A decorative woodcut headpiece featuring a central human face or mask surrounded by symmetrical foliate scrollwork, fruit garlands, and stylized floral motifs.

MOST SERENE

PRINCE.

THE errors of nature, when she wanders into strange births original: "alienos degenerantis in partus" — referring to biological anomalies or "monsters" of nature, were once consecrated to the everlasting glory of Ferdinand II, Grand Duke of Tuscany; while they changed from the Medici spheres A play on the "palle" or balls on the Medici coat of arms into wondrous beauty and strength, why should I not place before your light, Most Serene Prince—most worthy nephew of so great an uncle—the precious flight of that same wandering nature through the depths of minerals? This was captured by that same Ulysses of Bologna referring to Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522–1605), the famous naturalist and drawn forth from the almost inaccessible hiding places of the concealed earth. These things, circumscribed by the orbit of your wisdom and enriched by the new brilliance of your patronage, will become famous for posterity. How beautifully, moreover, is everything that glows in gold and shines in gems devoted to a "Golden and Gem-like Prince," you who are truly the delight and the prize of our age! The lights of the subterranean firmament, which our Mineralogy investigates—and which nature, an Argus In Greek mythology, Argus was a giant with a hundred eyes with as many eyes as she has distinguished sparks of metals and stones—are dedicated to you, the sun of Italy! For truly, if all the power in metals comes from the influence of the wandering stars the planets, upon whose milk they grow and flourish, who does not know that the heaven of the Farnese lineage has transcribed into itself all the honors of other Princes, just as if they were planets? And since you have made for yourself a most rich compendium of them all, who can doubt that this work on Metals must be consecrated to you alone? For who does not marvel that there flows into you an extraordinary and portentous heap of splendors: the leaden gravity of Saturn from Ranuccio, your most excellent grandfather; the amber-like original: "electrinam" kindness of Jupiter from Alexander, Cardinal of the Vatican Court; the iron fortitude of Mars from Duke Alexander, once the lightning-bolt of Belgium; the golden profusion of the Sun’s Graces and Royal Majesty from Odoardo, your most auspicious father; the copper beauty of Venus from the distinguished Duke Ottavio; the quicksilver mercurial prudence of Mercury from Odoardo, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church; and finally, the silvery wisdom of the Moon from the heroine Margaret, the arbiter of arms and peace? For even if I set aside Paul III, whom the voices of all ages praise, because with immoderate light...