TO MAXIMILIAN

» could be proposed. This, into himself, in a twofold way, he ought to translate: namely, to Swallow the Work itself once it is Made Worthy: and to Imitate the Worthiness of the Work. Dee concludes his quote about the Alchemist, suggesting that the practitioner must not only perform the chemical operation but also internalize its spiritual dignity.

Now, let enough have been said by me (indeed I fear, if the common crowd of men should hear these things, it would be more than enough) concerning the Rarity of this theoretical gift of ours, O King Maximilian—honored with the Triple Renowned Crown Maximilian II was King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, and Holy Roman Emperor.—and may you concede that its Goodness is defined by those same limits of rarity. Therefore, let it be enough (O singular glory of all kings) that while we have quite diligently demonstrated this gift of ours to be so rare, no one (however much a slanderer by the petulance of an envious tongue) can mutter that it is an "Aesopian Bird." original: "Auem esse Æsopicam"; a reference to Aesop’s fable of the jackdaw who dressed himself in the feathers of other birds to appear more beautiful than he was. Dee is asserting that his work is entirely original and not a collection of stolen ideas.

Indeed, all the most modest and wisest philosophers will confess that it is so far from justly bearing the indignity of calumny, that they will not disdain to join me in singing praises and honor to that Phoenix. It is from the wings of His Mercy alone that we have extracted all these most rare theoretical feathers, with fear and love, to cover our nakedness introduced through Adam. We have done this so that we might resist the harshest frosts of ignorance much more eagerly, and—as most diligent students of honorable TRUTH—might hide the shame of errors from the eyes of those who philosophize.

And although we have in no way relied here upon any human authority; nevertheless, wherever some notable saying or writing of any ancient philosopher could be opportunely illustrated by our Light, we have not refused to present it kindly to our posterity; as in the case of Hermes,