The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

93Among the philosophers the word fire has several meanings. Sometimes it is used by metonymy for heat, and thus there are as many fires as there are heats. In the generation of metals and plants, Nature recognises three fires: heavenly, earthly and implanted. The first flows from the Sun, as from its source, into the bosom of the earth. It moves the mercurial and sulphurous fumes or vapours from which metals are created and mingles with them. It rouses the sluggish fire implanted in the seeds of plants and adds little fires to it, like spurs, to promote growth. The second lies hidden in the earth’s entrails. By its impulse and action, underground vapours are driven upwards through pores and little channels, and thrust from the centre towards the earth’s surface, both for the composition of metals where the earth swells and for the production of plants, by putrefying, softening and preparing their seeds for generation. The third, begotten by the first, namely the solar fire, is poured into the spiritless fume of metals and also into the menstruum. It solidifies together with the moist matter and is held, as if imprisoned, within its hardness—or, more truly, is bound as a form to its own compound. It remains implanted in the seeds of plants until, stirred by the sharpness of its father’s rays, it is called forth. Then, set in motion, it inwardly moves and forms the matter and becomes the shaper and governor of the whole compound. In the generation of animals, heavenly fire cooperates imperceptibly with animal fire, for it is the first agent in Nature. The female’s heat corresponds to earthly heat while it putrefies, cherishes and prepares the seed. But the fire implanted in the seed, the Sun’s son, disposes the matter and, once disposed, gives it form.