The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 62.

Historical Note 44

That is twilight, gloom of evening, the first darkening.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 64.

Historical Note 45

Virgil. Georgics. I., 70.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 69.

Historical Note 46

Virgil. Georgics. I., 47.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 71.

Historical Note 47

That is “ moist ” and “ dry.”

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 75.

Historical Note 48

Note this order—earth, water, air, fire; and back to earth. See end of paragraph 79.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 77.

Historical Note 49

See the Enchiridion in Manget’s Bibliotheca, liber. III., section 3.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 83.

Historical Note 50

From humus the ground, earth or soil.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 90.

Historical Note 51

Raymond Lully was martyred in Africa, 1315.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 107.

Historical Note 52

Senior: very little is known of this author ; his name is not in the list of Lenglet de Fresnoy.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 108.

Historical Note 53

Bernard, Count of Treves ; died about 1490. His chief works are, Natural Philosophy of Metals, The Secret Work of Chymia, and La Parole délaissée.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 114.

Historical Note 54

His most valued works are Lullii Testamentum, Codicillus seu Vade Mecum aut Cantilena and Practica.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 123.

Historical Note 55

Definition of some terms. Inceration must not be confused with incineration, which means reducing to ashes by means of heat. Inceration implies the gradual addition of a liquid (as our mercury) to a solid powder (as our sulphur), until the mixture is of the consistence of wax, of which the Latin word is cera. See Rulandus. Cohobation is a process of continuous volatilization and condensation of a volatile liquid in a closed vessel subjected to heat. Anger: when it is written that you are not to provoke anger, it is meant, do not overheat the matter. The Goose of Hermogenes is the solvent of the Philosophers, which Bernard of Treves calls the Gate of the Palace of the King.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 131.

Historical Note 56

Arnold of Villanova, died 1310; his chief works are Novum Lumen, Flos Florum, Rosarium, Liber Perfectionis, Speculum Alchymiæ, and Arcanum Philosophicum.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 136.

Historical Note 57

The original Latin work ends with paragraph 138 ; the English edition of Elias Ashmole has an additional chapter by I. C. Chymierastes: this has no Alchymic value and is but an apology for Hermes, that he was not a Christian.

Historical printer’s line: Women’s Printing Society, Limited, 66, Whitcomb Street, W.C.

Diotimos concordance: read with canon 138.