William Wynn Westcott - The Collected Works

As this Author seems to have design'd a full stop at the Pillar he hath caused to be erected, and to prevent

Travellers running unawares into that dangerous and dark Wilderness, caused this Inscription to be put upon it, viz., "Learn what Diana's Doves are, which doth vanquish the Lion by asswaging him; I say, the green Lion, which is indeed the Babylonian Dragon, Killing all things with his poison. Then at length learn to know the Caducean Rod of Mercury, with which he works wonders;" etc. Therefore I will not step one Step farther without a Guide, for I dread going again into the Labyrinth.

This guide must be a very wise Man, indued with singular Gifts; for he must not only tell me the Interpretation, but the Dream itself; and by this I may judge of his Ability.

For, as Kelly saith, "Let no Man lead, unless he knows the Way."

Therefore let none mistake my Inquiring the Way, for a Teaching of it. If any do, and suffer by it, they must blame themselves, not me; for I am Inquiring, I say, not Teaching the Way. Masters cannot be deceived, but Searchers may.

We do not find this Enigma of Doves so frequently used as many others, and which also art very difficult to be understood. These figures, I conceive, spring from a Root of Knowledge and Learning, far above the Vulgar's Reach: For, is not this Art, saith one, Cabalistical, and full of Mysteries? So one of these Masters, well versed in Rabinical Learning, has told us what the name of a Dove doth signifie, as well as what it doth not, viz.:-

"The Name of a Dove is never apply'd to Metals themselves (which ought to be well observed by Inquirers, many having erred after this manner) but the ministering and preparing Natures. And that he that understands the Nature of the Burnt Offering (for Purification) will not take Turtles themselves, but two young Pigeons (which are the Offspring) or Sons of the Dove."

And this Secret Pair he rather appropriates to Nogah (Venus) which is the Fifth amongst the Planets; so the Author of 'Arcanum Hermiticae' calls them the Birds of Venus. Tho' this Cabalist applies the name of Dove to Diana also. In the 'History of Natural Things', saith he:-

"Luna is called the Medicine for the White; because she hath received a Whitening Splendor from the Sun, which, by a like shining, illustrates and converts into her own Nature all the Earth - that is the imperfect Metals: And that place of Isaiah xxx. 26, may be mystically understood of this, because the Work being finished, she hath got a Solar Splendor. But in that state, the place in Canticles vi., 9,25, belongs to her. But by the same Name the Matter of the Work is called; and so indeed, like to the Horned Moon, she is in the first State of Consistence; and like the full Moon in the last state of Fluidity and Purity."

In another Place he hath this Passage, speaking of two Birds, which place, I make no doubt, but the Author of Introit. Apert. had well considered, if not drawn his early Knowledge from, and of Argent vive, which he calls a Leopard, Water not wetting, and Jordan of the Wise Man, etc.

"And he shall have four Wings of a Bird upon his Back; the four Wings are of two Birds, which exasperate this Beast with their feathers, to the intent he may enter and fight the Lion and the Bear. And Power was given him over them, that he may overcome them, and extract their glutinous Blood. Of all these is made one-Fourth Beast, which is frightful and terrible and very strong... Eating and breaking to pieces himself and others;...Treading the residue under his Feet."

This Guide I think may be depended upon, having given Demonstration of his Ability, by telling not only the Interpretation, but the Original figure itself.

More I have not met with in my Inquiry, therefore no more can be expected from me concerning this great Stumbling-block, at which so many fall into Error.

From these things 'tis very evident, to me, that this Art cannot be found by never so many casual Tryals, or Experiments, without a real Knowledge, as Sendivo has written, viz.: "Know for certain also, that this Art is not placed in Fortune, or casual Invention, but in real Science; and that there is but this one Matter in the World, by which, and of which, the Philosopher's Stone is made, viz., the Mercury of the Philosophers."

Out of what this is made, he teaches in his 'Treatise of Sulphur', as well as elsewhere. This is that Mercury, saith another, which the returning Sun diffuseth everywhere in the Month of March, or House of Aries; from whence also the Sulphur is to be sought. Which Sulphur, in this Work, saith Sendivo, is indeed instead of the Male; but the Mercury instead of the Female; of the Composition and Acting of these two, are generated the Mercuries of Philosophers. For as they have a double Sulphur, so they have a double Mercury, viz., For the White and for the Red: Which is but seldom, and then very cautiously hinted; and these Mercuries differ, both in Colour and Quality, as may be easily gathered from their Books, by careful Readers.

The Author of Intro. Apert. indeed hath taught, that there are two Mercuries to the White, used in two different Works; Asserting that the Acuation of the Mercury for Sol Vulgar, must differ from that of Philosophical Sol. And further, If (saith he) "you shall in your Decoction of Sol Vulgar, use the same Mercury which is used in our Sol (tho' both flow from the same Root in general) and apply that Regimen of Heat which the Wise Men in their Books have apply'd to our Stone, thou art without all doubt, in an Erroneous Way: And that is the great Labyrinth in which almost all young Practitioners are ensnared. For there is scarce one Philosopher, who in his Writings does not touch both ways."

In this, we may say of him, he hath not fallen short of any of them: For he has so interwoven one Work with another, one Regimen with another (by way of Balance, as I said before, for Discoveries) that little less than the Knowledge of all in Theory, will prevent our falling into constant Error, in some of these particulars; even after the Field in general is known: and which happened to himself as he confesses, and which I shall mention, as it falls in my Inquiry.

These (with many more) are the Difficulties which the Inquirers after this Art have to incounter with; and which, one would think, should rather deter, than encourage, many Men from pursuing it as they do: especially considering the adverse Fortune that attends most Men, who prosecute this Study to their dying day; finishing their Lives in Ignorance and Despair. This Melancholy Prospect, I say, should leave such a deep Impression upon us, as to make us more cautiously meddle with this rare and difficult Philosophy; which without a Master or the special Favour of God, is never attain'd. As the Author of the 'New Light' informs us, viz., that unless God reveal it by a good Wit, or Friend, 'tis hardly known.

By the last most commonly, by the first most rarely. For as he adds, "Tho' Lully was a man of a subtile Wit, yet if he had not received the Art from Arnoldus, certainly he had been like those which find it with difficulty; and Amoldus also received it from a Friend: Every Art and Science is easie to a Master, but not to a Scholar."

Therefore this Art is easie to none, tho' of never so quick a Wit and Parts, but to those that know it only.

The Cabalist, I have before mentioned, hath lively prefigured, wise and good Men by Elisha; and the foolish Pretenders of this Art, by Gehazi, who was indeed Servant to Elisha; but to what purpose, the History of them, in the Second Book of Kings, sheweth.

Elisha an Example of Natural Wisdom, and a Despiser of Riches: He knew how to correct and make wholesome Poisonous Waters, and to multiply Treasure beyond the common Course of Nature: He could cure the worst Infirmities, nay, even raise the Dead: He knew how and when to blind and open the Eyes of Inquirers, also to punish Mockers, and even make Iron to swim; yea, his very Remains were efficacious after he was dead.