PREFACE.

...applied themselves and finally, after many endured labors and dangers, as well as suffered shame and mockery, along with other obstacles and hindrances to which this Art The "Art" refers to Alchemy, often called the "Sacred Art" or "Great Work." is subject (For things that are beautiful are difficult original Latin: "Difficilia enim quæ pulchra", etc.), through the grace of God, they joyfully achieved their wish and intent.

And accordingly, they presumably inferred and concluded—since no opening may be performed without its appropriate key—that gold can be naturally opened and improved by no other thing than its own and first mother, in and from which it was initially generated, which they called by its right name: prime matter Latin: "primam materiam"; the original, undifferentiated substance from which all things were thought to be created.

Thus, they meditated deeply upon the generation of gold and all metals In the early modern view, metals "grew" inside the earth like plants and found that this same prime matter is partly heavenly and partly earthly; they called the former the Above and the latter the Below. They also considered that both things have toward each other an equality and inclination, a desire and love—