The Hermetic Museum

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...only their most dearly beloved self and the conceit of their own greatness raised them to the judgment seat to pass sentence on the secrets of the unknown Sages, for which they do not possess the key. These are people who, by virtue of their professional skills original: "Brodkentniſſe" — literally "bread-knowledge," referring to practical skills used solely to earn a living rather than the pursuit of higher, philosophical truth.—such as pharmacy—believe themselves entitled to issue authoritative decrees in the field of chemistry, even though they are not capable of performing great pharmaceutical tasks with their own hands. They only feel true pleasure when they offer up the sweet incense of sacrificial vapor to their own imaginary wisdom and can argue with watery eyes over Prange’s Lexicon of Colors Christian Friedrich Prange (1752–1807) was a German scholar known for his works on art and color theory; the author here suggests these critics obsess over superficial classification rather than deep chemical reality..

Yet, their delusion makes false treasures seem great! To the genuine Sage, it is a matter of indifference how they judge him and his knowledge, which remains ever constant in its greatness; and to all their contradictions he will oppose nothing but a blunt "blessed are the possessors" original: "beati possidentes" — a Latin legal maxim; here it implies that those who actually possess the secret wisdom do not need to prove anything to those who do not..

Perhaps it is expected that this writing will contain a multitude of ruminated proofs for the existence of the Royal Art Alchemy, traditionally called the "Royal Art" because of its goal to "ennoble" base matter and the soul.. But what use would they serve? He who is already convinced needs them as little as a healthy man needs a doctor; and they would convert neither the skeptic nor the denier. Moreover, it has also...