PARROQUIA LA PUNTILLA, CANTÓN SAMBORONDÓN, PROVINCIA DEL

28. There are 3 colors: black, white, red

…… Statistical Significance ……… Supporting sources: 12

Contradicting sources: 0

Statistical significance: 0.9999999

This premise is statistically significant

…… Supporting Quotations ……… [320] In the course of this change from white to black, the substance

naturally passes through a variety of intermediate colours; but these colours (being more or less accidental) are not invariably the same, and depend very much on the original proportion in which the two substances are combined. In the second stage, during which the substance changes from black to white, it is already far purer, the colours are more lucid, and more to be depended upon. In the two phases there are intermediate colours; but in the first they are more dingy and obscure than in the second, and very much less numerous. In the progress of the substance from blackness to whiteness (i.e., the second phase of our Magistery), the most beautiful colours are seen in a variety such as eclipses the glory of the rainbow; before the perfection of blackness is reached, there are also some transition colours, such as black, azure, and yellowand the meaning of these colours is that your substance is not yet completely decayed; while the body is dying, the colours are seen, until black night shrouds the whole horizon in pitchy gloom. But when the process of resurrection begins (in the second phase), the hues are more numerous and splendid, because the body is now beginning to be glorified, and has become pure and spiritual. But in what order do the colours of which we speak appear? To this question no definite answer can be given, because in this first phase there are so much uncertainty and variation. But the colours will be the clearer and more distinct, the purer your water of life is. The four principal colours (white, black, white, red), always follow in the same order; but the order of the intermediate colours cannot be so certainly determined, and you ought to be content if within the first 40 days you get the black colour. There is only one caution you should bear in mind, in regard to this point: if a reddish colour appears before the black (especially if the substance begins to look dry and powdery at the same time), you may be almost sure that you have marred your substance by too violent a fire. You should be very careful, then, about the regulation of your fire; if the fire be just hot

p.106 28. There are 3 colors: black, white, red

enough, but not too hot, the inward chemical action of our water will do the rest.

~ Philalethes, Eirenaeus. A Brief Guide to the Celestial Ruby. 1694 AD. Alchemical Tract

[313] This dissolution first imparts a black appearance to the body.

The substance should then turn white, and finally red. The blackness exhibits an intermediate stage between fixedness and volatility. So long as there is blackness, the female principle prevails, till the substance enters into the white stage.

~ An Unknown German Sage. A Very Brief Tract Concerning the Philosophical

Stone. 15-7th Cen. (?). Alchemical Tract

[73] The constant and essential Colors, that appear in the Digestion

of the Matter, and before it comes to a Perfection, are three, viz. Black, which signifies the Putrefaction and Conjunction of the Elements; White, which demonstrates its Purification; and Red, which demonstrates its Maturation. The rest of the Colors, that appear and disappear in the Progress of the Work, are only accidental, and unconstant.

~ Urbigerus, Baro. Aphorisms of Urbigerus. 1690 AD. Alchemical Tract

[937] it assumes all colours before it egrede; beginning first with

black, which is the prime sign of earthiness, adustion, and corruption, and the antecessor of putrefaction and corruption; and then passes through other middle colours, till at length it put on whiteness, which is the airy colour; and then ascends to a fiery colour, or redness.

~ Combachius, Lodovicus. Sal, Lumen & Spiritus, Mundi Philosophici. 1656 AD. Alchemical Tract

[117] The white and the red spring from one root without any

intermediary. It is dissolved by itself, it copulates by itself, grows white, grows red, is made crocus-coloured and black by itself, marries itself and conceives in itself. It is therefore to be decocted, to be baked, to be fused; it ascends, and it descends. All these operations are a single operation and produced by the fire alone.

~ Paracelsus, Theophrastus. The Aurora of the Philosophers. 1575 AD. Alchemical Tract

[89] The Sages have used different names for the substance, and have

told us to make the indestructible water white and red. They have also apparently indicated various methods, but they really agree with each other in regard to all essentials, and it is only their mystic language that causes a semblance of disagreement.

[633] The Sages say that the Stone dissolves itself, coagulates itself,

mortifies itself, and is quickened by its own inherent power, and that it changes itself to black, white, and red

~ Anonymous. The Glory of the World, Or, Table of Paradise. 1526 AD. Alchemical Tract

28. There are 3 colors: black, white, red p.107

[80] it dissolves itself, it coagulates itself, it putrifies itself, it colors

itself, it mortifies itself, it quickens itself it makes itself black, it makes itself white, it makes itself red.

~ Bacon, Roger. The Mirror of Alchemy. 13th Cen. Alchemical Tract

[13] our stone is from one thing only, as is aforesaid, and it is

performed by one act or work, with decoction: and by one digestion, or operation, which is the changing of it first to black, then to white, thirdly, to red

~ Bacon, Roger (Pseudo). The Root of the World. 13-7th Cen. Alchemical Tract

[190] For our earth putrefies and becomes black, then it is putrefied

in lifting up or separation; afterwards being dried, its blackness goes away from it, and then it is whitened, and the feminine dominion of the darkness and humidity perisheth; then also the white vapor penetrates through the new body, and the spirits are bound up or fixed in the dryness. And that which is corrupting, deformed and black through the moisture, vanishes away; so the new body rises again clear, pure, white and immortal, obtaining the victory over all its enemies. And as heat working upon that which is moist, causeth or generates blackness, which is the prime or first color, so always by decoction more and more heat working upon that which is dry begets whiteness, which is the second color; and then working upon that which is purely and perfectly dry, it produces citrinity and redness, thus much for colors.

~ Artephius. The Secret Book of Artephius. 12th Cen. (?). Alchemical Tract

[175] Combine two things, decompose them, let them become black.

Digest them and change them to white by your skill; at last let the compound change to a deep red, let it be coagulated, and fix it; and you will be a favoured man. If, afterwards, you cause it to ferment, you will have conducted the whole work prosperously. Then tinge therewith whatsoever you will, and it will multiply to you infinite treasure.

~ Anonymous. The Sophic Hydrolith, Or, Water Stone of the Wise. 17th Cen. Alchemical Tract

[221] Venerate the king and his wife, and do not burn them, since you

know not when you may have need of these things, which improve the king and his wife. Cook them, therefore, until they become black, then white, afterwards red

~ Anonymous. The Turba Philosophorum. Alchemical Tract

[382] The way nevertheless of working to the Black, to the White, and

to the Red is always one, to wit, bake and decoct the Compound in feeding with our Permanent Water, to wit, decoct.

[789] It is to be noted also that our Stone in digestion is moved to all

the colours in the World, but three are principal, of which good care and notice are to be taken, to wit, Black colour, which is first and it is the key of the Beginning of the Work; of the Second kind or degree, the White

p.108 28. There are 3 colors: black, white, red

colour is the Second, and the Red is the third, whereof it is said that the thing of which the head is Red, the feet White, and the eyes Black is our Magistery.

~ Trevisan, Count Bernard. Verbum Dismissum. 15th Cen. Alchemical Tract

…… Commentary ……… The alchemists are in agreement that the three major colors that appear during the work are: black, white & red (in that order.)

Philalethes mention a white color before the black as well as after. This is correct but the initial white (before black) is not considered one of the developmental colors; it is the color of the refined salt during the preparation stage in the first part of the work, which when putrefied then turns black.