whole hermetic work, since the heavenly mercury that is necessary to
the preliminary work, to the purification, is yet itself a gift of God;
the beginning depends on the end and presupposes it. The symbol of the
prima materia is not without purpose a snake that has its tail in its
mouth. I cannot, in anticipation, enter into the problem that arises in
this connection; only let it be understood in a word that the end can soar
beyond the beginning as an ideal.

What is to be done with the messenger of heaven, mercury, or conscience,
when it has been discovered? Several alchemists give the instruction to
sow the gold in mercury as in the earth, "philosophic gold" that is also
called Venus-love. Often the New Testament proves the best commentary on
the hermetic writings. In Corinthians III, 9, ff., we read: "Ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is
given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and
another buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones, hay, stubble.... Every man's work shall be
made manifest ... because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is." And Galatians VI, 7 ff.: "For
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to
his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let him not be weary
in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." The
spirit to which it is sowed there is [Symbol: Mercury], mercury, and the
gold that will come out is to be proved in the fire.

The alchemists speak of men very often as of metals. Before I cite from
the work of Johann Isaak Hollandus on lead, I call to mind that lead,
[Symbol: Saturn], bears the name of Saturn. The writing of Hollandus could
quite as well be called a treatise on mankind as on lead. To understand
this better, be it added that man in a state of humility or resignation
must specially be associated with lead, the soft, dark metal.

The publisher of the English translation of J. I. Hollandus, which is
dated 1670, addresses the reader as follows: "Kind reader, the
philosophers have written much about their lead, which as Basilus has
taught, is prepared from antimony; and I am under the impression that this
sat