THE

TRANSLATOR

TO THE

READER.

The eminence and worth of this author need no apology; his works sufficiently commend him. As this present book clearly shows, he used no tautologies original: "Tautologies"; the unnecessary repetition of the same idea in different words, circumlocutions, or fruitless ambiguities original: "Ambages"; roundabout or deceptive ways of speaking in his writings. Instead, like a good master intending to inform rather than perplex the minds of his disciples, he speaks so succinctly of all things as is rarely seen in any other author.

The end purpose why he wrote in his time was, as he himself declares, not only to teach and direct the ingenious the talented or intellectually gifted, but also to detect and weaken original: "Enervate" the fallacious descriptions of sophisters original: "Sophiſters"; those who use clever but false arguments, particularly in alchemy, whom he pronounces cursed. He even says he would be accursed himself if he did not discover reveal their frauds.

For a similar end, I was incited by a worthy friend of mine to produce this translation, so that the WORKS of so ancient and venerable an author—comprising so many and various most needful preparations—might now at length be published in the English tongue. This is especially necessary because at this very day, there are so many persons publicly exposing their chemical preparations (as they call them). If these were truly what they are presented to be, or even in some competent measure corresponded to the specious titles with which they are marked original: "inſignized", they would commend their authors rather than needing to be commended by them. For chemistry original: "Chymiſtry" is a true and real art, and when handled by prudent artists, it produces true and real effects.