Of Isaac Hollandus #

[must] occur, because of the care, burden, time, and costs that belong to it; or also when the separation of the elements must occur, or distillation, or calcination, or coagulation—because of the danger that may arise therein, which I have partly recounted thus far and which is well known to the practitioners original: "laboranten"; refers to the hands-on workers in an alchemical laboratory.. Therefore, do not be hasty to begin any one of these recounted works. For if only a single one of the prescribed failures should occur—of which there are a thousand times more than we have set down or can recount because of the great length of time required—then all cost, labor, and long time would be lost, and you would fall into impatience.

Therefore, hold yourselves to the Great Art, or to the Great Elixir, as your ancestors have done. And once you have accomplished and completed this, you may then attempt other operations of nature. If you do otherwise, you are not following my advice. In the beginning, take up the Great Work for yourselves, for there is no worry in it. One distills, dissolves, coagulates, or purifies nothing within it The author suggests that in the "Great Work," these processes happen naturally or simultaneously within a single vessel, rather than as separate, dangerous steps.; there are no foreign works, nor foreign things, nor impure things. You have also [not] calcined the dregs feces: the solid remains or "dregs" left over after a substance has been processed. for it is not necessary. You separate no element, for they are pure. It is one lineage, one thing, one vessel, one furnace, and one work for the white and for the red These refer to the two main stages of the Philosophers' Stone: the "White" stage (Albedo) which transmutes metals into silver, and the "Red" stage (Rubedo) which produces gold..

Therefore, no danger can befall this work; it is nothing other than woman’s work Woman’s work: A common alchemical phrase (Latin: opus mulierum) suggesting that once the initial stages are set, the process requires only gentle heat and patience, much like the domestic tasks of cooking or laundry. and