The Opened Philosophical Father-Heart

So that I may now bring to you the true instruction of our ingenious art and discover the place where we hide the keys that open the mystery of nature, I will only recount the essential things that properly belong to our work. I will not confuse your understanding with a multitude of false and superfluous words, nor through any comparison or foreign names of our simple, unique matter, which the philosophers use in their books to instruct the children of wisdom thereby, and on the other hand to lead the ignorant and false disciples away from the right path of truth.

But my son, in this conversation I will speak to you clearly and sincerely, and say nothing other than what will be necessary for the preparation of this wondrous work, and I will infallibly make known to you the true knowledge of our unique precious matter.

I will teach you to prepare the essential salt of wisdom, or the sulfur of the Sages, and the mercury of the philosophers. I will teach you the right source of the living, everlasting water, which is the heavenly aqua vitæ water of life of the children of knowledge. I will show you the skill and art of how one should draw the same from the center and from the deepest well of nature.

I will [give you] the whole and perfect