Paracelsus, Archidoxa

Moreover, it must also be seen that there is for us a twofold separation: one, indeed, by which each of the elements, with air removed, is separated separately into its own diverse receptacle, without the corruption of their virtue; the other, however, by which the pure is separated from the impure, besides the four elements. For when the elements have been separated from one another, they are in a way gross and formless; it is therefore necessary, once the elements have been separated, to finally superinduce this separation as well. This, therefore, is our opinion in the practice of the separation of the elements, so that, first, one may understand that the quintessence of things must be separated, primarily for the reason that the corporeal elements, not being of the nature of the quintessence, must be separated from the bodies by art, and not be left with the quintessence itself, lest the quintessence be more or less able to tinge the elements. For it is necessary to know that nothing is lost to the four elements in their virtue, even if the predestined element, that is, the quintessence, has been separated. This itself is also elemental, and it can be separated as to the elemental form, but not as to the diverse natures, as is clear regarding the quintessence. By such separations, however, any elemental disease can be cured by its own single element, specifically on the condition that the predestinations of the simples are ordained against these diseases. And in this way, we believe we have sufficiently declared the beginning of the separations and their principles.