JEAN PONTANUS
EPISTLE
concerning
THE PHILOSOPHIC FIRE
translated into English
BY
MIKE DICKMAN
EPISTOLA DE IGNE PHILOSOPHORUM
per
JOHANNES PONTANUS
"This fire, or fiery water, is the vital spark transmitted to inert matter by the Creator; it is the spirit within things, the flaming ray, imperishable, hidden in the depths of dark, formless and frigid matter (...) To our regret, we may no more than hint at the existence of the reef and, along with the most eminent philosophers, advise an attentive reading of Artephius, Pontanus and of the brief treatise entitled Epistola de Igne Philosophorum."
(Fulcanelli, Le Mystère des Cathédrales)
I, John Pontanus, who have travelled into divers realms and domains on my quest to know the certainty of the Philosophers' Stone, journeying through all parts of the world, have found but false Philosophers and deceivers. Studying ever the books of the Wise, my doubt mounting, I discovered the truth: yet, notwithstanding I had knowledge of the matter in general, I erred still two hundred times ere I found out the operation and practice and true material.
I commenced first my operations with putrefactions of the Body of this
matter, the which I continued over a period of nine months but it came to
naught. I placed it in the balneum–marie for lengthy periods, erring the same.
I took and placed it in the calcinating fire for three months, proceeding yet
awry. All types and sorts of distillation and sublimation mentioned — or
apparently mentioned — by the Philosophers — Geber, Archelaus, and all the
others — have I attempted and tried, and found equally nothing. In brief, I
tried to come at and perfect in every way conceivable the subject of all the
Art of Alchemy, be this by manure, bathing, ashes, or the thousand other sorts
of fire mentioned by the Philosophers in their works, but nothing did I
discover of worth.
It was for this reason that I set myself to study the
books of the Philosophers for three years continual, studying among others
those of Hermes, whose brief words contain the whole magistry of the Stone;
though he speaks quite obscurely of things above and below, of Heaven and of
the Earth.
All one's application and care must then be only to know the
correct practice in the first, second and third Works. It is not at all the
fire of the bath, dung or ashes, nor any of the other fires of which the
Philosophers sing or describe for us in their books.
What, then is this
fire which perfects and achieves the entire Work, from beginning to end?
Certainly all Philosophers have hidden it; but for myself, touched by a moment
of pity, I would declare it and the achievement of the whole Work.
The
Philosophers' Stone is one and unique, but hidden and veiled in a multiplicity
of different names, and before knowing it you will have seen much struggle. By
your own genius will you come to know it only with difficulty. It is watery,
airy, fiery and earthy, phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine and melancholy. It is a
sulphur and equally quick silver.
It has several superfluities which I
assure you by the living God, transform themselves into a sole and unique
Essence if there be only our fire. And whoever — believing such to be
necessary — would subtract some thing from the subject, knows of a certainty
nothing of Philosophy. For the superfluous, unclean, foul, scurvy, miry and,
in general, entire substance of the subject, is perfected into one fixed and
spiritual body by means of our fire. Which has never been revealed by the
Wise, thus making it that but few succeed in this Art, imagining that some
foul and unworthy thing must be separated out.
It behoves one now to make
appear, and draw out the properties of our fire; if it agree with our matter
in the way of which I have spoken, that is to say, if it be transmuted with
the matter. This fire burns the material not at all, nor separates anything
from it, nor divides nor puts apart the parts pure and impure, as is told by
all Philosophers, but converts the whole subject into purity. It does not
sublime as Geber or Arnold and all others who have spoken of sublimation and
distillation sublime. And it makes and perfects itself in little time.
This fire is mineral, equal and continual, and fumes not unless over
aroused; it has certain of the characteristics of sulphur, but is taken and
originates elsewhere than in matter. It ruptures, dissolves, and congeals all
things; similarly congeals and calcines; it is difficult to find by industry
or by Art. This fire is the epitome and abridgement of the Work in its
entirety, taking no other thing else, or very little, and this same fire
introduces itself and is of mediocre heat; for with this little fire is the
whole Work perfect, and all due and necessary sublimation achieved.
Those
who read Geber and all other Philosophers shall never come to an understanding
of it though they live one hundred thousand years; for that this fire may not
be discovered but by the sole and profound meditation of the mind, following
which one will understand the books, and not otherwise. Error in this Art,
consists only in the acquisition or otherwise of this fire which converts the
whole material into the Stone of the Wise.
Study, then, this fire, for had
I myself found it at the first, I should not have erred two hundred times upon
the true matter. By which am I no longer surprised if so many come not to the
accomplishment of the Work.
They err, have erred and will ever err, in
that the Philosophers have placed their true agent in but one, single thing,
which Artephius alone named, but speaking only for himself. Had I not read
Artephius, nor penetrated and understood, never would I have arrived at the
accomplishment of the Work.
Here, then, the practice: take the matter and,
with all diligence, grind and pulverise it with a philosophic contrition and
place it upon the fire that is within the furnace. But the degree and
proportion of the fire are also to be known, to wit, that the external fire
excite only the matter; and in little time this fire, without that one put a
hand to it in any manner, will assuredly realise the Work in its entirety. For
it will purify, corrupt, engender and bring to perfection the whole work,
making appear the three principal colours, the black, white and red. And by
our fire the medicine will multiply, not only in quantity but also in virtue,
if joined with matter in its raw state.
Search out, therefore, this fire
with all strength of your mind and you shall attain the goal you have set
yourself; for it is this that brings to completion all stages of the Work, and
is the key of all Philosophers, which they have never revealed in their books.
If you consider well and deep upon what has gone above you will know it. Not
otherwise.
Thus, moved by a spirit of pity, have I written this; but, and
that I satisfy myself, as I made mention above, the fire is in no wise
transmuted with the matter. I wished to speak this and to warn well the
prudent concerning these things, that they spend not in vain their money, but
know in advance what it is that they seek and, by this means, arrive at the
truth of the Art; not otherwise.
God keep thee.