William Wynn Westcott - The Collected Works

But to keep a little to that of the Green Lion, which is worth our Enquiry: Ripley speaking of its Blood, asserts this Secret to be hid by all Philosophers, viz.:

"The said Menstrual is (I say to thee in counsel)

The Blood of our Green Lion, and not of Vitriol:

Dame Venus can the Truth of this thee tell

At the beginning, to Counsel if thou her call.

This Secret is hid by Philosophers great and small.

Which blood drawn out of the Green Lion,

For lack of Heat, had not perfect Digestion.”

So the Author of 'Arcanum Hermeticae' saith, the most precious Substance is Venus, the Hermaphrodite of the Antients, glorious (or powerful) in both Sexes.

The Author of 'Aesch Mezareph', speaking of Venus, under the Names Nogah and Hod, which is a necessary Instrument to promote the Metalick Splendor, says, It has more a part of a Male, than Female; and speaking of the Green Lion, he saith, Which, I pray thee, do not think is called so from any other Cause but its Colour: For unless thy Matter shall be green, not only in that immediate State before 'tis reduced into Water, but also after the Water of Gold is made of it. Why 'tis called a Lion, is hinted by another, viz., Having Power to overcome, and reduce Bodies to their first Matter, and to make fixed things volatile and spiritual; whence 'tis fitly called a Lion.

Some are who derive the Name Green from the Rawness or Unripeness of the Subject, and not from the Colour, viz.:-

"Whose Colour doubtless is not so,

And that your Wisdom do well know;

But our Lion wanting Maturity,

Is called Green, from Unripeness, trust me."

- The Hunting of the Green Lion.

Another says:-

"For it is because of its transcendent Force

It hath, and for the Rawness of its Source,

Of which the liice is no where to be seen,

That it of them is named their Lion green.

Our subject is no ways malleable;

It is metalline, and its Colour sable."

- Sophic Feast.

These are some more of the seeming Contradictions, which Philosophers warn us not to be deceived with, but to learn to Reconcile. These Difficulties are to be overcome by Meditation only.

Now, let us try whether, or how far, 'tis possible to Reconcile these Contradictions concerning the Green Lion. The Cabalist (much admired by me) says, the Matter is actually green, both before 'tis dissolved and afterwards also: This doth not deny, but confirm, that 'tis Spoke of, and considered, in divers States; and then it may not be absurd to suppose, that it may be, and is, described by one in one state and degree of Perfection, and by others in another: By one in its Impurity; by another in its Passage from thence to its Purity (for Ripley says 'tis unclean); and by a third when 'tis Purified. For as Matters, when more or less pure or mature, are of a different Texture, so they also differ in Colour. And 'tis in this Sense, I make no doubt the Philosophers are to be understood not only with relation to this Subject, but 'Tis not therefore every Matter which is foul or, green (as vitriol is, which Ripley says, Fools take to be their Green Lion) that intitles it to this wonderful Name; no, but it must have all the other Virtues and Powers in it, that are assigned by Philosophers: Which thing lies very obscure, and seemingly base, but it is, in its Purity and exalted Virtue, their Subject of Wonders. To Produce which, this fond Minera, they tell us, must be dissolved and exactly purified, in a pure Homogeneal Water, which is its own Blood, as White as Milk; which Name some have rather imposed. This Leprous Body, Sendivo and others have called Saturn, and Saturn's Child and what some have called flood and Milk, he calls Urine.

Thus the Masters of this Science take the liberty to express themselves by different Similes, in order to disguise their Secret, which a mental man will discover and improve by, as soon as he shall discern any one of their Intentions; the rest follow in course, tho' varied ever so many ways, as they themselves testifie.

What some have called Blood, Wine, etc., the Author of the Learned 'Sophic Feast' calls fiery Water, etc., viz.:

"Their Lion green they suffer'd him to prey

On Cadmus Sociates; and when the Fray

Was over, they with Dian's charms him ty'd

And made him under Waters to abide,

And washed him clean; and after gave him Wings

To fly, much like a Dragon, whose sharp springs

Of fiery Water, the only way was found

To cause Apollo his Harp-strings to sound.

This is the true Nymph's Bath, which we did try,

And proved to be the Wise Men's Mercury.”

Here all Doubts and Difficulties end, when this is attain'd; so with it I shall finish this Inquiry: Having shewed my Fellow Inquirers, in what manner I have been enchain'd in it; concluding in the Words of the aforesaid Author, viz.:

"Happy are they, who shall not miss to find

The new uprising Sun:

More happy they, who, with renewed Mind,

In God find Rest alone."

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VIII.

Table of Contents

Elisha was a most notable prophet, an example of natural wisdom, a despiser of riches, (as the history of the healing of Naaman showeth, 2 Kings, c.5, v.16) and therefore truly rich. According to what is said in Pirke Aboth, viz., Who is rich ? He that rejoiceth in his portion, cap. 4. For so the true physician of impure metals hath not an outward show of riches, but is rather like the Tohu of the first Nature, empty and void. Which word is of equal number with the word Elisha, viz., 411. For it is a very true saying in Baba Kama, fol. 71. col. 2. The thing which causeth riches, (such as natural wisdom) is supplied instead of riches.

Learn therefore to purify Naaman, coming from the north, out of Syria, and acknowledge the power of Jordan: Which is as it were Jar-din that is the River of Judgment flowing out of the north.

And remember that which is said in Baba Bathra, fol. 25, col. 2. He that will become wise, let him live in the South; and he that will grow rich, let him turn himself toward the north, etc. Although in the same place Rabbi Joshua Ben Levi says, let him live always in the south, for whilst be becomes wise, at the same time he becomes rich. "Length of Days is in her right hand, and in her left, Riches and Honour." Prov., c.3, v.16. So thou wilt not desire other riches. But know, that the mysteries of this wisdom, differ not from the superior mysteries of the Kabalah. For such as is the consideration of the predicaments in holiness, the same is also in impurity; and the same Sephiroth which are in Atziluth, the same are in Assiah, yea, the same in that kingdom, which is commonly called the mineral kingdom; although their excellency is always greater upon the spiritual plane. Therefore the metallic root here possesseth the place of Kether, which hath an occult nature, involved in great obscurity, and from which all metals have their origin; even as the nature of Kether is hidden, and the other Sephiroth flow from thence.

Lead hath the place of Chokmah, because Chokmah immediately proceeds from Kether, as it immediately comes from the metallic root, and in enigmatic similes, it is called the "father" of the following natures.

Tin possesseth the place of Binah, shewing age, by its greyness, and shadowing forth severity and judicial rigour, by its crackling.

Silver is placed under the Classis of Chesed, by all the masters of the Kabalah, chiefly for its colour and use.

Thus far the white natures. Now follow the red.

Gold is placed under Geburah, according to the most common opinion of the Kabalists; Job in c.37, v.22, also tells us that gold cometh from the north, not only for its colour, but for the sake of its heat and sulphur.