CONRAD GESSNER’S

TO THE BOOK ON

The Shapes of Stones, Gems, and Metals, Preface: which provides the rationale for the order, and enumerates the subjects of the fifteen chapters.

A decorative woodcut initial letter 'D' is featured here, adorned with floral patterns and scrolled ornaments.

Others have published their books on stones and gems in various ways: it seemed best to me to follow this order, which (I hope) readers will not find fault with, as it is derived almost from nature itself.

For in the first place, I enumerate those stones in which only lines and points—matters pertaining more to the outward shape than to the physical substance original: "corpus." Gessner distinguishes between the internal "body" or material of a stone and its external "figure" or markings.—are considered.

Second, I list those that either have some likeness to simple bodies, such as the celestial spheres and the elements: or are at least named or subtitled after them.

Third, those which are compared by some similarity to "meteors" original: "meteoris." In the 16th century, "meteors" referred to any atmospheric phenomenon, including rain, wind, lightning, or "thunderstones" believed to fall from the sky..

Fourth, those compared to inanimate terrestrial things.

Fifth, those compared to man-made original: "artifi-". This is a catchword for the word "artificialibus," meaning objects crafted by human art or skill. This indicates the text continues on the next page.