The Hermetic Museum

A horizontal decorative woodcut divider consisting of a central floral-like scrollwork motif with symmetrical flourishes extending to the left and right.

will bear. Its author is indeed unknown; however, after being reviewed by great, insightful, and knowledgeable masters of the art, it was found worthy of printing and publication. Beginners may consider themselves fortunate to receive correct concepts of an obscure science This refers to alchemy, which was often called the "hidden" or "obscure" science because its secrets were guarded by coded language. and its various branches within such a concise scope. Otherwise, without direct and wise instruction, they would have had to painstakingly scrape together original: zusammenklauben—a colorful term suggesting gathering small scraps with difficulty. such knowledge from the many books of the philosophers In this context, "philosophers" refers to the historical alchemical authorities like Hermes Trismegistus, Geber, or Lull.. Furthermore, this work spares them, for the time being, the expense of purchasing the original writings of the ancient philosophers, as they will find the necessary excerpts already selected for them in this present volume. However, it will not be super-