The Chemical Theatre, Vol. IV

Concerning the definitions of this art, and the lament of nature, and what theory is, and what practice is.
A 2

CHAPTER I.

Ornamental woodcut drop cap 'E' depicting a figure sitting in a landscape with a tree.
Real entities, existing in their primordial and succeeding principles original: "primordialibus & succedentibus principiis"; the fundamental elements and the stages of development that follow them, provide the knowledge and the means of understanding the nature of bodies, as well as the intermediates and the known extremes. These are the cause of their true permutation and transmutation according to their roots, in a spherical form and permanent species through their own dispositions, insofar as they are changeable and entirely transmutable into a true and useful form of perfect things. This is done by preserving the essence as much as possible, in order to lead them to the supreme and perfect temperament temperament: the ideal balance of the four qualities—hot, cold, moist, and dry—which alchemists believed resulted in gold or the Elixir.

But in this book, when we speak of physical discontinuity original: "discontinuatione physica"; likely referring to the separation of elements or the breakdown of matter into its constituent parts, we have received a mandate from the mistress and lady of nature. Because she appeared to us clearly, and opened her works to us, and showed them as they were opened. Therefore, weeping and groaning, she cried out against us, saying: "Alas, what shall I do from now on, since men strive to take and carry away my instruments from me, and they wish to plunder my secrets and uncover me? And those things which I have formed by the permission of God and my Master, they wish to dispatch me to death."

This is the grief that Lady Nature spoke before her priest: "I groan and I mourn." And truly she wept so profoundly that there was no heart seeing her that was not moved by compassion, nor hindered from weeping by love for her. For the pain in her body was so great that she was driven even to spasms because of the grief and displeasure she felt for the good works she had performed in this world—so much so that she wished to abandon them and no longer cared to perform them, provided she could obtain permission from God her Master, whom she had petitioned regarding this.

Because of this, we received a mandate that we must keep her instruments secret and guard them from the hands of her enemies. All these things we shall declare in the second book, if you are able to enter therein. Therefore, this first book is divided and partitioned into five parts and five divisions through general chapters.

Since, however, the practice of this part of philosophy cannot be handed down without the theory preceding it, we say that theory is in that part where the dispositions of transmutable and changeable bodies toward a balanced temperament are taught and demonstrated, insofar as is necessary for the perfection of our [work...]