The Chemical Hippocrates

...for how will he perceive with his mind the most rare eloquence of the old man A respectful reference to Hippocrates., or the gentle fire original: "ignem mollem." In the chemical tradition, this refers to ignis mitis, a controlled, moderate heat used for the slow maturation or "digestion" of substances. mentioned there, unless he is practiced in this hidden Hippocratic natural doctrine?

Raymond Lull Raimundus Lullius (c. 1232–1315), a philosopher and mystic. Many alchemical texts were attributed to him, and he was a hero to later "chymists" who valued experimental results over abstract logic. testifies to this:

a Testament, chapter 26.

[a) However much, he says, a logician may possess a profound talent for argument, or a natural talent regarding external matters, yet he will never be able to directly know—nor judge by any reasoning that reaches the senses—how a seed sprouts in the earth, grows, and gathers its fruit, unless he first enters into OUR NATURAL PHILOSOPHY by means of experimental doctrine. He must not follow that sophisticated, talkative philosophy born of logicians through various fantastical presumptions. Such men, with their forecasts of logical consequences that go against the force of nature, cause many to stubbornly err in the sophistry of the mind. This is because through our mechanical science original: "mechanicam scientiam." Here, "mechanical" refers to "manual" or laboratory-based work—knowledge gained by the hands and eyes rather than just the tongue., the intellect is rectified by the power of experience, in view of the eye and true mental knowledge; indeed, our experiences stand above...]