Lady Abbess of the Convent of Clermont.
Translated from the German Work, entitled, The Sun-Flower of the Wise. [Sonnenblume der Weisen, 1704(?)]
Transcribed from the Manly P Hall collection
(Fairly certain this is a copy of exceprts and annotations by Bacstrom, MS. 46)
From a pure motive I will sincerely teach the earnest enquirer after Our Stone, in open language, how and by what means he may prepare the Great Tincture:
Let the two heroes Saturn [♁] and Mars [iron] fight together. Though the former inclines to peace let them have three or four violent assaults. After this they will be reconciled and as a token thereof they will erect a glorious banner, resembling a Star [ That is add ♂ to ♁ and make the Stary ∆∆∆: this will be effected by using nitre in its cleansing which occasions the battle here alluded to]
To these heroes, now reconciled, who have fatigued themselves much by the battle, you must admister (sic) the Water of Life [our Secret fire] which water must have been well rectified [well cleansed by sublimation].
By the use of this Water of Life these conquering warriors will make an eternal indissoluble alliance [being resolved into unctuous azoth] and as a token of this the two Doves of Diana will appear, carrying the olive branch in their bill.
That the whole world may be informed of this peace a Herald appears who proclaims this peace seven or nine times — The contrary natures are united — after many heavy storms which tore the rocks asunder, after earthquakes, after the all devouring fire has ceased, a still, soft rest ensues. Whosoever has ears, let him hear. [The seven or nine heralds seem to allude to the number of months required to perfect the work].
In these few words our whole art lies concealed. The coagulation of our water [water of life] and the solution of our earth [viz Rebis; for ☉ must be joined to our Luna before adding the water] are the two greatest and most difficult labours.
Every person knows how to boil water over a fire, but if they knew how to boil fire in water their knowledge would show them a different work from that of the Kitchen.
There appears to be some mystery regarding the author of the Sonnenblume der Weisen, this copy (1749) is annotated with "Leade", and McLean also notes the identification of Constantia with Jane Lead (or "Johanna Leade"). Now, a "Leona Constantia" was admitted to Comte de Chazals's Sociatas Rosae Crucis in 1796. But Jane Lead died in 1704, and according to Liborius ab Indagine, Leona Constantia died in 1716. The issue appears completely confused.
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