such great expense. They invented these things falsely, from hatred and envy, to lead their followers away from the true art and into great poverty. They will scarcely be able to answer for this before God, having given little heed to his command: Love your neighbour as yourself. They have trampled truth underfoot and put lies in its place, adorning those lies magnificently and writing great books about them, as though improving metallic Nature were a weighty undertaking, when it is nothing but a plain coction.

1619 pp. 236–238 · scans ER240, ER241, ER242

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.