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. The Secret Solvent

Andro

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Here it is... The new 'hot' thread :)

First actual rule of alchemy: No Secret Solvent = No Philosophers' Stone. Period!

Indeed... For once, we are in complete agreement :)

Some authors say something along the lines of "working without it ('our mercury', etc...) is like walking without legs..."

I think this topic (The Secret Solvent) deserves a thread in its own right, so we can discuss what really matters!
 
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Weidenfeld

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Indeed... For once, we are in complete agreement :)

Some authors say something along the lines of "working without it ('our mercury', etc...) is like walking without legs..."

I think this topic (The Secret Solvent) deserves a thread in its own right, so we can discuss what really matters!
Very good idea ! In a first attempt for the new thread it would be fine to collect sources that primarily include the subject of the 'secret solvent' in its description. I'm aware of several texts dealing with this.
 
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Schmuldvich

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Universal Solvent

No Secret Solvent = No Philosophers' Stone

Our Universal Solvent (Alkahest, Secret Solvent, Universal Menstruum, Mercury Of The Sages) is elucidated best by Boerhaave in the following quote...



"A New Method Of Chemistry" by Herman Boerhaave, 1753

The Alcahest of Paracelsus transmutes all the bodies in nature by subtilizing them: for, when bodies are subtilized as high as possible, they at length change to another substance, but retain their seminal properties: and by means of the Universal Solvent all things are brought back to their Ens Primum, and retain their native virtues; whence great and unlimited powers may be obtained. And plainer still; This liquor only, can dissolve all solids into their first matter, without any diminution or alteration in itself. Whence he recommends the knowledge of that homogeneous and immutable menstruum, which dissolves its subjects into their first liquid matter; whereby the internal essences of things and their properties may be seen.



If it does not have these properties, it is not our Universal Solvent.






















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"Ma al-Waraqi" by Ibn Umail al-Tamimi, 900A.D.

"Mariya also said: The Water which I have mentioned is an Angel and descends from the sky, and the earth accepts it on account of its (the earth's) moistness. The water of the sky is held by the water of the earth, and the water of the earth acts as its servant, and its Sand serves for the purpose of honouring it. Both the waters are gathered together and the Water holds the Water. The Kiyan (Vital Principle) holds the Kiyan and the Kiyan is whitened by the Kiyan. She meant by this the coction of the Soul with the Spirit until both mix and are thoroughly cooked together and become a single thing like Marble.

As for her statement regarding the Angel, she meant by this the Divine Water which is the Soul. She named it Angel because it is spiritual, and because that Water has risen from the earth to the sky of the Birba. And as for her statement, the Water descends from the sky, she meant by this its return to Earth; and this Angel which she mentioned I shall explain to you in another way so that you may be aware of both explanations--if Allah will! She meant by this the child which they said will be born in the Air while Conception had taken place in the Lower region; this being through the Higher Celestial Strength which the water has gained by its absorption of the Air. Regarding this, Hermes said: 'The strength of the Highest and the Lowest will be found in it'.

They name this Water also The Rain which Revives the Lower World; and by all this is to be understood the Pure Silvery Water which is the Gold of the Sages. The Excellent Master, Hermes, named it the Good of many names.



"The Secret Book Of Artephius", 1150

The whole, then, of this antimonial secret is, that we know how by it to extract or draw forth argent vive, out of the body of Magnesia, not burning, and this is antimony, and a mercurial sublimate. That is, you must extract a living and incombustible water, and then congeal, or coagulate it with the perfect body of sol, i.e., fine gold, without alloy; which is done by dissolving it into a mature white substance of the consistency of cream, and made thoroughly white. But first this sol by putrefaction and resolution in this water, loseth all its light and brightness, and will grow dark and black; afterwards it will ascend above the water, and by little and little will swim upon it, in a substance of a white color. And this is the whitening of red laton to sublimate it philosophically, and to reduce it into its first matter; viz. into a white incombustible sulphur, and into a fixed argent vive. Thus the perfect body of sol, resumeth life in this water; it is revived, inspired, grows, and is multiplied in its kind, as all other things are. For in this water, it so happens, that the body compounded of two bodies, viz. sol and luna, is puffed up, swells, putrefies, is raised up, and does increase by the receiving from the vegetable and animated nature and substance.

Our water also, or vinegar aforesaid, is the vinegar of the mountains, i.e. of sol and luna; and therefore it is mixed with gold and silver, and sticks close to them perpetually; and the body receiveth from this water a white tincture, and shines with inestimable brightness. Who so knows how to convert, or change the body into a medicinal white gold, may easily by the same white gold change all imperfect metals into the best or finest silver. And this white gold is called by the philosophers "luna alba philosophorum, argentum vivum album fixum, aurum alchymiae, and fumus albus" (white philosophical silver, white fixed mercury, alchemical gold and white fume): and therefore without this our antimonial vinegar, the aurum album of the philosophers cannot be made. And because in our vinegar there is a double substance of argentum vivum, the one from antimony, and the other from mercury sublimated, it does give a double weight and substance of fixed argent vive, and also augments therein the native color, weight, substance and tincture thereof.

Our dissolving water therefore carries with it a great tincture, and a great melting or dissolving; because that when it feels the vulgar fire, if there be in it the pure and fine bodies of sol or luna, it immediately melts them, and converts them into its white substance such as itself is, and gives to the body color, weight, and tincture. In it also is a power of liquefying or melting all things that can be melted or dissolved; it is a water ponderous, viscous, precious, and worthy to be esteemed, resolving all crude bodies into their prima materia, or first matter, viz. earth and a viscous powder; that is into sulphur, and argentum vivum. If therefore you put into this water, leaves, filings, or calx of any metal, and set it in a gentle heat for a time, the whole will be dissolved, and converted into a viscous water, or white oil as aforesaid. Thus it mollifies the body, and prepares for liquefaction; yea, it makes all things fusible, viz. stones and metals, and after gives them spirit and life. And it dissolves all things with an admirable solution, transmuting the perfect body into a fusible medicine, melting, or liquefying, moreover fixing, and augmenting the weight and color.

Work therefore with it, and you shall obtain from it what you desire, for it is the spirit and soul of sol and luna; it is the oil, the dissolving water, the fountain, the Balneum Mariae, the praeternatural fire, the moist fire, the secret, hidden and invisible fire. It is also the most acrid vinegar, concerning which an ancient philosopher saith, I besought the Lord, and he showed me a pure clear water, which I knew to be the pure vinegar, altering, penetrating, and digesting. I say a penetrating vinegar, and the moving instrument for putrefying, resolving and reducing gold or silver into their prima materia or first matter. And it is the only agent in the universe, which in this art is able to reincrudate metallic bodies with the conservation of their species. It is therefore the only apt and natural medium, by which we ought to resolve the perfect bodies of sol and luna, by a wonderful and solemn dissolution, with the conservation of the species, and without any destruction, unless it be to a new, more noble, and better form or generation, viz. into the perfect philosopher's stone, which is their wonderful secret or arcanum.

Now this water is a certain middle substance, clear as fine silver, which ought to receive the tinctures of sol and luna, so as they may be congealed, and changed into a white and living earth. For this water needs the perfect bodies, that with them after the dissolution, it may be congealed, fixed, and coagulated into a white earth.



"Confession Of Trithemius", 1507

All things we behold are interiorly fire and light, in which is hidden the essence of the Spirit. All things are a Trinity of fire, light and air. In other words, the Spirit (the Father) is a superessential light; the Son is the Light manifested; the Holy Spirit is a moving Breath, divine and superessential.

All things have been made by the power of the Divine Word; which is the Spirit or Divine Breath emanated from the beginning from the Divine fountain. This Breath is the Spirit or Soul of the World and is called Spiritus Mundi. It was, at first, like air, then condensed to a nebulous fog and finally transmuted itself into water. This water was at first spirit and life, because it was impregnated and vivified by the Spirit. Darkness filled the abyss, but by the emission of the Word, the Light was engendered, the darkness was illuminated by the Light, and the Soul of the World was born.

This spiritual Light which we call Nature or Soul of the World is a spiritual body which may be rendered visible and tangible by alchemical processes; but as it is naturally invisible, it is called Spirit. It is a living universal fluid differed throughout Nature, and which penetrates everything. It is the most subtle of all substances; the most powerful, by reason of its inherent qualities. It penetrates every body and determines the forms in which it displays its activity. By its action, it frees the forms from all imperfection; it makes the impure pure, the imperfect perfect and the mortal immortal by its indwelling. This essence or Spirit emanated from the beginning from the Center and incorporated it self with the substance which the Universe is formed. It is the "Salt of the Earth", and without its presence the plant would not grow, nor the field becomes green and the more this essence is condensed, concentrated and coagulated in the forms, the more stable they become.

It is the most subtle of all substances. This Spirit is obtained in the same way as it is communicated to the earth by these stars and this is performed by means of the Water which serves as a vehicle to it. It is not the Philosopher's Stone, but this may be prepared from it by fixing the volatile. I advise you to pay great attention the boiling of the Water; do not let your spirit be troubled about things of less importance. Make it boil slowly, then let it putrefy until it has attained the fitting color, for the Water of Life contains the germ of wisdom. In boiling the Water will transform itself into Earth. This Earth will change into a pure crystalline fluid; which will produce a fine red Fire and this Water and this Fire, reduced to a single Essence, produce the great Panacea composed of sweetness and strength - the Lamb and the Lion united.



"The Secret Of The Liquor Alkahest" by Philalethes, 1683

Question. What is the Alkahest?

Answer. It is a Catholick and Universal Menstruum, and, in a Word, may be called Ignis-Aqua, a Fiery-Water, an uncompounded and immortal ens which is penetrative, resolving all things unto their first Liquid Matter, nor can anything resist its Power, for it acts without any reaction from the Patient: nor doth it suffer from anything but its Equal by which it is brought into Subjection; but after it hath dissolved all other things it remains entire in its former Nature, and is of the same Virtue after a thousand Operations as at the first.



"The Quintessence Of The Philosophers" by Theodorus Mundanus, 1683

Out of these Mountains of Salt (the Philosophers striking the Rock) flows a perpetual and copious River of an unctuous fat Water which moistens the whole Mountains, neither can it ever be dried by the heat of the Sun or exhausted by any Rivers which can flow from them.

This Water, from the Abundance of gold which it carries in its Streams deserves the highest praises and commendations of the Philosophers, much greater than tagns and partolus the sublime encomiums of the Poets; neither is it improperly and undeservedly Termed an Ocean because it is diffused through all things as it is the Radical Moisture of all the concretes of the Universe.

You may fitly and Ingeniously enough call it the Mediterranean Sea because it passes through the Center of our Earth, or Salt Mountain; the possession of this vast Sea is esteemed of great moment by the Philosophers, therefore it is counted by them of the highest price.



"Aphorisms Of Urbigerus", 1690

If the Caput Mortuum has not the Magnetic Quality in attracting the Spiritus Mundi into itself from the Astrums, it is a sign, that at time end of the Distillation of the red Oil the outward fire was so violent, as quite to burn up the Magnet, which is contained in the first Feces of our Mercurial Water.

The above-mentioned Spiritus Mundi is a great Menstruum in extracting of Tinctures out of Metals, Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables, and in performing great things in the Art volatilizing all fixed Bodies, and principally Gold.

The Quality of our Mercurial Water: being to volatilize all fixed Bodies, and to fix all those that are volatile fixing itself with those that are fixed, according to the Proportion of it, dissolving its own Body, it unites inseparably with it, conserving always its own Qualities and Properties, and receives no Augmentation from any other created thing, but only from its crude Body. Our Mercurial Water has such a sympathy with the Astrums, that, if it is not kept very close, and Hermetically sealed, it will in a very short time, like a winged Serpent, fly away in a wonderful manner to its own Sphere, carrying along with it all the Elements and Principles of Metals, and not leaving so much as one single drop, or the least remainder, behind.

Although we use our Mercury simplex in the Extraction of its own Soul out of its Body, and for the Clarification of the latter; yet, since it is a philosophical and perpetual Menstruum, it loses nothing of its connatural Prerogatives, nor does in the least diminish in Quantity, being our true Alkahest, as Paracelsus is pleased to call it.



"The Dwellings Of The Philosophers" by Fulcanelli, 1929

The subject of the art and our true solvent, is precisely the substance which the philosophers named the unique matrix, the mother of the Work; without her, it would be impossible for us to achieve the preliminary decomposition of metals...

"Truly", writes Limojon de Saint-Didier, "some philosophers seemingly quite sincere, nevertheless throw the artists into error solemnly asserting that who does not know the gold of the philosophers will however be able to find it in common gold cooked with the Mercury of the Philosophers. Those are Philalethes’ sentiments. He affirms that Trevisan, Zachaire, and Flamel have followed this path. He also adds that this is not the true path of the Sages although it leads to the same end. But these affirmations, sincere as they appear, nevertheless cannot but mislead artists who, eager to follow the same Philalethes through the purification and the animation that he teaches of common mercury so as to turn it into the Mercury of the Philosophers (a glaring error behind which he has hidden the secret of the mercury of the Sages) and undertake, taking his word for it, a very arduous and definitely impossible work. Thus, after a time-consuming work filled with difficulties and dangers, they obtain a mercury only slightly more impure than before they started, instead of a mercury animated with the celestial quintessence. A deplorable error that has lost, broken, and wills till ruin a great number of artists". Yet the seekers who successfully overcome the first obstacles and have drawn the living water from the ancient Fountain possess a key enabling them to open the doors of the hermetic laboratory...

The living water "more celestial than terrestrial", acting on the heavy matter breaks its cohesion, mollifies it, renders it progressively soluble, attached itself only to the pure parts of the disintegrated mass, abandons the other to the pure parts of the disintegrated mass, abandons the others and rises to the surface, dragging along what it could grasp that conformed to its own fiery and spiritual nature. This important characteristic of the ascension of the subtle by the separation of the coarse gained the operation of mercury of the sages the name of sublimation. Our solvent, all spirit, plays the symbolic role of the eagle taking away its prey and this is the reason why Philalethes, the Cosmopolite, Cyliani, d’Espagnet, and several others advise to let it fly away, emphasizing the need to make it fly. For the spirit rises and the matter precipitates...

The serpent-like image of mercury, by its two sections, represents the two parts of the dissolved metal which will become fixed later, one by the other, and whose joining will give it its new nature, its physical individuality, its efficiency. For the sulphur and mercury of metals, when extracted and isolated under the disintegrating energy of our first agent, or secret solvent, on their own by simple contact are reduced to the form of a viscous oil---a fatty and coagulable smoothness which the ancients called metallic humid radical and mercury of the sages....

Taking as an example Moses’ gesture it will suffice to sharply strike this rock (Greek, lepas) of arid and dry appearance three times in order to see the mysterious water that it contains, spring forth. It is the first solvent, common Mercury of the Sages, faithful servant of the artist, the only thing he needs and that nothing can replace according to the testimony of Geber and of the most ancient Adepts. Its volatile quality which allowed philosophers to assimilate this mercury to the common hydrargyrum, is moreover emphasized on our basrelief by the tiny lepidoptera wings (Greek, lepidos-pteron) affixed to the shoulders of the symbolic monster. However, in our opinion, the best name that authors have given to their mercury seems to be Spirit of magnesia. For they call magnesia (Greek, magnes, magnet) the coarse feminine matter which attracts by an occult virtue the spirit enclosed beneath the hard shell of the steel of the sages. The latter, penetrating like a burning flame into the body of the passive nature, burns, consumes its heterogeneous parts, drives away the arsenical (leprous) sulphur, and animates the pure mercury it contains and which appears in the conventional form of a liquor both humid and igneous ---the fire water of the Ancients---which we call Spirit of Magnesia and universal solvent.


6a9PAnb.jpg



Our Universal Solvent is a perfect conjunction of celestial and terrestrial, an inseperable union of volatile and fixed via Circulation.


See also: One, Two, Three

Further reading: "Alfred, or, The Youthful Enquirer"
 
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Florius Frammel

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If it does not have these properties, it is not our Universal Solvent.

This is not 100% suitable for a definition of the Universal Solvent. If it needs to dissolve all solids you would not get a vessel to put it into anyhow and anywhere.
 

Andro

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This is not 100% suitable for a definition of the Universal Solvent. If it needs to dissolve all solids you would not get a vessel to put it into anyhow and anywhere.

The "Universal Solvent" of Alchemy does NOT "dissolve" in a classical, chemical way. It has quite different actions/properties.

Thinking in terms of school chemistry will not be very helpful here :)
 

Florius Frammel

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Let's say you are right, Andro. Then we would first have to talk about an alchemical definition of "dissolving", or why Boerhaave did not use an other verb that's better suited to describe the properties of the US (not of A).
 

Weidenfeld

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The "Universal Solvent" of Alchemy does NOT "dissolve" in a classical, chemical way. It has quite different actions/properties.

Thinking in terms of school chemistry will not be very helpful here :)

My personal understanding how this 'universal solvent' acts on matter is quite different from a simple chemical dissolution. The real secret solvent should have the property to break down or to disassemble the matter (metal) into its three alchemical components, its 'Tria Prima'.
 

JDP

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This is not 100% suitable for a definition of the Universal Solvent. If it needs to dissolve all solids you would not get a vessel to put it into anyhow and anywhere.

That was in fact Kunckel's main objection to this claim of a "universal solvent" (in a literal sense.) But it is based on misunderstandings by chymists like van Helmont, Starkey, Boerhaave, etc., who were obviously not alchemists and did not know how to prepare the "water" of the alchemists. As Fulcanelli clarifies, this solvent "has been called the universal solvent, not because it is capable of dissolving all bodies in nature --- as many wrongly believe --- but because it can do everything in the small universe which the Great Work constitutes."

Another mistaken notion is that the solvent of alchemy remains exactly the same as it was even after it dissolves something, that it does not join with what it dissolved, and thus can be reused indefinitely. That is a confusion with the claims of van Helmont (who, once again, was NOT an alchemist and did NOT know how to make the Stone) regarding his supposed "alkahest", which is NOT the solvent of alchemy. The characteristic of the genuine alchemical solvent is in fact that it not only joins with the metallic/mineral matters it dissolves but it eventually "coagulates" with them as well, forming a permanent and inseparable union with them, and in the process of doing that generates a whole new substance (i.e. the alchemical "tinctures", of which the Stone is the most powerful and sought for.) In other words, the exact opposite of the Helmontian "alkahest"! Weidenfeld, a more observant and critical reader than the majority of his contemporaries who kept indiscriminately confusing these two topics, had already noticed this flagrant contradiction between the Helmontian claims regarding the "alkahest" and the genuine alchemical solvent, and quite eloquently summarizes it thus:

"But of these Difficulties, the first and greatest Obstacle withal, was my own unhappy
Preconception of some certain Alkahest:
For being now out of the hope of attaining to the
preparation of this Liquor by other mens Books, as well as Paracelsus his own De Viribus
Membrorum, I betook my self to other places, treating of the Circulatum minus, and
Specificum corrosivum (as synonimous Terms of the Alkahest with some men) to which I
added the Aqua or Oleum Salis, Aqua Comedens, Aqua Regis, Circulatum majus, and one
after another being perswaded that some one only universal Menstruum was intended by all,
that I might find the Method of preparing this Liquor in all places compared together, which I
could not in each severally; but at length despairing, and being overcome by the manifold and
almost incredible, yet unsuccessful pains I took, I resolved to decline Chymy and Medicine, as
Arts too deep for my understanding. When behold! on a sudden the Eyes of my Mind were
opened, and I saw all these things differ, not in name only, but also in matter, preparation and
use; so instead of one Liquor Alkahest, which I sought for, I found in Paracelsus many
Menstruums, with the several Uses of them all in Medicine; now knew I how to prepare, and
according to Paracelsus; distinguish things into Essences, Magisteries, Astrums, Arcanums,
and those which he calls the less Medicines, so that which was in Paracelsus most difficult to
be understood by others, became more clear to me than any thing else; and so I obtained the
End sooner than the Beginning: Yet the Joy from thence accrewing, fell shorter than
expectation; for having tried several Experiments in vain, I came to understand that these
Menstruums of Paracelsus contained something abstruse and unknown, to be understood, not
in the least according to the Letter: whereupon, examining them more exactly and comparing
their Qualities with the Nature of the Liquor Alkahest, I found a vast difference between it and
them; for it is said, There is one Liquor Alkahest, and that universal; but many are the
Menstruums of Paracelsus, these indestructible, these destructible; these not mixing with
Bodies, these abiding with them; that preserves the Virtues of things, these alter them; that
ascends after the Essences of things in destillation, these before their dissolutions, etc
. I was at
a stand sometime which part to take; one while I wish’d for one indestructible Liquor, rather
than many destructible Menstruums, supposing that one better than many, another while
changing my Mind, I desired the Menstruums, as sufficient for many Uses I knew before.
Truth overcame at length, enabling me now to demonstrate the most, if not all the
Medicines of Paracelsus in Guido and Basilius: On the contrary, I perceived the Arcanums of
Paracelsus, (commonly so called) as prepared by that Liquor Alkahest, or the like, to be more
and more different, yea contrary to the Authentick:
wherefore as to the Preparation of
Medicines, I began to abstain, yea desisted from further enquiring into the obscure Matter,
Preparation and Use of that Liquor Alkahest, namely, that which I find described in one place
of Paracelsus as a Medicine, but not in the least as a Menstruum:
Which Obstacle being
removed, I found an easie way from Paracelsus to Lully, Basilius, and other Philosophers of
the same Faculty, who I saw agreed all unanimously in confirmation of the Paracelsian
Menstruums; yea Light adding Light to Light, appeared so clear, that their preparation,
variety, simple and literal sense showed themselves all at once, one only Word remaining
unknown, yet expressing the universal Basis of all the Adepts, and that is Spirit of Wine, not
Common, but Philosophical; which being known and obtained, the greatest Philosophical,
Medicinal, Alchymical, and Magical Mysteries of the more secret Chymy, will be in the power
of the Possessor...

But you that have hitherto desired one only universal, immortal, indestructible Menstruum,
I mean, the Liquor Alkahest or Ignisaqua, that undeclinable word, instead of one, whereof
you never yet knew the Name, Matter, Preparation and Use, behold! I offer a great many
kinds of universal Menstruums, in their Descriptions more clear, in Virtues equivalent, if not
better than this your Alkahest. What others have either obscurely, or impertinently said and
written of this Liquor Alkahest, we little regard, as Opinions and Conjectures. By the
Menstruums of the Adepts, we intend not all manner of Dissolvents, prepared without the
Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and only corroding, but not in the least altering the more minute
Particles of Bodies: Nor do we understand an immortal Liquor, not permanent with things
dissolved in it: But by Menstruum we mean a volatile Liquor made several ways of the Spirit
of Philosophical Wine and divers things, not only separating Bodies, but also continuing with
them, and altering them with the addition of it self, so as to be no more two, nor again, what
they were before. For out of this Dissolution (the solemn Wedlock, inseparable Union and
Combination of Body and Menstruum) emergeth a new Being, containing the unblemished
Properties of the thing dissolved, and the thing dissolving, not at all separable by Art or
Nature.
"


That is also the reason why it is HOPELESS to try to make the Stone without this secret solvent, as it forms an integral part of its final mass. It would be as ridiculous as trying to make an omelette without eggs!
 

alfr

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hi JDP and everybody

spiritus wines phil and secret solvent

and the research and results of kunkel , of polt and weidenfeld etc very interesting (as I have already said in various post-authors whose analysis we need to deepen their precious indications) is beyond the prodromus of weidenfeld
that we find in English at this link

https://www.scribd.com/document/341659938/From-Weidenfeld-s-Prodromus-Libri-Secundi-1

moreover, for the understanding of the bases of the secret solvent phil is also very interesting also the following pdf which well framed the topic and the use of obtaining the base of a solvent phi as indicated by lullo and valentino from a spitus wines mortified with acids as pure indicates the mortification of oleosum with acid the weidenfeld in its proromus etc as it is also indicated with all the various references and indications of lullo texts etc in this pdf

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/14610/1/291006.proof.pdf

regard

about kunkel someone has the translation in English French or in German not printed gothic of his text espistole contra spiritus wines sine acid ?

https://books.google.it/books/about...Brandenb_Geh.html?id=bZhYAAAAcAAJ&redir_esc=y

and of the plot someone has a readable translation in modern characters of his manuscript Plot 3646 sloae ?

regard
.........................................
hi
sullo spiritus vini phil e solvente segreto e le ricerche e i risultati di polt e kunkel weidenfeld molto interessante (come ho gia detto in vari post autori cui doveremmo approfondire le analisi delle loro preziose indicazioni ) è oltre al prodromus del weidenfeld
che troviamo in inglese a questo link

https://www.scribd.com/document/341659938/From-Weidenfeld-s-Prodromus-Libri-Secundi-1

inoltre per la comprensione delle basi del solvente segreto phil è inoltre molto interessante anche il seguente pdf il quale ben inquadra l'argomento e l'uso di ottenere la base di un solvente phi come indicava lullo e valentino da uno spitus vini mortificato con acidi come pure indica la mortificazione di oleosum con acido il weidenfeld nel suo proromus etc come è anche indicato con tutti i vari riferimenti e indicazioni di testi di lullo etc in questo pdf

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/14610/1/291006.proof.pdf

regard

a proposito di kunkel qualcuno ha la traduzione in inglese francese o in tedesco non stampato gotico del suo testo espistole contra spiritus vini sine acido ?

https://books.google.it/books/about...Brandenb_Geh.html?id=bZhYAAAAcAAJ&redir_esc=y

e del plot qualcuno ha una traduzione leggibile in caratteri moderni del suo manoscritto Plot 3646 sloae ?

regard
 
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Florius Frammel

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Thanks JDP,
the secret solvent can therefore be regarded as the (phil.) mercury. In middle ages people thought the semen of a male animal (phil. sulphur) must be placed into the menstrual blood (menstruum) of a female. Of course one needs an appropriate uterus (matrix, vessel) to be succesful and a new child (king) can rise from the grave (vessel, matrix again). Then again you have a connection to the homunculi some alchemists were talking about.
 

Kiorionis

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Based off my theoretical research, the secret solvent ought to exist in all things, because it ”dissolves” all things. Or dissolves into them. Also, being incombustible, it should be driven out of matter when that matter goes through combustion; though not being the only thing driven out. Of course this is looking at things from the bottom up.

From this, I’m hypothesizing that when plant matter is burnt, it blackens because the solvent is first set to work before being driven out. Either this, or Fire is the secret solvent. An incombustible thing which opens and “dissolves” all things.
 

Schmuldvich

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Another mistaken notion is that the solvent of alchemy remains exactly the same as it was even after it dissolves something, that it does not join with what it dissolved, and thus can be reused indefinitely. That is a confusion.

That is also the reason why it is HOPELESS to try to make the Stone without this secret solvent, as it forms an integral part of its final mass.

JDP,

Do you have any experience with our Secret/Universal Solvent?

Have you ever utilized it in your Work?
 

Dragon's Tail

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Based off my theoretical research, the secret solvent ought to exist in all things, because it ”dissolves” all things. Or dissolves into them. Also, being incombustible, it should be driven out of matter when that matter goes through combustion; though not being the only thing driven out. Of course this is looking at things from the bottom up.

From this, I’m hypothesizing that when plant matter is burnt, it blackens because the solvent is first set to work before being driven out. Either this, or Fire is the secret solvent. An incombustible thing which opens and “dissolves” all things.

Interesting to hear you say this. I've considered a LOT whether "our Mercury" actually referred to fire itself. Or more generally, that Mercury is a process more than a physical thing.

Lately I've been tinkering with the idea that a "water that does not wet the hands" is actually a solid at room temp, and must be liquefied (by melting) to be used in the work. In that case, flasks aren't as important as crucibles ;) This would also fit the description that every metal is born of its own mercury. Take iron ore for instance. Pop it in a smelter without access to much air with coal (our bituminous matter) heat it up, the coal persists with the fire, the slag (or feculance) drops out, and we are left with a spongey black mass that must be worked (hammered) into an ingot, to receive a more perfect mineral: iron. Actually in that case it would be a certain grade of steel, depending on the ingredients and smelting process. Something worth some meditation for sure.
 

z0 K

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Based off my theoretical research, the secret solvent ought to exist in all things, because it ”dissolves” all things. Or dissolves into them. Also, being incombustible, it should be driven out of matter when that matter goes through combustion; though not being the only thing driven out. Of course this is looking at things from the bottom up.

From this, I’m hypothesizing that when plant matter is burnt, it blackens because the solvent is first set to work before being driven out. Either this, or Fire is the secret solvent. An incombustible thing which opens and “dissolves” all things.

Fire and Water penetrate. Earth and Air coagulate. Fire is the Universal Solvent but not the Secret Solvent. That is an artful menstruum regulated by Fire in which Air and Earth coagulate Philosophical Matter in the vessel of our Blessed Water.

For plants the Earth of plants is in the menstruum. For metals the earth of metals is in the menstruum. This according to Dunstan. Ripley and Kelley both had copies of Dunstan's book. Both maintained that Exact Piece of Philosophy. I'm working on it now getting the starting matter ready to expose the Elements described following the protocols of that Piece of Philosophy.

Mistakes will be made hammering out the process but it all starts with the matter of the Secret Solvent.
 

elixirmixer

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Sol is His father, Luna is His mother.

Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, are regulatory phase changes uniquely specialized to the evolution of matter.

What has evolved all plants, animals, minerals and metals here on earth? Sol & Luna, regulated elementally, in order that all will grow into a life sustaining balance.

We use extremes in order to bend and snap our chemical understanding into one of higher Hermetic Knowledge.

We use a balanced quad-polar Square, which is our Malkuth, in order to nurture, grow and mature this Celestial Child.

No things hold this Solvent. It is the solvent that holds and penetrates all other things. Nothing is the solvent and yet nothing would exist without it. It is the source of all things philosophical, it is that which all things seek to have, albeit ignorantly, and foolishly poison themselves with its infinite particulars.

We are told, and with certainty it is true, that all is condensed light.
We are told, and with certainty without doubt, that all metals have conjealed from these celestial fires. So why then, do you look toward anything bar Sol & Luna, since we are certain that all good things that were made, are made, and will henceforth be made, come from He, Their one Child, which hath only two Parents and no more. This is a celestial stone, made terrestrial through art, and it should henceforth be treated as such, and not as some abominable liquor, given to any good chymist, for God only bistows the Child, to the true Sage, and He does so from the heavens, and not from a vile assortment of acids and salts as the puffers believe.

This is a nobal and hidden art, and the Hermetic mind only has understanding, since it is its church, its practise, its industry.

Be Watchful.
 

JDP

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JDP,

Do you have any experience with our Secret/Universal Solvent?

Have you ever utilized it in your Work?

SUI (Subject Under Investigation): Several possibilities being put to the test. Trial & error and process of elimination. The only way to arrive at any correct answer. No other way. But naturally this takes a lot of time, money, patience and perseverance, no matter how many dead-ends you are confronted with. Which is why the large majority of seekers do not succeed. They tend to quit after only a few failures. Then out of frustration they tend to plunge into the realm of pure fantasy, like "many different paths" using all sorts of different substances and no secret solvent but all manner of different (common) solvents. Then they naturally fail again, but this time they try to disguise it by claiming success in making "other Stones" since, unlike the genuine Stone, their vulgar chemical concoctions do NOT transmute metals. Poppycock!
 

JDP

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Based off my theoretical research, the secret solvent ought to exist in all things, because it ”dissolves” all things. Or dissolves into them.

Kunckel's objection to this idea was very simple: such a solvent, if it really exists, would be useless, since the operator would not be able to find a vessel in which to contain it. So obviously a "universal solvent" in a true literal sense is a chimera. Some alchemists have exaggerated by using the expression "universal", but they meant it in the context of the "Great Work". It dissolves the metallic/mineral matters used in making the Stone. Obviously it will not literally dissolve "everything", like glass or ceramics, for example. If that was true, alchemy would simply be impossible to be carried out. Its own secret solvent would be impossible to use since it would not be able to be contained anywhere! (i.e. Kunckel's objection to such a claim)
 

Weidenfeld

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How crucial and important the ‘Universal Solvent’ for true Alchemy naturally is had already recognized the medicinal doctor and Rosicrucean Rudolf Johann Fridrich Schmid from Hamburg in the first half of the 18th century in his rather unknown book about the universal solvent(s) or menstrua.
It’s full title is:

Enchiridion alchymico-physicum sive Disquisitio de menstruis universalibus vel liquoribus alcahestinis philosophorum illorum æque ac tincturæ et lapidis philosophorum nec non viarum ad Tincturam Metallorum ducentium distinctam cognitionem generatim suppeditans, et hoc modo totius philosophiæ pyrotechnicæ fundamenta philosophorum auctoritate, experientia, pariter et firmissimis rationibus fulta ante oculos ponens in philochimicorum gratiam non minus ac pyrosophiæ secretoris incrementum adornatum atque editum a Rud. Jo. Frid. Schmidio Medicinae Doctore & Practico.

http://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/32469/5/

I think Schmid’s book could be a good starter for the subject, however, even Schmid didn’t know how to make the secret solvent or didn’t mention it.
Unfortunately there is no English translation however there might be around a contemporary German translation …
 

Florius Frammel

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Therse is also a quite detailled recipie for the secret solvent in Salomon Trismosins Aureum Vellus.

He uses Mercury, Alum, Saltpeter destilled together with ethanol. With NaCl and gold leafs you are supposed to get the stone.
 

Weidenfeld

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Therse is also a quite detailled recipie for the secret solvent in Salomon Trismosins Aureum Vellus.

He uses Mercury, Alum, Saltpeter destilled together with ethanol. With NaCl and gold leafs you are supposed to get the stone.

Could lead to a very dirty kind of royal water ...
 

True Initiate

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I think Schmid’s book could be a good starter for the subject, however, even Schmid didn’t know how to make the secret solvent or didn’t mention it.

Which means that secret solvent was just a theoretical concept like phlogiston theory with no basis in reality .
 

JDP

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Therse is also a quite detailled recipie for the secret solvent in Salomon Trismosins Aureum Vellus.

He uses Mercury, Alum, Saltpeter destilled together with ethanol. With NaCl and gold leafs you are supposed to get the stone.

Too bad it does not work and is obviously a totally phony process (like much of Trismosin's texts, which have little to do with the Philosophers' Stone, BTW, and are mostly concerned with "particulars".) No one has ever published a totally clear instruction (with the common names of all the substances involved clearly identified & spelled out) on how to make the secret solvent. Had someone done so, alchemy would have ceased to be a "mystery" (to the average Joe) or considered an "impossibility" (by chemists and physicists) a long time ago.
 

JDP

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Which means that secret solvent was just a theoretical concept like phlogiston theory with no basis in reality .

No, it only means that he did not know how to make it.
 

Kiorionis

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Fire and Water penetrate. Earth and Air coagulate. Fire is the Universal Solvent but not the Secret Solvent. That is an artful menstruum regulated by Fire in which Air and Earth coagulate Philosophical Matter in the vessel of our Blessed Water.

For plants the Earth of plants is in the menstruum. For metals the earth of metals is in the menstruum. This according to Dunstan. Ripley and Kelley both had copies of Dunstan's book. Both maintained that Exact Piece of Philosophy. I'm working on it now getting the starting matter ready to expose the Elements described following the protocols of that Piece of Philosophy.

Mistakes will be made hammering out the process but it all starts with the matter of the Secret Solvent.

Fire as Universal Solvent makes sense. Im curious if you agree with this, or if relationships like this are useful:

Fire penetrates Earth, Water penetrates Air
Earth coagulates Water, Air coagulates Fire.

?
 

alfr

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SOLVENT SECRET, SPIRITUS VINE PHILOSOPHICI ETC imho the kunkel, the plot e weindenfeld etc give all about the secret solvent philosophical some very big indication to the first base of the solvent secret so imho is very important analyzed and study deep they and about this base there are a one very interesting indication also in this VIII chapter of glauber of the Pharmacopea Spagyric when he quote basilio valentino

GLAUBER
PHARMACOPEA SPAGYRIC

Chapter VIII.
How by help of the Vegetable Fire, Mineral Fires may be extinguished, and the corrosive fiery disposition of them converted into sweetness.

It is very well known, that the greater common Fire doth always (as often as one is set near the other) either extinguish the lesser, or cause it to languish, the same also happens to Philosophick Fires. As for example, Put into a Stone dish or Pan, Spirit of Salt, Vitriol, Niter, or Sulphur, or some other acid Spirit, and three, four, or six parts of the best Spirit of Wine which kindle, and the Spirit of Wine will burn away, but the acid Spirit through the subtility of the flame becomes sweet. Which sweet Spirits, especially that of Sulphur and Salt, manifest great Virtues in Medicine. BASIL VALENTINE speaks of the dulcified Spirit of Salt, that it extracts from Gold its Tincture; and that he, who knows how to dulcifie it, will be honoured by Philosophers. He in like manner teacheth that Spirit of Wine is seven times to be abstracted thence: Yet undoubtedly he intended not the vulgar Abstraction, but this secret Abstraction, rather, of which we now speak. Because such Spirits are not dulcified at one time, but Spirit of Wine is often to be abstracted thence by the help of Fire, before they will be sufficiently dulcified.


about see also the pdf

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/14610/1/291006.proof.pdf
 
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