Fvrthermore, thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire, for the benefit and losse of this thing, proceedeth from the benefit of the fire. Wherupon _Plato_ said in his booke: _The fire yeeldeth profit to that which is perfect, but domage and corruption to that which is corrupt_: so that when his quantitie shal be meete & conuenient, it shal prosper, but if it shall exceed measure in things, it shal without measure corrupt both: to wit, the perfect and corrupt: and for this cause it was requisite that the learned should poure their medicines vpon Elixir, to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire, & his heate. _Hermes_ also said to his father. I am afraide Father of the enemie in my house: to whom he made answer, Son take the dog _Corascene_, & the bitch of _Armenia_, put them together, and they shal bring a dog of the colour of heauen, and dip him once in the sea water: for he shall keepe thy friend, and defend thee from thy enemie, and shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become, alwaies abiding with thee, both in this world, and in the world to come. Now _Hermes_ meant by the dog & bitch, such things as preserue bodies from the scorching heate of the fire. And these things are waters of Calces and Salts, the composition whereof, is to be found in the Philosophers books, that haue written of this mastery, among whome, some haue named them Sea-waters, and Birdes milke, and such like. CHAP. IX. _Of the Separation of the Elements of the Stone._