PREFACE.

A iii

2 You have said, my Claude Aubery of Triuncuria Claude Aubery (ca. 1545–1596) was a French physician and philosopher who wrote on the reconciliation of medical theories., (page 80, On the Harmony of Physicians) that since a conceptual definition original Greek: "ἐννοηματική" (ennōēmatikē), referring to a definition based on the internal concept or essence of a thing. of the Philosophical STONE could not yet be delivered by any man, it must be that the underlying causes original Greek: "διότι" (dioti), a logical term for the "wherefore" or the reasoned cause of a fact. of the admirable Stone could not yet be explained by anyone. 3 4 5 Behold, I have delivered that conceptual definition, which the Philosophers indeed could have delivered, but chose not to: and the underlying causes, which they, if they had wished... 6 7 8

But as to what the PHILOSOPHER’S STONE original: "LAPIS Philosophorum" actually is—this is established by me upon firm ground, both through its DEFINITION and further DESCRIPTION, scattered here and there throughout the previously cited AMPHITHEATER Referring to Khunrath’s Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom).; as well as being sufficiently understood from this, my present Philosophical CONFESSION or ACKNOWLEDGMENT, divided into ten distinct chapters.

This is accomplished by virtue of the testimonies of many good philosophical writings; from (praise God) unwavering reason; the Cabalistic Referring to the Christian Cabala, a system of interpreting divine mysteries through letters and numbers. traditions of experienced men; and partly also through the confirmation original: "Confirmation" of my own practice, both Theosophical spiritual wisdom gained through direct experience of the divine in the ORATORY a private place of prayer; Khunrath famously combined prayer and physical experiment, and Alchemical the art of purifying and perfecting materials according to nature in the LABORATORY; and thus from the true ground of the LIGHT of NATURE, it is not only TRUE but also, as far as the properties of Divine and Natural Mysteries original: "Geheimnussen" in the present...