TO THE BENEVOLENT READER

GEORG WOLFGANG WEDEL.

What the Divine Old Man Wedel refers to Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician set forth at the beginning of his aphorisms—"experience is deceptive, and the experiment is difficult" original Greek: ἡ δὲ πεῖρα σφαλερὴ (hē de peira sphalerē)—fits the Divine Art, Alchemy, first and foremost. It applies so strongly that two groups of men can be distinguished in regard to it: The Shuddering and the Suffering.

The greater part of people recoils in horror, because the footprints of others terrify them. The Art has acquired haters who are both ignorant and incredulous; indeed, they are even its attackers. Let one man stand as an example for all: Thomas Erastus, a very famous Doctor at the nurturing University of Heidelberg in the last century, who took it upon himself to refute Paracelsian dogmas The teachings of Paracelsus (1493–1541), who championed the use of chemicals and minerals in medicine in a massive, laborious volume. Yet he did so with almost no experimentation, relying solely on speculations and preconceived hypotheses. Even a single experience would demonstrate how empty his arguments are, since one must philosophize from actual things and nature; if this is true anywhere, it is certainly in this Science, where Chemistry original: Chimia was famous long before Paracelsus.

But if we investigate the causes of this aversion, hatred, and slander, three can be highlighted above all: the Obscurity of the Authors, the Deceitfulness of the Meddlers original: Ardelionum, referring to busy-bodies or fraudulent practitioners who claim to be Chemists, and the Poverty of the Experimenters. It is true that one reads nothing but Riddles, Enigmas, and "Sweet Fables," as it were, if one approaches the texts unprepared. It seems like a kind of labyrinth from which it is scarcely possible to escape once you have entered; the more books you unroll, the more uncertain you become—and yet, all authors amicably agree on the essential points.

Fraud occurs nowhere more frequently than in these Labors. Since those who believe easily are easily deceived, and because people feel an indubitable hope for that which they desperately desire, this has provided an opportunity for many deceivers to claim they have mastered the Art. They bait the Wealthy, the Great, and others from whom they hope to hunt for profit. It may be that they deceive themselves first, and not all are malicious makers of tricks; they might truly believe they are Adepts An "Adept" is a chemist who has successfully discovered the Philosophers' Stone and imagine mountains of gold while lacking the funds for daily life. Yet in the end, their situation often leads to the rope A common historical metaphor for suicide or total ruin, which is why the Chemist is commonly regarded as a deceiver.

Finally, Poverty and the loss of great expenses await most seekers who, gasping for the prize or believing themselves or others, spare no cost and hire laborers...