The Turba Philosophorum (complete) — trans. A. E. Waite (1896)

called Kenckel, since all its water is a Tyrian colour, and rule the same with a gentle fire, as is customary, until it shall become earth, in which there will be a little colour. But if you wish to obtain the Tyrian tincture, take the humidity which that thing has ejected, and place it therewith gradually in a vessel, adding that tincture whereof the colour was disagreeable to you. Then cook with that same marine water* until itshall becomedry.t Afterwards moisten with that humour, dry gradually, and cease not to imbue it, to cook, and to dry, until it be imbued with all its humour. Then leave it for several days in its own vessel, until the most precious Tyrian colour shall come out from it to the surface. Observe how I describe the regimen to you ! Prepare it with the urine of boys, with

Myttic Questions of Demociitus. In this, also, urine plays an important part.

* The use of sea water is specified in one of the Democritic treatises.

t The second recension reads : " until it shall become moistened, after which evaporate the moisture."

The Turbo, Philosophorum. 49

water of the sea, and with permanent clean water, so that it may be tinged, and decoct with a gentle fire, until the blackness altogether shall depart from it, and it be easily pounded. Decoct, therefore, in its own humour until it clothe itself with a red colour. But if ye wish to bring it to the Tyrian colour, imbue the same with continual* water,, and mix, as ye know to be sufficient, according to the rule of sight ; mix the same with permanent water sufficiently, and decoct until rust absorb the water. Then wash with the water of the sea which thou hast prepared, which is water of desiccated calx ;t'cobk until it imbibe its own moisture ; and do this day by day. I tell you that a colour will thence appear to you the like of which the Tyrians have never made. And if ye wish that it should be a still more exalted colour, place the gum in the permanent water, with which ye shall dye it alternately, and

• The second recension reads : " with water ot snow." t The alternative reading is : water of talc.

E

50 The Turba Philosophorum.

afterwards desiccate in the suji. Then restore to the aforesaid water and the black Tyrian colour is intensified. But know that ye do not tinge the purple colour except by cold. Take, therefore, water which is of the nature of cold, and steep wool* therein until it extract the force of the tincture from the water. Know also that the Philosophers have called the force which proceeds from that water the Flower. Seek, therefore, your intent in the said water ; therein place what is in the vessel for days and nights, until it be clothed with a most precious Tyrian colour.

The Fifteenth Dictum.
Frictes saith : — O all ye seekers after
Wisdom, know that the foundation of
this Art, on account of which many
have perished, is one only.t There is

• The second recension substitutes Luna for Lana, i.i., Moon for wool.

t The one nature, the one matter, the one way, are all conceptions of Greek Alchemy. " The furnace is one, the way which must be followed is one, and one is also the

The Turba Philosophorum. 51