The Hermetic Museum, Vol. I — trans. A. E. Waite (1893)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (A. E. Waite). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
THIS CREST | BEAR WITH GLORY AND JUSTICE.
AND
understood, The utmost depth of my teachers! knowledge
have I sounded.
This God graciously granted to me,
Giving me a heart to understand wisdom.
'Thus I became the Author of this Book,
And I have clearly set forth the whole matter,
That Rich and Poor might understand.
There is nothing like it upon earth ;
Nor (God be praised) have I therein forgotten my humble
self.
I am acquainted with the only true foundation :
Therefore preserve this Book with care,
And take heed that you study it again and again.
Thus shall you receive and learn the truth,
And use this great gift of God for good ends.
O God the Father, which art of all the beginning and end,
We beseech thee for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ
To enlighten our minds and thoughts,
That we may praise Thee without ceasing,
And accomplish this Book according to Thy will !
Direct Thou everything to a good end,
And preserve us through Thy great mercy.—
With the help of God I will shew you this Art,
And will not hide or veil the truth from you.
After that you understand me aright,
You will soon be free from the bonds of error.
For there is only oze substance,
In which all the rest is hidden ;
"Therefore, keep a good heart.
Coction, time, and patience are what you need ;
If you would enjoy the precious reward,
You must cheerfully give both time and labour.
For you must subject to gentle coction the seeds and the
metals,
Dp oem I have read, and thoroughly
Day by day, during several weeks ;
Thus in this one vile thing
You will discover and bring to perfection the whole work of Philosophy,
Which to most men appears impossible,
Though it is a convenient and easy task.
If we were to shew it to the outer world
We should be derided by men, women, and children.
"Therefore be modest and secret,
And you will be left in peace and security.
Remember your duty towards your neighbour and your God,
Who gives this Art, and would have it concealed.
Now we will conclude the Preface,
That we may begin to describe the very Art,
And truly and plainly set it forth in figures,
Rendering thanks to the Creator of every creature.
Hereunto follows the First Figure, ms í
THE HERMETIC MUSEUM.
The Sages will tell you
That two fishes are in our sea
Without any flesh or bones.
Let them be cooked in their own water ;
Then they also will become a vast sea,
'The vastness of which no man can describe.
Moreover, the Sages say
'That the two fishes are only one, not two ;
"They are two, and nevertheless they are one,
Body, Spirit, and Soul.
Now, I tell you most truly,
Cook these three together,
'That there may be a very large sea.
Cook the sulphur well with the sulphur,
And hold your tongue about it :
Conceal your knowledge to your own advantage,
And you shall be free from poverty.
Only let your discovery remain a close secret.
FIGURE I.
BE WARNED AND UNDERSTAND TRULY . THAT TWO FISHES ARE SWIMMING IN OUR SEA.
The Sea is the Body, the two Fishes are Soul and Spirit.
The Sage says
'That a wild beast is in the forest,
Whose skin is of blackest dye.
If any man cut off his head, .
His blackness will disappear,
And give place to a snowy white.
Understand well the meaning of this head :
'The blackness is called the head of the Raven ;
As soon as it disappears,
A white colour is straightway manifested ;
It is given this name, despoiled of its head.
When the Beast's black hue has vanished in a black smoke,
jhedSacessrc]olco
From the bottom of their hearts ;
But they keep it a close secret,
'Fhat no foolish man may know it.
Yet unto their Sons, in kindness of heart,
They partly reveal it in their writings ;
And therefore let those who receive the gift
Enjoy it also in silence,
Since God would have it concealed.
FIGURE Il.
HERE YOU STRAIGHTWAY BEHOLD
A BLACK BEAST IN THE FOREST.
Putrefactton.
HE HERMETIC MUSEUM.
The Sages say truly
That two animals are in this forest :
One glorious, beautiful, and swift,
A great and strong deer ;
'The other an unicorn.
"They are concealed in the forest,
But happy shall that man be called
Who shall snare and capture them.
The Masters shew you here clearly
That in all places
These two animals wander about in forests
(But know that the forest is but one).
If we apply the parable to our Art,
We shall call the forest the Body.
That will be rightly and truly said.
The unicorn will be the Spirit at all times.
The deer desires no other name
But that of the Soul; which name no man shall take away from it.
He that knows how to tame and master them by Art,
To couple them together,
Amd to lead them in and out of the forest,
May justly be called a Master.
For we rightly judge
'That he has attained the golden flesh,
And may triumph everywhere ;
Nay, he may bear rule over great Augustus.
FIGURE III.
HEAR WITHOUT TERROR
THAT IN THE FOREST ARE HIDDEN A DEER AND AN
UNICORN.
P7
,; he Body there is Soul and Spirit.
'The Sages do faithfully teach us
'That two strong lions, to wit, male and female,
Lurk in a dark and rugged valley.
"These the Master must catch,
Though they are swift and fierce,
And of terrible and savage aspect.
He who, by wisdom and cunning,
Can snare and bind them,
And lead them into the same forest,
Of him it may be said with justice and truth