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To: sacredlandscapelist@egroups.com
From: mikebispham@cs.com
Subject: Re: [sl] VITRIOL
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 03:11:43 EST

In a message dated 30/10/00 14:42:59 GMT Standard Time, leog9037@aol.com 
writes:

> DWTW
>  
>  Concerning Vitriol, in some circles this is used as an acronym for 
>  the Latin phrase; Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies 
>  Occultem Lapidem, which is often translated as 'visit the interior of 
>  the Earth, by rectification you will find the Hidden Stone'.
>  LITL
>  RLG

That's an interesting item, thanks Leo.  The composition of:

>> How it is named with one word
>> Vitriol, for him who understandeth it.

does seem to allude to a deeper meaning.  Could I ask, in which circles?  

On first reading, visiting the interior of the earth might be thought of as a 
reference to mining.  Doesn't 'lapidem' refer specifically to precious, or 
semi precious stones, ie. jewels, so making the translation "... find the 
hidden jewel?  'Rectification' is an odd word; my dictionary has (from the 
root, rectify): 1) to put right, correct; 2) to separate (a substance) from a 
mixture, or refine (a substance) by fractional distillation" (and others).

The origin is given as '"via old French from Medieval Latin 'rectificare', to 
adjust, from Latin rectus (straight) + facere (to make)."  So rectification 
in this acronym may mean 'correct' and 'make straight', maybe in the sense of 
'purify' - the 'hidden stone' is something found in the interior of the earth 
which has been purified?  ie, a (any?) crystaline mineral.  A very literal 
interpretation, but it seems to work; is probably paralled by the similar 
meaning on the spiritual plane?

And then 'vitriol'. "1) any one of a number of sulphate salts; 2) speech, 
writing etc displaying rancour, vituperation, or bitterness.  From medieval 
latin, from late latin, from latin vitrium glass, refering to the glossy 
appearance of the sulphates."  

Bearing in mind that 'sulphate salt' in its modern useage has almost no 
relationship to the alchemical 'Sulphur' and 'Salt'.  Glass however can 
probably be read as 'clear substance', identifiable with clear and 
translucent crystal-state minerals.  How did crystals come be associated with 
"rancour, vituperation, or bitterness"?

Does any of this add up with you Leo?  

I've learned a bit recently about jewels and their historical properties - 
they were *very* deeply ingrained in pre-christian worldview/cosmologies, 
including of course OT, but apparently the early christians abhorred them; so 
presumably whatever nasty values they incorporated were driven underground at 
an early stage.  

Mike

mikebispham@cs.com wrote:

> Does the "seven and fifty" mean anything to anyone?
>
> Truly I reveal to thee
> Very clearly and plainly, without hatred or envy,
> How it is named with one word
> Vitriol, for him who understandeth it.
> If thou wouldst oft figure out
> This Cabbalistic way with all diligence,
> Seven and fifty in the cipher
> Thou findest figured everywhere.
>
> Its from a 17th century German poem which accompanies a diagram showing the
> theoretical basis of Alchemy.
>
> The poem is about the Philosophers Stone, the alchemist grail, a stone which
> can assist in the transmutation of base metals to gold, and the parallel
> purification of the soul, good health etc.
>
> Vitriol may be being used here in the sense of an acid, strong, bitter; or 
in
> its sense of a salt - ie crystalline state of a mineral.  Or both of course.
>
> I'd never realised before; the Philosopher's Stone is a crystal, 
manufactured
> with great care.  This poem describes its manufacture.




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Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 14:54:17 -0000
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Subject: [sl] Preparing the Philosophers Stone: was VITRIOL
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--- In sacredlandscapelist@egroups.com, mikebispham@c... wrote:
 
> On first reading, visiting the interior of the earth might be 
thought of as a 
> reference to mining.  Doesn't 'lapidem' refer specifically to 
precious, or 
> semi precious stones, ie. jewels, so making the translation "... 
find the 
> hidden jewel?  'Rectification' is an odd word; my dictionary has 
(from the 
> root, rectify): 1) to put right, correct; 2) to separate (a 
substance) from a 
> mixture, or refine (a substance) by fractional distillation" (and 
others).
> 
> The origin is given as '"via old French from Medieval Latin 
'rectificare', to 
> adjust, from Latin rectus (straight) + facere (to make)."  So 
rectification 
> in this acronym may mean 'correct' and 'make straight', maybe in
the 
sense of 
> 'purify' - the 'hidden stone' is something found in the interior of 
the earth 
> which has been purified?  ie, a (any?) crystaline mineral.  A very 
literal 
> interpretation, but it seems to work; is probably paralled by the 
similar 
> meaning on the spiritual plane?

Greetings,

In following this discussion I realized the possible significance of 
Vitriol in regard to the Stone and your observations. If Vitriol is 
considered as acid, it must have been quite an amazing substance to 
the ancient alchemist. As acid is capable of damaging metal but not 
not hard minerals, the minerals which resisted it must have been 
considered of the highest order of nature. Having spent some time 
mining quartz crystals, to me your observations make sense. When 
removed from the earth in a virgin state, rock crystal is covered
with particles of iron oxide; the only method for cleaning them is 
with an acid bath or Vitriol. From there, the process of  
rectification, or 'straightening' the crystal, requires smoothing and 
polishing the crystal faces. 

Prophet 718







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Subject: Re: [sl] Re: VITRIOL
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Further to recent speculations:

"The first alchemistic principle is VITRIOL:  Visita Interiora Terrae, 
Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem."

---Umberto Eco, "Foucaults Pendulum"

"Then, what was or is the genuine vitriol of the alchemists? We are led more 
closely to an understanding by trying to understand the meaning of the word 
'vitriol'. 'Vitriolum' is a contraction of the initial letters of the 
following Latin sentence: Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Inveniens 
Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam. Or in one of the possible translations: 
"See in the interior of the purified earth, and you will find the secret 
stone, the true medicine".

Thus vitriol was a code name for the original substance of the philosopher's 
stone. It should also become understandable with it, that verdigris or common 
types of vitriol are not the true Vitriol of the Philosophers. This becomes 
clearer still, if one takes seriously the warnings of fair alchemists, who 
wrote there among others: "You must take in our work the vitriol of the 
philosophers, and not the common".  http://www.mcs.com/~alchemy/stone20e.html


>From Joannes Agricola - Treatise on Gold:  Chapter 9
How to Prepare Vitriol from Gold

Take 6 Lots of fine gold which has passed through antimony or has been 
purified by it. Beat it into thin plates, coat it with the artificial 
Mercury, called Aqua Regis by the Philosophers, and give it a gentle heat. 
The plates will begin to give off a crocus and color. Put that in a clean 
glass, then coat the gold plate again and calcine it till a vitriol or color 
appears once more. Continue doing this till all the gold has become one 
color. This vitriol is like the crocus of Mars (iron). Put everything 
together and pour Aqua Regis over it. When it is dissolved enough, cleanse it 
with Nature's water., then distill the phlegma off to half the amount, and a 
*beautiful vitriol* will sprout, which attaches to the glass like sugar. That 
is the vitriol from gold.

ANOTHER METHOD

Others, however, take the golden plates, beat them quite thin and fill the 
alembic with them so that, when the spirits rise into the alembic out of the 
artificial Aqua Regis, those same fiery spirits permeate the whole gold, 
extracting a subtle crocus which adheres to the plates like beautiful 
saffron. They remove it and pour over it Paradise Water, let it extract for 8 
days, then decant, filter through paper, and coagulate it to a salt of 
vitriol.   http://www.levity.com/alchemy/agric_10.html

I think this indicates that vitriol, for an alchemist of Agricola's time, 
means crystal.  A 'salt of vitriol' may mean fine sand-like crystals?  I wish 
I understood this stuff.

I hadn't noticed that "Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectificando Invenies 
Occultum Lapidem" is written around the circumference of the circular diagram 
that accompanies the poem ' Tabula Smaragdina' from the 'Geheime figuren', 
from which I extracted the part:

"...Truly I reveal to thee
Very clearly and plainly, without hatred or envy,
How it is named with one word
Vitriol, for him who understandeth it.
If thou wouldst oft figure out
This Cabbalistic way with all diligence,
Seven and fifty in the cipher
Thou findest figured everywhere..."

Also in the (6 page!) poem is:

"...And in the circle surrounding the picture
Seven words are to be found inscribed.
Therefore I shall now tell
What each meaneth particularly
And then indicate without hesitation
How it is called by name.
Therein is a secret thing of the Wise
In which is to be found great power..."

Later:

"Now there remain only the seven words,
Hear further what they mean:
If thou dost now understand this well
This knowledge shall nevermore fail thee.
Every word standeth for a city
Each of which hath but one gate.
The first signifieth gold, is intentionally yellow.
The second for fair white silver.
The third, Mercurius, is likewise grey.
The fourth for tin, is heaven-blue.
The fifth for iron, is blood-red.
The sixth for copper, is true green.
The seventh for lead, is black as coal.
Mark what I mean, understand me well:
In these city gates, indeed,
Standeth the whole ground of the Art.
For no one city alone can effect anything,
The others must also be close at hand.
And as soon as the gates are closed
One cannot enter any city.
And if they had no gates
Not one thing could they accomplish.
But if these gates are close together
A ray of light appeareth from seven colors.
Shining very brightly together
Their might is incomparable.
Thou canst not find such wonders on earth,
Wherefore hearken unto further particulars:
Seven letters, and seven words,
Seven cities, and seven gates,
Seven times, and seven metals,
Seven days, and seven ciphers.
Whereby I mean seven herbs
Also seven arts and seven stones.
Therein stands every lasting art.
Well for him who findeth this.
If this be too hard for thee to understand (Yes!)
Here me again in a few other particulars:
Truly I reveal to thee
Very clearly and plainly, without hatred or envy,
How it is named with one word
Vitriol, for him who understandeth it.
If thou wouldst oft figure out
This Cabbalistic way with all diligence,
Seven and fifty in the cipher
Thou findest figured everywhere.

That last line - you find everywhere, and its 'figured' - geometrically 
shaped crystalline minerals - Vitriol?  'Cabbalistic' might mean merely 
hidden - in the words.   'Seven' may refer to the aforementioned items, 
planets/metals/cities etc; fifty might be a stand-alone thing.  

Much of the rest of the poem reads to me as instructions for growing a nice 
crystal.   

Mike