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

Let the student incline his ear to the united verdict of the Sages, who describe this work as analogous to the Creation of the World. In the Beginning God created Heaven and Earth ; and the Earth was without form and void, and the Spirit of. God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said,

* Let there be light," and there was light. ^ These words are sufficient for the student of our Art. The Heaven must be united to the Earth on the couch of friendship ; so shall he reign in glory for ever. The Earth is the heavy body, the womb of the minerals, which it cherishes in itself, although it brings to light trees and animals. The Heaven is the place where the great Lights revolve, and through the air transmit their influences to the lower world. But in the beginning all was one confused chaos. Our Chaos is, as it were, a mineral earth (by virtue of its coagulation) and yet also volatile air—in the cezzre of which is the Heaven of the Sages, the Astral Centre, which with its light irradiates the earth to its surface. What man is wise enough to evolve out of this world a new King, who shall redeem his brothers from their natural weaknesses, by dying, being lifted on high, and giving his flesh and blood for the life of the world? I thank Thee, O God, that Thou hast concealed these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes !

(OEIVASPADIESSERVAIE
Of the Air of the Sages.

Our air, like the air of the firmament, divides the waters ; and as the waters under the firmament are visible to us mortals, while we are unable to see the waters above the firmament, so in *our work" we see the extracentral mineral waters, but are unable to see those which, though hidden within, nevertheless have a real existence. "They exist but do not appear until it please the Artist, as the author of the /Vezw LzgA£ has testified. Our air keeps the extracentral waters from mingling with those at the centre. If through the removal of this impediment, they were enabled to mingle, their union would be indissoluble. Therefore the external vapours and burning sulphur do stiffly adhere to our chaos, and unable to resist its tyranny, the pure flies away from the fire in the form of a dry powder. This then should be your great object. The arid earth must be irrigated, and its pores softened with water of its own kind ; then this thief with all the workers of iniquity will be cast out, the water will be purged of its leprous stain by the addition of true

Sulphur, and you will have the Spring whose waters are sacred to the maiden Queen Diana. This thief is armed with all the malignity of arsenic, and is feared and eschewed by the winged youth. Though the Central Water be his Spouse, yet the youth cannot come to her, until Diana with the wings of her doves purges the poisonous air, and opens a passage to the bridal chamber. "Then the youth enters easily through the pores, presently shaking the waters above, and stirring up a rude and ruddy cloud. Do thou, O Diana, bring in the water over him, even unto the brightness of the Moon! So the darkness on the face of the abyss will be dispersed by the spirit moving in the waters. Thus, at the bidding of God, light will appear on the Seventh Day, and then this sophic creating of Mercury shall be completed, from which time, until the revolution of the year, you may wait for the birth of the marvellous Child of the Sun, who will come to deliver his brethren from every stain.

GEDATPI ER VIE

Of the Fzrst Operation-——Preparation of Mercury. by means of the Flying Eagles.