In this article, I present the judgement of a particularly intriguing question—Will I find the Philosopher’s Stone?—put to William Lilly by an unnamed alchemist, and discussed by this great astrologer in his Christian Astrology. The question is especially interesting given the implicit yet unmistakable connection between alchemy and astrology, and perhaps still more so because it stands apart from the sea of more mundane questions a horary astrologer usually answers, offering us a glimpse into the perhaps rather richer world of Lilly’s contemporaries.
As I believe most readers will know, the Philosopher’s Stone represents a state of perfection in alchemy, in which an individual acquires the power to transmute base metals into gold. This is clearly more than a purely physical experiment, since it requires perfect harmony between, and an understanding of, the spiritual, intellectual and earthly realms. On a spiritual level, the Philosopher’s Stone signifies the ability to transform the dull lead of Saturn into the pure radiance of the Sun’s gold. Lilly accepts that such a thing is possible, but avoids debating the precise nature of the Philosopher’s Stone, framing the question instead in terms of whether the querent will attain the degree of alchemical perfection he himself anticipates. Here I offer a translation of Lilly’s original judgement; in a future article, I intend to publish a translation of David Plant’s commentary on this question, entitled “Lilly and the Alchemist”.
An ingenious man did with much seriousness propound the aforesaid question unto me, viz. Whether he should discover the Philosopher’s Stone? or that Elixir, by which all wonders may be performed? That there is such a thing I do verily believe; that it may be attained, I am persuaded: but as it is a blessing beyond all blessings upon earth, I hold that it is granted unto very few, and to these rather by the revelation of the good Angels of God than by the proper industry of man. The question might therefore be otherwise propounded: “Whether his knowledge would enable him, and whether he were so ingenious, as to produce by his Art the effect he desired?”
The querent is signified by the Ascendant, and Mercury its ruler; his knowledge by Mars, ruler of the ninth house, and the aspects he receives from the other planets.
I find Mars, ruler of the querent’s Science, in a cadent house, but in his own bounds and face.
Mars is in square both to Mercury and Saturn, and they, as well as he, are in fixed signs, in the bounds of Saturn, and falling in the ninth house; I find Mercury lately retrograde and in square to Mars, now moving slowly direct, and applying again to a second square of Mars: hence I judged that the querent had formerly spent some time in search of this admirable Jewel, the Elixir, but to no purpose and in vain; his second application, occurring shortly thereafter, when Mercury is in Gemini and in his own bounds, argues a stronger desire, greater hopes, and a resolution once more to undertake the discovery of the Philosopher’s Stone. But I advised the querent to desist from further labour in this matter, for the reasons aforesaid, and acquainted him with his own inability, and that there was no probability of attaining the thing desired by natural means, counselling him to leave it alone. I told him also that he erred in his materials or compounds, working upon things too earthly, or upon substances too gross and heavy; which judgement I gathered partly from Mercury’s square to Mars, and partly from the affliction of Mercury, his intellectual part, by the proximity of Saturn, both occupying earthly signs. For in any operation wherein Mercury is afflicted, the fancy or imaginative faculty is feeble; but where the ruler of the Work itself is unfortunate, as here Mars, ruler of the ninth, the foundation or matter itself is defective in the principal part of the operation, as it was here. And that this Gentleman might not think I spoke idly, I acquainted him that it was more necessary for him to seek a cure for the consumption into which he was falling … (nay, into which he had already fallen), than to continue his further sufferings in the exploration of this Labyrinth.
For I saw Mercury, ruler of the Ascendant, in conjunction with Saturn in Taurus, Saturn being ruler of the sixth house and naturally of evil influence; and I found Mars afflicting Mercury from the twelfth, while Mercury did not separate, but applied further to the evil square of Mars, with no benefics casting their rays between Mercury and the two malefics. Rather, he stood alone, without any assistance, and was thus unable to withstand their malefic influence. I advised him speedily to take care of his health.
The original horoscope figure