CHRYSORRHOAS, OR,

A DIALOGUE ON THE CHEMICAL ART.

Chrysophilus.
A decorative initial letter P features scrolling floral and leaf patterns. I cannot sufficiently deplore the perpetual and common misery of mankind. I see that all things in which even the shadows of good reside are so difficult and intricate that hardly one in a thousand can obtain them. Once obtained, they flee from us with a swift foot. On the other hand, those things joined with cruelty, danger, and a heap of evils constantly loom over us. They seem to conspire for human destruction. In a moment we fall to the bottom. We are overwhelmed by misery, poverty, weakness, and pains. To be happy, to be enriched, or to be healed requires many years. To reach a state where we lack nothing happens to us hardly once in a century.

As far as my own affairs are concerned, I am in exactly that condition. From the very beginning of my life, I have desired nothing more than to become very rich. I am not ashamed to admit it openly. A thirst for gold itself has seized me entirely. However, I have not yet attained a perfect method for achieving it. Although I am despairing of fulfilling my wish, I am inclined to try every extreme. With the favor of Mercury The Roman god of commerce and travelers, also associated with the metal quicksilver in alchemy., I will again take up the art which the common people call Alchemy, which I had set aside for some time. But I see Theophrastus von Hohenheim The famous Swiss-German physician and alchemist known as Paracelsus (1493–1541). walking over there. If Germany ever produced a perfect master of this art, it is he. If I can persuade him to help me in this endeavor, I will undoubtedly be the happiest of men. I will approach him first with grand promises, and later even with threats. Greetings, chief of friends, O Theophrastus.

Theophrastus. Greetings to you as well, you charming fellow. But why are you wandering here alone? What business causes you to murmur to yourself so anxiously? I have been watching you for a long time with great laughter. You were throwing your arms and head about, snapping your fingers, and kicking your feet. I thought you were seized by a Bacchic Related to Bacchus, the god of wine and frenzy. madness.

Chrysophilus. It is not a Bacchic frenzy, my good man, but I am struck by the inspiration of Plutus The Greek god of wealth, often depicted as blind..

Theophrastus. Why do you mutter about Plutus? We wish that restless demon Plutus to be banished to the gates of Pluto The god of the underworld, here distinguishing wealth from the realm of the dead.. We will give our labor instead to a tranquil life.

Chrysophilus. With you as my guide, I would hope to attain that tranquility. My salvation is in your hand. If you are willing to help me, I know I shall bring it about that we both shall soon be the leading men of the world.

Theophrastus. For my part, O Chrysophilus, I will not refuse to be present with all my counsel and help, so long as it is within my power and not joined with manifest danger to myself. But explain briefly what the matter is.

Chrysophilus. I do not doubt that it has reached your ears how much I have lost. It was not only wealth and money, but what is more precious, a loss of time. This was spent on that conviction of science which the more learned call Chemistry original: "Chymica". I am ashamed to admit what I cannot deny. I have been miserably deceived by that most worthless kind of men who boast that they are Alchemists and disciples of the Philosophers. Most seriously, I have harmed my health because of the foul soot and most terrible vapors. I endured these while hiding away like the Troglodytes An ancient term for cave-dwellers. in caverns. The loss of all these things is so great that even the benefits that could have been gathered from the completed work would be considered of no importance.

Theophrastus. Ha, ha, he! I’ll be damned if I didn't smell that very thing myself, even if I knew nothing of your affairs. Last month, when I passed your little garden house, I noticed such a foul and black smoke breaking out of that underground vault. I believed the mouth of Avernus A crater in Italy believed by Romans to be the entrance to the underworld. was there, where Canidia A famous witch described in the works of the Roman poet Horace. had cooked feasts for her ghosts. But my high opinion of your prudence stood in the way of a bad thought. First, there is your authority. Then, there is the fact that you were born of high rank. Next is your mature age joined with experience of things. Finally, there are so many clear examples of others which I doubted not would have made you more cautious at someone else's peril. Therefore, I could not persuade myself that you could turn your mind to those things which are joined with manifest loss. Much less did I think you would listen to those most wicked sycophants and slanderers of the true art.

Chrysophilus. Indeed, I was as cautious in this matter as I ought to have been. But should I really have left untried that which is rendered certain by the common vote of so many authors? This is especially true since everything pertaining to this business has been most diligently written down by so many ancient and recent Philosophers of great name. Finally, I did not lack talent, wealth, leisure, or other opportunities for conducting the matter well. But why speak of examples? You alone satisfy me as being worth many men. People proclaim you successful and happy because you have attained the goal of this art. If you are willing to bring help to my desolate affairs, and lead my fleet into harbor while it struggles with storms in the middle of the waves, I will make you understand immediately how much honor my friendship... au- original: "au-", catchword for the next page.