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real element, or a particle of homogeneous matter, the Mysterium Magnum of Paracelsus.
By his age-old science the alchemist may set free this Vital Principle in his laboratory,
destroy the body of the metal on which he is working, purify its salt, and bring its
principles together in a higher form. This process, which is after all but a miniature
reproduction of a superior process in operation around us all the time, undoubtedly
proceeds from Master Intelligences who have lived at some time or another on this Earth.
It is a pity that Science must always reject old ideas and cast them away as useless before
rediscovering them as something new to be incorporated in its current theories. To
discard the alchemist's theories is as intelligent as to dismiss as rubbish Einstein's Theory
of Relativity merely because one does not happen to understand his language. Some of
our scientific men have realized this, for F. Hoefer in 'Histoire de la Chimie' (Paris 1866)
remarks: 'The systems which confront the intelligence remain basically unchanged
through the ages, although they assume different forms. Thus, through mistaking form for
basis, one conceives an unfavourable opinion of the sequence. We must remember that
there is nothing so disastrous in Science as the arrogant dogmatism which despises the
past and admires nothing but the present.'
If Science would but try to understand the conception of the Universe as taught by
occultism throughout the ages, taking as its starting-point the teaching
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of the One Life in Manifestation, its seven planes of consciousness, its infinite forces, and
as the basis of its philosophy the Hermetic axiom 'as above, so below,' it would found a
system based on eternal Truth instead of on a quicksand of theories. Science will never
really understand the truth about life until it reaches this realization, which cannot be
attained through its instruments and appliances, but only through the inner powers of the
mind.
THE QUINTESSENCE. (II)
'Nothing of true value is located in the body of a substance, but in the virtue thereof, and
this is the principle of the Quintessence, which reduces, say 20 lbs. of a given substance
into a single ounce, and that ounce far exceeds the 20 lbs. in potency. Hence the less there
is of body, the more in proportion is the virtue thereof.'
Paracelsus has said:
'The Magi in their wisdom asserted that all creatures might be brought to one unified
substance, which substance they affirm, may by purification and purgation, attain to so
high a degree of subtlety, such divine nature and occult property, as to work wonderful
results. For they considered that by returning to the earth, and by a supreme and magical
separation, a certain perfect substance would come forth, which is at length, by many
industrious and prolonged preparations, exalted and raised up above the range of
vegetable substances into mineral, above mineral into metallic, and above perfect
metallic substances into a perpetual and divine Quintessence, including in itself the
essence of all celestial and terrestrial creatures.'
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By this Quintessence or quintum esse, Paracelsus meant the nucleus of the essences and
properties of all things in the universal world.
From the 'Golden Casket' of Benedictus Figulus comes the following:
'For the elements and their compounds in addition to crass matter, are composed of a
subtle substance, or intrinsic radical humidity, diffused through the elemental parts,
simple and wholly incorruptible, long preserving the things themselves in vigour, and
called the Spirit of the World, proceeding from the Soul of the World, the one certain
Life filling and fathoming all things, so that from the three genera, or creatures,
Intellectual, Celestial and Corruptible, there is formed the One Machine of the Whole
World. This spirit by its virtue fecundates all subjects natural and artificial, pouring into
them those hidden properties which we have been wont to call the Fifth Essence, or
Quintessence. . . . But this is the root of life, i.e., the Fifth Essence, created by the
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