The Hieroglyphic Monad

[un]worthy, clearly, of such a great King; but truly unworthy of the studies and the greatest labors of philosophers, which they wish to invest in examining it most deeply and most frequently. However, I believe I have guarded sufficiently against that misfortune, since I have chosen you as the Typographic Parent of this newly born work: you who, through your care, are able to send it forth in every way polished and well-composed in its members.

SECONDLY, that which I would wish to be performed by you is not a light matter at all: Namely, that you in no way give these little books into the hands of the common sort of people. Not that I begrudge them these things, or even better ones: but suspecting that evil will arise from it. Not only because those wretches can never extricate themselves from that labyrinth original: "Labyrintho." In the Renaissance, the labyrinth was a common metaphor for the confusion and danger of pursuing secret knowledge without proper guidance. (tormenting their intellects meanwhile in unbelievable ways, and looking most poorly after the business of their own household original: "Rei familiaris." This refers to their domestic affairs and finances; Dee is warning that casual readers might bankrupt themselves pursuing alchemy they do not understand.); but also because they will either persuade others to step upon a path (one impassable to them), or they will most wickedly lie about its certainty, as if they had explored it; impostors and ghosts of men that they are. Or finally, they will dare to deny that such GREAT WORKS OF GOD Magnalia original: "Magnalia Dei," meaning the "mighty works" or "wonderful things" of God. even exist, or they will most rabidly dare to accuse my sincerity: becoming at last desperate, just as at first these reckless men approached these Mysteries Mysteria with the greatest presumption. But in this business of such great weight, if I have known you well for many years (whether on account of our friendship...

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