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fermental Odour of the Body, by which it doth so effectually affect theSpirit, that it begins to think of taking a new impression, and becomes dailyby little and little more and more able to suffer Fire, and by consequencedraws to the nature of a Body: observe this.The third manner, and also the last of all,Four Elements together which joyns to abide,Tetraptative certainly Philosophers do it call,And specially Guido de Montanor, whose fame goeth wide,And therefore in most laudable manner this tide.But yet this Conjunction doth not retain the volatility of the Compound,though it is so united that the parts ascend and descend together; the reasonis, that though by the Soul the Spirit and Body be united, yet the Spiritsometimes doth carry the Body with it aloft, and the Body at timesprecipitates the Spirit, the Soul holding fast together, till at length not onlythese parts, but the Elemental qualities of them, are so strongly permixt,that the one doth not more in acting, then the other doth in resisting, bywhich means they are not only united to follow one another, but fixt toabide Fire together.This is the last and noblest Conjunction, in which all the mysteries of thisMicrocosm have their Consummation. This is by the Wise called theirTetraptive Conjunction, wherein the Quadrangle is reduced to a Circle, inthe which there is neither beginning nor end. He who hath arrived here,may sit down at Banquet with the Sun and Moon.This is the so highly commended Stone of the Wise, which is without allfear of corruption; for here are by Nature all Elements Anatically mixedand united, so that it cannot suffer from any, for it agrees with all.In our Conjunction four Elements must aggregateIn due proportion, which first asunder were separate.These our Elements are not such vain trifles, which are idly imagined bySophisters; by the primary qualities, to speak after the common phrase,though I do not think that any thing attains perfection upon an account ofqualities, but so it pleased the Antients to express themselves; only this ismost certain, that what was before inconstant in the Fire, now is impatibletherein, and what at first in the beginning of the Work discovered twodistinct Natures, is now one intirely and inseparably.Therefore like as the Woman hath veins fifteen,And the Man but five to act of their fecundity,Required in our Conjunction first I mean,138