Chemical Letters to Excellent Philosophers and Physicians in Germany

If chemistry has any health, or utility within itself
(And it holds many advantages, and many healthy things)
Our pharmacies will give them to you more skillfully,
And those physicians whose mind is good and hand is faithful,
Than the light imposter, the vain and bold lizard,
The actor, to whom there is neither mind nor faith.
Of which, that you may not doubt, or stray, best Reader,
Read through the work of Libavius which you now perceive.
May I have angry muses, and the bow of Apollo,
And may no deities favor my undertakings:
If anyone has presented chemistry more skillfully, or openly,
Or with greater faith, or more candidly than this.
The occasion is worthy of a free gift: let youth
Therefore now wish to follow this teacher.
He will rightly learn to join new remedies to the ancient ones,
And to strengthen the body with the aid of both at once.
But you, Libavius, glory of physicians,
Who increase our wealth with your writings, and protect it,
May the grace of the merciful Christ prosper you unharmed,
And allow you to surpass the days of Nestor,
So that you may adorn the Paeonian medical art with more fruits of your genius,
Than which the world here holds nothing superior,
And may you confound with the happy weapons of your style all
Those whom it pleases to harass it.
Thus you will be celebrated with an immortal name,
And will become more known to all good men in the whole world.

An Elegy of D. Bernhard Stiber on the Chemical Letters of Libavius.

That medical and magical matters are open to deceits and vices
Aristotle already wrote long ago, gravely.
The same Plinius Pliny once happily asserted,
Having firmly scrutinized the natures of things.
The reason appears, because foul laziness can be well
Hidden, covered by famous titles.
They sound loudly of gold, sulfur, proud Tincture,
Salt of Venus, and the great magisteries of antimony.