The Hermetic Museum, Vol. I — trans. A. E. Waite (1893)

The third is greater, the fourth brighter than the rest—
In all these the Salamander washes, and is purified.
'Then he hies him to his cave,

But on the way is caught and pierced

So that it dies, and yields up its life with its blood:
But this, too, happens for its good:

For from its blood it wins immortal life,

And then death has no more power over it.

Its blood is the most precious Medicine upon earth,
'The same hàs not its like in the world.

For this blood drives away all disease

In the bodies of metals,

Of men, and of beasts.

From it the Sages derive their science,

And through it they attain the Heavenly Gift,
Which is called the Philosopher's Stone,

Possessing the power of the whole world.

This gift the Sages impart to us with loving hearts,
(That we may remember them for ever.

FIGURE X.

A SALAMANDER LIVES IN THE FIRE,
WHICH IMPARTS TO IT A MOST GLORIOUS HUE.

A

ENSRI —

Tas 2s the reiteration, gradatwn, and amelioration of the Tzncture, or Philosophers Stone ; and the whole is calted its Augmentation.

Here is an old father of Israel,

Who has an only Son,

A Son whom he loves with all his heart.

With sorrow he prescribes sorrow to him.

He commits him to a guide,

Who is to conduct him whithersoever he will.

The Guide addresses the Son in these words :

Come hither! I will conduct thee everywhere,

'To the summit of the loftiest mountain,

That thou mayest understand all wisdom,

'That thou mayest behold the greatness of the earth, and of the sea,

And thence derive true pleasure.

I will bear thee through the air

To the gates of highest heaven.

'The Son hearkened to the words of the Guide,

And ascended upward with him ;

"There saw he the heavenly throne,

"That was beyond measure glorious.

When he had beheld these things,

He remembered his Father with sighing,

Pitied the great sorrow of his Father,

And said: I will return to his breast.

FIGURE XI.

THE FATHER AND THE SON HAVE LINKED THEIR HANDS
WITH THOSE OF THE GUIDE :
KNOW THAT THE THREE ARE BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.

Says the Son to the Guide :

I will go down to my Father,

For he cannot live without me.

He sighs and calls aloud for me.

And the Guide makes answer to the Son :
I will not let thee go alone ;

From thy Father's bosom I brought thee forth,
I will also take thee back again,

'That he may rejoice again and live.

This strength will we give unto him.

So both arose without delay,

And returned to the Father's house.
When the Father saw his Son coming,
He cried aloud, and said :—

FIGURE XII.

ANOTHER MOUNTAIN OF INDIA LIES IN THE VESSEL,

WIIGEE LEBBE- SBIRIT ANJILTEBE SOUL—-
THAT IS, THE SON AND THE GUIDE—HAVE CLIMBED.

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* * A

My Son, I was dead without thee,

And lived in great danger of my life.

I revive at thy return,

And it fills my breast with joy.

But when the Son entered the Father's house,
'The Father took him to his heart,

And swallowed him out of excessive joy,
And that with his own mouth.

'The great exertion makes the Father sweat.

THE BOOK OF LAMBSPRING. 3OI

FIGURE XIII.

HERE THE FATHER DEVOURS THE SON ;
THE SOUL AND SPIRIT FLOW FORTH FROM THE BODY.

- CPU ANE ios

SE i

NS j siempre rorum ana

Here the Father sweats on account of the Son,
And earnestly beseeches God,

Who has everything in His hands,

Who creates, and has created all things,

To bring forth his Son from his body,

And to restore him to his former life.

God hearkens to his prayers,

And bids the Father lie down and sleep.

'Then God sends down rain from heaven

To the earth from the shining stars.

It was a fertilizing, silver rain,

Which bedewed and softened the Father's Body.
Succour us, Lord, at the end,

That we may obtain Thy gracious Gift !

SEONSSRRESERSESSRSDS

ASNSNSNNSSSSNISNSENSSRNINU

THE BOOK OF LAMBSPRING.

PIGUREBE XIV.

HERE THE FATHER SWEATS PROFUSELY,
WHILE OIL AND THE TRUE TINCTURE
OF THE SAGES FLOW FORTH FROM HIM.

z—— — A T EE pl

The sleeping Father is here changed
Entirely into limpid water,

And by virtue of this water alone

'The good work is accomplished.

"There is now a glorified and beautiful Father,
And he brings forth a new Son.

'The Son ever remains in the Father,

And the Father in the Son.

Thus in divers things

'They produce untold, precious fruit.

They perish never. more,

And laugh at death.

By the grace of God they abide for ever,

'The Father and the Son, triumphing gloriously
In the splendour of their new Kingdom.
Upon one throne they sit,

And the face of the Ancient Master

Is straightway seen between them :

He is arrayed in a crimson robe.

THE BOOK OF LAMBSPRING.

FIGURE XV.

HERE FATHER AND SON ARE JOINED IN ONE,
SO TO REMAIN FOR EVER.

o6 THE HERMETIC MUSEUM.

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THREE CHOICE CHEMICAL TRACTS,

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(i) That of BASILIUS VALENTINUS, a Monk of the Benedictine Order; called PRACTICA, with twelve

Keys and an Appendix.

aD mbe CREIDIE MIHI of Ordina of "PEKONAS NORTON, an English Sage.

(iii) The TESTAMENT of a certain CREMER, Abbot of
WESTMINSTER.

EDITED BY

MICHAEL MAIER,

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE.

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