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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

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 205 of 287

The Way of Truth

German & Latin

1619 pp. 234–235 · scans ER238, ER239

Werden auch täglich von jhnen verspottet, daß sie die Augen nicht besser auffthun, sondern also in der Sophisterey bestecken bleiben (darinnen sie auch müssen verderben vnd verharren, dieweil sie nichts weiters wollen nachtrachten, dann was sie in jhren Sophistischen Büchern gelesen haben) denn all jr thun ist Sophistisch vnd nicht Philosophisch, darumb sie auch zu keiner Kunst oder Warheit kommen. Das sag ich aber fürwar, so lang du der Lügen vnd nicht der Philosophischen Kunst Liebhaber bist, wird dir die Warheit nit offenbaret werden, wiewol ich auch lange zeit in den Sophistischen Regimenten verharrte vnd gearbeitet, als Sublimiren, Distilliren, Calciniren, Jteriren, Ja auch mancher Substantzen, als Vrin, Saltz, Vitriol, Alaun, Boras, nicht verschont, Item, im Haar, im Blut, in Weinstein, auch in Bein hab ich gesucht mit mancherley arbeit, in Eyern, Knochen, vnd in allerhandt Kräutern hab ich mich bemühet, Arsenicum vñ den Mercurium cum sulph. hab ich versucht, alle Mineralia vnd Metalle hab ich probiert durch alle starcke Wasser vnnd Laugen hab ich sie angegriffen mit soluiren vnnd coaguliren, hab mich auch beflissen im amalgamiren, vnnd præcipitiren hat mich nicht erfrewet, den Quint Essentien het ich viel vertrawet, bin aber auch betrogen worden.

1619 pp. 234–235 · scans ER238, ER239

The Sophic Hydrolith: The Way of Truth

1619 pp. 234–235 · scans ER238, ER239

The true practitioners also ridicule them daily for failing to open their eyes and for remaining stuck in sophistry. There they must remain and perish, because they will consider nothing beyond what they have read in their sophistical books. All their conduct is sophistical rather than philosophical, and so they attain neither the art nor the truth. I tell you truly: as long as you love lies instead of the philosophical art, the truth will not be revealed to you. I too persisted and laboured for a long time in sophistical regimens: subliming, distilling, calcining and repeating operations. Nor did I spare many substances, such as urine, salt, vitriol, alum and borax. I searched in hair, blood, tartar and bone by many kinds of work; I laboured with eggs, bones and all sorts of herbs. I tried arsenic and mercury with sulphur. I tested every mineral and metal, attacking them with all manner of strong waters and lyes, dissolving and coagulating them. I also applied myself to amalgamation, and precipitation gave me no joy. I placed great trust in quintessences, but was deceived there too.

1619 pp. 234–235 · scans ER238, ER239

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.