The Fifth Part of the Prosperity of Germany

snarling of my enemies. This booklet will, in a short space of time, shake the lethargy from many incredulous dreamers and will incite them to a serious refutation of so many calumnies and lies which Farnerus and that falsely called son of Sendivogius have belched forth with their most impudent fruits. Then finally it will become plain to the whole World whether they or I have written the Truth. Thorns precede roses. For the sake of obtaining victory, one must first fight. The acquisition of salvation follows patience. For without patience, fighting, and struggle, no one can attain anything great.

Therefore it is better in this life to bear patiently the evils brought by the wicked, and on the contrary to do good to enemies, than to do evil to friends and benefactors, which has been done to me more often by wicked men and is still accustomed to be done daily. Yet I rely on this firm hope: that this summer, friends will be prepared for me from my laboratory whose power will take the due penalty from my enemies and the most impudent authors of lies and calumnies, to whom, inflamed by mere hatred and envy, it is a pleasure to tear apart my writings with so many insults and calumnies.

+ While I am occupied with the writing of this present booklet, and I affirm that the true Sales are the keys for destroying the more immature and baser metals and converting them into better ones, and that in Alchymia