The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry

Figs. IV. and V. are reduced from The Book of Lambspring; they express the need of the conjunction of two to produce one. [Illustration: Here you behold a great marvel-- Two Lions are joined into one. The spirit and soul must be united in their body. FIG. IV.] After dissolution came Conjunction, wherein the separated elements were combined. Then followed Putrefaction, necessary for the germination of the seed which had been produced by calcination, dissolution, and conjunction. Putrefaction was followed by Congelation and Citation. The passage through the next gate, called Sublimation, caused the body to become spiritual, and the spiritual to be made corporal. Fermentation followed, whereby the substance became soft and flowed like wax. Finally, by Exaltation, the Stone was perfected. [Illustration: Here are two birds, great and strong--the body and spirit; one devours the other. Let the body be placed in horse-dung, or a warm bath, the spirit having been extracted from it. The body has become white by the process, the spirit red by our art. All that exists tends towards perfection, and thus is the Philosopher's Stone prepared.