A rectangular woodcut headpiece featuring a central ornamental vessel or fountain with flowing water, flanked by mirrored scrollwork patterns containing mythical sea creatures or dolphins.

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRI-

OUS AND MOST POWERFUL

PRINCE AND LORD, LORD

Augustus, Prince of Anhalt, Count
of Ascania, Lord of Zerbst,
and Bernburg, etc.

To my most Merciful Lord

Sends heartiest greetings.

The original Latin abbreviation S.P.D. stands for "Salutem Plurimam Dicit," a formal way of wishing the recipient great health and prosperity.

Decorative drop cap initial 'M' depicting the biblical figure Moses holding the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.

GReat indeed it is, Most Illustrious and Most Powerful Prince, Most Merciful Lord, that I should dare to approach your Highness with these few words and greet you with this small philosophical gift The author uses the diminutive "munusculo" (small gift) as a gesture of humility when presenting his book to a high-ranking noble: But if the matter is weighed on the fair balance of reason, the merit of my undertaking will become clear. For it is known, or rather quite common knowledge, that almost everyone who [attempts] some-