Fountain of Wisdom — Anonymus von Schwartzfuss, 1706

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3. Nature cannot dissolve this fixed matter again with the very purest Mercurius Mercury, that is, our fountain, much less can it further purify it of all filth. Otherwise, if it could do that, it would bring about the rarest treasure of nature and art by itself and alone.

4. Therefore, the hand of a clever master is required here, by which nature can be helped. And for this reason, nature also calls out without ceasing: help me, and I will help you.

5. Nature can indeed generate gold, but it is not able to regenerate to perfect or transform further the gold, nor to place it into a state of over-perfection, and even less to transform it into the Gold of the Sages the Philosophers' Stone or perfected gold. From this, the difference between common gold and Sophic gold alchemical gold becomes clear.

6. For nature makes natural gold without any assistance from art; but the Sages take this very material of nature and lead it through art to an over-perfect state.

7. Therefore, two kinds of gold are found: the first is of NATURE, the second is of the Sages. Both are of one essence and origin,