germinating process could only take place under favorable
conditions, just as the seed of a plant must have its proper
surroundings before germinating; and it was believed that the
action of the philosopher's stone was to hasten this process, as
man may hasten the growth of plants by artificial means. Gold was
looked upon as the most perfect metal, and all other metals
imperfect, because not yet "purified." By some alchemists they
were regarded as lepers, who, when cured of their leprosy, would
become gold. And since nature intended that all things should be
perfect, it was the aim of the alchemist to assist her in this
purifying process, and incidentally to gain wealth and prolong
his life.

By other alchemists the process of transition from baser metals
into gold was conceived to be like a process of ripening fruit.
The ripened product was gold, while the green fruit, in various
stages of maturity, was represented by the base metals. Silver,
for example, was more nearly ripe than lead; but the difference
was only one of "digestion," and it was thought that by further
"digestion" lead might first become silver and eventually gold.
In other words, Nature had not completed her work, and was
wofully slow at it at best; but man, with his superior faculties,
was to hasten the process in his laboratories--if he could but
hit upon the right method of doing so.

It should not be inferred that the alchemist set about his task
of assisting nature in a haphazard way, and without training in
the various alchemic laboratory methods. On the contrary, he
usually served a long apprenticeship in the rudiments of his
calling. He was obliged to learn, in a general way, many of the