Dedication.

the other [being] Reason and Experience original Latin: Ratio & Experientia:
Contemplation original Latin: Contemplatio and visual proof original Latin: ocularis demonstratio—the act of proving something by showing it to the eyes.
And I have no doubt
that all philosophers original: Philosophi—in this context, specifically alchemists and natural scientists who have ever,
through God’s favor and gracious assistance,
brought the Philosopher’s Stone Philosopher's Stone (Latin: Lapidem philosophorum)
into their hands:
even if they previously had no experience
of mining mining (German: Bergwerck), they afterwards,
in time, with great desire,
or even during their studies,
visited such places,
and with pleasure took visual witness original: Augenschein—personal, firsthand inspection
of many things therein.
From this, they subsequently held
their contemplations and sharp reflections,
and also understood the sayings and
writings of those philosophers
concerning Nature and her works original Latin: operibus,
which she holds within the mountain,
all the more accurately [for it]...