The Instructed Beginner in Chemistry: A Hermetic Epistle

nature, with a mixture known to God alone. There it becomes something undivided, and according to its kind, by the command of God in Genesis chapter 1 and the course of nature, it wonderfully takes on a different nature and form, and brings forth all kinds of rarities, and so on.

Therefore Lullius and Sendivogius have spoken rightly, namely that the first matter of the stone, which is the universal spirit, is found in all earthly things; indeed, as Morienes a legendary hermit and alchemist said to King Kalid, it is in me, in you, and in all living things. Because of this it is certain that if this universal spirit were not in all animals and plants, they would not exist for a moment, as Riplæus George Ripley adds. Indeed, it is present everywhere in all metals and minerals in the same way, as they spring from this first heavenly vapor that has been united with their salt, although in the metals it is dried out and extinguished. Since it no longer has the power to give birth, it would be useless, although it could be extracted, which is nonetheless catchword: impossible

impossible, since there is no regression in nature. It is also already infected in the minerals and clothed with another nature, and therefore unsuitable for this, as Richardus Anglicus explains in Correction chapter 10. Also in the air that we breathe, this hidden food of life is present, as Sendivogius speaks, as it is also in us and the plants, and so on. In the air, however, and all other subjects (except in the watery subject truly filled with the wonderful spirit of life), it is in such small quantity because it is scattered everywhere in the air and other subjects. It is also found mixed with vapors, earthly juices, and with water; indeed, it is specified to such a degree that it is impossible to extract it. For example, if a single small glass of brandy were mixed in a large barrel of water, and then someone wanted to lure out that little bit of spirit through infinite distillations, he would certainly, as the aforementioned Sages have excellently shown, end his life first. Therefore the Sages found a single catchword: subject