The alchemists were very fond of using the names of animals as symbols of certain mineral substances, and of representing operations in the laboratory by what may be called animal allegories.  The yellow lion was the alchemical symbol of yellow sulphides, the red lion was synonymous with cinnabar, and the green lion meant salts of iron and of copper.  Black sulphides were called eagles, and sometimes crows.  When black sulphide of mercury is strongly heated, a red sublimate is obtained, which has the same composition as the black compound; if the temperature is not kept very high, but little of the red sulphide is produced; the alchemists directed to urge the fire, “else the black crows will go back to the nest.”

[Illustration:  A salamander lives in the fire, which imparts to it a
               most glorious hue.

               This is the reiteration, gradation, and amelioration
               of the Tincture, or Philosopher’s Stone; and the whole
               is called its Augmentation.

FIG.  XV.]

The salamander was called the king of animals, because it was supposed that he lived and delighted in fire; keeping a strong fire alight under a salamander was sometimes compared to the purification of gold by heating it.

Fig.  XV., reduced from The Book of Lambspring represents this process.

The alchemists employed many signs, or shorthand expressions, in place of writing the names of substances.  The following are a few of the signs which were used frequently.

[Symbol:  Saturn] Saturn, also lead; [Symbol:  Jupiter] Jupiter, also tin; [Symbol:  Mars-1] and [Symbol:  Mars-2] Mars, also iron; [Symbol:  Sun] Sol, also gold; [Symbol:  Venus] Venus, also copper; [Symbol:  Mercury-1], [Symbol:  Mercury-2] and [Symbol:  Mercury-3] Mercury; [Symbol:  Moon] Luna, also silver; [Symbol:  Sulphur] Sulphur; [Symbol:  Vitriol] Vitriol; [Symbol:  Fire] fire; [Symbol:  Air] air; [Symbol:  Water] and [Symbol:  Aquarius] water; [Symbol:  Earth] earth; [Symbol:  Aqua Fortis] aqua fortis; [Symbol:  Aqua Regis] aqua regis; [Symbol:  Aqua Vitae] aqua vitae; [Symbol:  Day] day; [Symbol:  Night] night; [Symbol:  Amalgam] Amalgam; [Symbol:  Alembic] Alembic.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE DEGENERACY OF ALCHEMY.

I have tried to show that alchemy aimed at giving experimental proof of a certain theory of the whole system of nature, including humanity.  The practical culmination of the alchemical quest presented a threefold aspect; the alchemists sought the stone of wisdom, for by gaining that they gained the control of wealth; they sought the universal panacea, for that would give them the power of enjoying wealth and life; they sought the soul of the world, for thereby they could hold communion with spiritual existences, and enjoy the fruition of spiritual life.