I think that in all different kinds of alchemy, the end result should be to get Quicksilver of Philosophers out of usual “quicksilver”, be it from stone, metals, plants, animals or whatever else.
However, the main problem seems to be that even the Quicksilver of Philosopher is not truly the end result. There is something more which can or cannot be done with this Quicksilver of Philosopher once it has been made.
Fulcanelli claims that all what the wise man searches for may he find in Quicksilver of Philosophers and that it is solely enough to complete the Great Work. It is enough, but it is not the end.
Quick silver of Philosopher can be kept forever if not exposed to air and light. But Quicksilver of Philosophers is still not the Stone of Wisdom or Rebis.
In further alchemist processes, Quicksilver of Philosophers is united with sulphur. According to Fulcanelli all the art is about discovering the mental semen of sulphur, its expectoration into Quicksilver of Philosophers and successive exposition to the element of fire. Temperature should be successively changed towards more heat. Four different temperatures are four different grades of Great Work.
Cyrano de Bergerac sees this process as a fight between Salamander and Nymph. It is an esoteric fight – “terrible but real”.
J. C. Barchusen, an alchemist from the 18th century, talks about 78 different alchemist approaches to the creation of Rebis.
Talerman