minerals have been formed. Furthermore, how God created Nature shall also be stated. On this basis nothing shall be found lacking.
In the beginning it pleased God to make one element—water—whereinto He infused the power of generating minerals, so that they might forthwith grow, and thus adapt themselves to human needs. Water, I say. He destined for this office, that it should be the Matrix of the Metals, by means of these three substances spoken of—namely, Fire, Salt, and Mercury. In this arrangement so much foresight and discrimination were observed that from the one element of water were produced metals, gems, stones, and all minerals. And though the fruit be unlike its parent, so God willed that each should be produced according to its own nature. One is a bird of the air, another a fish in the water. And just as these differ one from the other, so do the natures of other created things. All these depend on the power of God, who willed that His good pleasure should be fulfilled in them.
Now, it should first of all be realised that the element of water is the mother of all minerals, though water itself is utterly unlike these. So also is the earth related to wood, though earth is not wood. Nevertheless, wood comes from it. In the same way, stone, iron, etc., are from water. Water becomes that which of itself it is not. It becomes earth, which it is not. So is it necessary for man also to become that which he is not. Whatever is destined to pass into its ultimate matter must necessarily differ from its beginning. The beginning is of no avail.
Now, in water is the primal matter, namely, the three first substances, Fire, Salt, and Mercury. These have certain different natures in them, as will hereafter be pointed out. They have metals, they have gems, they have stones, they have flints, and many things of this kind. One is a metal, another a stone, another a flint. So in the sky, too, one is snow, another thunder, another the rainbow, another lightning. In like manner on earth, too, one thing is wood, another a herb, another a flower, and another a fungus. Such an artificer has God shewn Himself, the Master of all things, whose works no one is able to rival. He alone is in all things. He is the primal matter of all: He is the ultimate matter. He is all things. Then, when we come in due succession to explain minerals, we will, in the ensuing discourse, speak before all else concerning the properties of the matrix, that is, the element of water. The things whereof I write were supposed by the ancients to spring from the earth. Their meaning was good; but the position was incapable of proof. In this point they were defective, as also in the materials for establishing that proof.
The principle, then, was first of all with God, that is, the ultimate matter. He reduced this ultimate matter into primal matter. It is just in the same way as the fruit, which is to produce other fruit, has seed. The seed is in the primal matter. So in the case of minerals, the ultimate matter is reduced to the primal, as in the case of seed. The seed here is the element of water. God determined that there should be water. Then He conferred upon it, besides
