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has gathered them, it withdraws from them and allows them to remain fixed together. And this water, Note Well, original: "N. B." or "Nota Bene," a common Latin shorthand for "Note Well." is found in all things that exist in the world. For unless this water existed, we would strive in vain to produce the stone. The Philosopher's Stone; the legendary goal of alchemy, believed to be a "projection" capable of perfecting both metals and the human body. For in what way would we bring it about that our prepared materials, original: "materiæ preparatæ"; the raw ingredients of the alchemical process after they have undergone initial purification. should enter one into another? Just as apothecaries original: "Pharmacopolæ"; early modern pharmacists who specialized in preparing medicinal compounds from herbs and minerals. gather their herbs together; and in the same way