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Anonymous

The Sophic Hydrolith

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithPhilosophical Summary

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Facing Pages · Branch 191 of 287

Philosophical Summary

German & Latin

1619 pp. 214–215 · scans ER218, ER219

Ein kurtzer Tractat genant Summarium Philosophicum, Nicolai Flamelli. Wer da will Erkentniß der Metallen / vñ gewisse wissenschafft / wie sie transmutiret vnd eins in das ander verkehret werde / erlangen / der muß vor allen dingen erkennen / worauß vnnd wie sie in jren mineren formiret werden. Also vnnd auff daß man nicht jrre / muß man auff die transmutationes, wie sie in den Adern der Erden allenthalben geschehen / sehen. Derentwegen können sie sich auch ausserhalb der mineren transmutiren, wann sie zuvor geistlich gemachet werden: nemblich daß sie in jhren Schwefel vnnd argentum vivum, so die Natur machet / kommen. Dann alle Metall seyn auß sulphure vnnd argento vivo formiret, die aller Metallen zwey spermata seyn: vnd ist das eine männlicher / das andere weiblicher Art vnd Complexion. Diese zwey spermata aber seyn auß den vier Elementen componiret: das erste männliche / so man sulphur nennet / ist nichts anders als Fewr vnd Lufft: vnnd ist ein vixer Schwefel / gleich dem Fewer / ohne verenderlicher vnd metallischer Natur: nit aber der gemeine Schwefel / dann solcher ist keiner metallischen Substantz. Das ander weibliche sperma, so argentum vivum genennet wirdt / ist nichts anders denn Wasser vnd Erde.

1619 pp. 214–215 · scans ER218, ER219

The Sophic Hydrolith: Philosophical Summary

1619 pp. 214–215 · scans ER218, ER219

A short treatise called Philosophical Summary, by Nicolas Flamel. Anyone who wishes to attain knowledge of the metals and certain understanding of how they are transmuted and changed from one into another must first of all understand from what and how they are formed in their ores. Thus, to avoid error, one must observe the transmutations that take place everywhere in the veins of the earth. For this reason they can also be transmuted outside their ores, provided that they are first made spiritual: that is, brought into their sulphur and quicksilver, which Nature makes. For all metals are formed from sulphur and quicksilver, the two seeds of every metal; one is masculine and the other feminine in kind and complexion. These two seeds, however, are composed of the four elements. The first, masculine one, called sulphur, is nothing other than fire and air. It is a fixed sulphur, like fire, of an unchanging and metallic nature; it is not common sulphur, for that has no metallic substance. The other, feminine seed, called quicksilver, is nothing other than water and earth.

1619 pp. 214–215 · scans ER218, ER219

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.