TO THE READER.

ᵃ See the "rustic labors of the cart" in the Triumph of Antimony. original: "Vid. currilijs rusticis laboribus, Triumph: Antim:"; referring to Basil Valentine's The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, a famous alchemical text. The "rustic labors" refer to the crude, physical work required to process the mineral.

[Nature] points these out through the operation of various arts, at least to a few disciples in the manner of the Pythagoreans The Pythagoreans were known for their secrecy and for teaching through symbols and silence.; thus Basil [Valentine], following the master, wished these things to be made known under the guise of the brewing of beer (ᵃ alchemical symbols for Mars and Antimony).

ᵇ "One spirit draws in, the other pushes out, yet each does the same thing," etc. Hippocrates, book 1, On Diet.

Paracelsus, however, despising common things—although condemned for heresy by the Church—nevertheless agrees with Hippocrates in the most Ancient Doctrine; he brought the aforementioned instruments of nature onto the stage under the names of various spirits (ᵇ).

The remaining crowd of ancient philosophers hid the aforementioned architectural instruments under the fictional name RE-BIS literally "two-thing" or "double-matter"; representing the union of opposites like male/female or sun/moon. (as if they were showing two things); hence this saying was born:

In these sayings is the "rebis," the most correct

rule in figures.

Others [hid them] under other veils, etc. To these I respond that I have weighed not only these but many other things, and have revolved them in the depths of my mind; from this purpose of mine, however, I can in no way be called away (for a reason to be stated below), especially while [I serve] the Commonwealth, to which all...