XXVIII.

French.

Lors que _Venus_ du Sol sera couvert, Soubs la splendeur sera la forme occulte, _Mercure_ au feu les aura descouvert, Par bruit Bellique sera mis a l’Insulte.

English.

When _Venus_ shall be covered by the Sun, Under the splendor of it shall be an occult form, _Mercury_ in the fire shall discover them, And by a Warlike rumor shall be provoked.

ANNOT.

If this Book cometh ever into the hands of _Hermes_’s Disciples, I shall desire they would consider diligently this Stanza, and the three following; for they are all concerning the _Elixir_ of the Philosophers, or the making of the Philosophers stone. To begin with this:

_When ~Venus~ shall be covered by the Sun._

This is the Astral point, so much sought after by the Philosophers, for the beginning of their work, without the knowledge of which they cannot begin their work, or come to any good.

_Under the splendor of it shall be an occult form_, that is, under that conjunction lyeth a great mystery.

_~Mercury~ in the fire shall discover them_, _viz._ Mercury of the Philosophers, made by Cœlestial fire.

_And by a Warlike rumor shall be provoked_; that is, the Planet of _Mercury_ shall be provoked to mix his variable and changable disposition with theirs, by his Aspects, Oppositions, Conjunctions, &c. It is not possible to speak more plainly.