ecorded among alchemical
archives, where "an unknown master testified to his possession of the
mystery" (supposedly of metallic transmutation), but it is added that
"he had not proceeded to the work because he had failed to meet an
_elect woman_, who was necessary thereto." In other words, applying
this statement in its obviously logical sense, the unknown master knew
the esoteric meaning of the alchemical postulate, but not having met
his female complement, he could not testify to the results of this
transmutation. An "elect woman" would hardly be necessary in the work
of metallic transmutation.

Small wonder that the "alchemist" abandoned the work of turning lead
and copper into gold. If he had found the key of keys, he cared little
whether lead were lead, or whether gold remained gold, or melted into
thin air. The golden light of illumination showed him all things in
their purpose, and gold as a metal meant no more to him than did the
so-called "baser" metals.

Commenting upon this statement, the translator observes: "Those
Hermetic texts which bear a spiritual interpretation and are as if a
record of spiritual experience, present, like the literature of
physical alchemy, the following aspects of symbolism: the marriage of
sun and moon; of a mystical king and queen; a union between natures
which are _one_ at the _root_, but diverse in manifestation; a
transmutation which follows this union and an abiding glory therein."

If we will remember that the solar-man was personified by the Ancients
as the sun; and the solar-woman by the moon, we have the first and
salient points of the original Hermetic secrets, however much they may
have degenerated from their spiritual to their physical application.
The probabilities are that owing to the disapproval of the Christian
Hierarchy, only the most veiled terminology was permissible. This view
is more logical than is the one that the esoteric meaning was lost
sight of.

The marriage of an hypothetical or "mystical king and queen" bespeaks
exaltation of the two conjoining persons, male and female, but this
exaltation is in consciousness, and not in mere personality. The
terms "king" and "queen" are nothing more or less than symbols of an
exalted (spiritualized) state.

And, in passing, we may here mention the fact that the language of
lovers testifies to this intuitional realization. "My queen!" exclaims
the enraptured lover, although in social station his beloved one may
b