PREFACE.

[of] its own metallic kind German: "Metallischen Geschlechts"; referring to the shared lineage or nature of all metals, to serve powerfully and mightily, as they have argued and concluded. However, because its bonds are so strong and firm, entwined and locked together in such a way that it is not possible for Nature alone to break it open again for our use (for although she breaks down and destroys all things she gives birth to—as is clearly seen in the degradation of metals in the bowels of the earth Latin: "visceribus terræ"—yet such natural destruction of gold and decaying German: "Vermoderung" as occurs in the earth is unserviceable for medicine), and yet, if left undissolved and in its simple perfection, it is useful and fit for neither the one nor the other indicated intent of the Philosophers In this context, "Philosophers" refers specifically to the Alchemists or "Natural Philosophers" of the time..

Therefore, they have sought—through Art, yet with the help of Nature, and through no other than the ingenious art of fire German: "Feuer-Kunst", Alchemy Latin: "Alchimiam", which is to be regarded as almost a mother to all other arts—to dismantle and unlock it, and also by means of a new birth to exalt it and perfect it beyond perfection Latin: "plus quam perficiren"; a technical alchemical term for raising a substance to a state of potency greater than what Nature provides,

sich catchword: "itself"