Alchemy, ancient and modern . e it is yet in the minerals are hidden in the womb of the earth,and nourished by her with the spirit which shereceives from above. Thus the power of growth that I speak of isimparted not by the earth, but by the life-giving spiritthat is in it. If the earth were deserted by this spirit, itwould be dead, and no longer able to afford nourish-ment to anything. For its sulphur or richness wouldlack the quickening spirit without which there can beneither life nor growth. § 21. The idea that the growth of each metal was under the influence of one of the heavenl
Alchemy, ancient and modern . e it is yet in the minerals are hidden in the womb of the earth,and nourished by her with the spirit which shereceives from above. Thus the power of growth that I speak of isimparted not by the earth, but by the life-giving spiritthat is in it. If the earth were deserted by this spirit, itwould be dead, and no longer able to afford nourish-ment to anything. For its sulphur or richness wouldlack the quickening spirit without which there can beneither life nor growth. § 21. The idea that the growth of each metal was under the influence of one of the heavenly bodies (a theory in harmony with the alchemisticAlchemy and . f he uni f he Cosmos) was Astrology. \ , , . very generally held by the alchemists ; and in consequence thereof, the metals were often referred to by the names or astrological symbols of their peculiar planets. These particulars are shown in the following table :— *t> 11 Basil Valentine: The Twelve Keys (see The HermeticMuseum, vol i. pp. 333-334). PLATE SYMBOLICAL ILLUSTRATION Representing theFertility of the Earth.
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