Preface.

to make a beginning / and to good-naturedly share what has been found useful in the works of the aforementioned Basilius Valentinus, as well as Ripley, Norton, Arnald of Villanova, Theophrastus Paracelsus, P. J. Fabre, Conrad Khunrath, and elsewhere; with the steadfast confidence that / just as everything is sincerely well-intentioned by me / so also it shall be accepted and received in the best way by the highly gracious reader. To whom I hereby especially commend myself / with the attached further request / that if anyone should have at hand any chemical small treatises original: "Tractätlin" / which have not yet been released in print anywhere / in the Latin language / he would deign to graciously share them for the benefit of the Republic of Letters original: "Reipublicæ Literariæ." A historical term for the international community of intellectuals and scholars who shared knowledge across borders. / for the Seventh Volume original: "Tomum Septimum" of the Chemical Theater original: "Theatri-Chimici." This was the largest collection of alchemical texts ever published in the West.. Given at Strasbourg on February 15, 1681.