Anonymous Letter sent to Mr. Bacstrom

transcribed from http://archive.org/details/manlypalmerhbox18v2hall.

Laus Deo

Butter of Antimony is the Philosophers Mercury

It is the Body changed into a Spirit

a Chemical Death and Resurrection only wanted - to obtain which put the Butter to some very pure ⚹ Regulus in Powder and then unite Body and Soul together by digesting to Putrefaction which will soon be done if you dont stop your Glass but if you stop your Glass it will never digest or putrify but remain in the same State for ever

digested to Whiteness is the White Stone to be fermented with Silver - to redness is the Red Stone to be fermented with Gold

the Butter Alone may be made to putrify - quickly if you put it in a Body with a Blind Head but if you nip up or stop your Glass it will never Work but remains the same for ever because the universal Principle which performs the whole by Secret incubation unknown to the Artist cannot possibly enter

Copy of an Anonymous Letter to Mr. Ford on the Lapis Philosophorum

transcribed from http://archive.org/details/manlypalmerhbox18v2hall. This letter was received by Sigismund Bacstrom's friend, a "Mr Ford", and copied by Bacstrom.

Sir

Being informed that you are deserving brother in the study of Alchemy, and as such only I address you; and having reason to suppose that you have not attained to perfection, in order to make your studies easy to yourself, and trusting it will be for the benefit of others also deserving, I send you this information. Alchemy appears to me as a study in so single a point of view that it strikes with astonishment that any person acquainted with Mathematical philosophy should not instantly discover it; for in the study of Mathematics, before you can give a solution or answer to any question proposed you must bring your numbers to the same denomination.

In Alchemy 'tis the same. You must first make a butter of ♁ from the ⚹y regulus in the usual way; then make a luna cornea, or butter of ☽, and digest them both with an equal weight of mercury sublimate.

This will give you a tinging power as to silver and enable you prosecute your studies further, with comfort to your self and assistance to your friends.

Being unknown the only request I have to make is secrecy in the business, and perhaps at some future period I may not only give you a further friendly hint but inform you of a study as much superior to Alchemy as tis possible for the human mind to conceive.

Till then and for ever wishing you health, peace and happiness. I remain

         Philadelphia