Dedication.

Those philosophers who do not do this,
but who—without such entry into the
mine mine (German: Bergwerck) and investigation of this
specific work of nature—nevertheless,
through God’s special providence
and granted grace, attain the high
work of the Philosophers’ Stone original Latin: Lapidis Philosophorum; the crowning achievement of alchemy, believed to transform base metals and offer spiritual perfection:
these also suffer much deficiency and
frustration due to their inexperience,
and instead of firsthand observation,
they must satisfy themselves with the
reports of reliable people. For not
everyone can reach a mine, or perhaps
they are burdened by age and physical
infirmity such that they cannot venture
into such depths through the dangerous
shafts shafts (German: Schachten) nor involve
themselves there. Such people must
nonetheless have a general knowledge original Latin: generalem cognitionem of the birth—