PREFACE.

...not being true, not all having been produced by Authors who were truly such themselves; some are truncated, others altered; and what is worse, several are falsified; this stems only from the envy and rage of those who, through a lack of genius, or by a just punishment from God, were not able to be admitted to this table The "table" likely refers to the Tabula Smaragdina (Emerald Tablet) or the metaphorical banquet of Hermetic wisdom shared by true initiates.. It remains true, however, despite the depravity of the Age, that there are still good people whom Providence has reserved; not all have sucked this contagious venom, and there are some who have avoided the bite of the Serpent; especially those who have contemplated the bronze serpent Bronze Serpent: A reference to the biblical Nehushtan (Numbers 21:9) which healed those who looked upon it; in alchemy, it often symbolizes the "fixing" of the volatile or the healing power of the philosopher's stone. raised upon the mountain, who have entrusted their hopes to him, and have observed his holy Laws.