Preface.

bolical writings / where they compare this work to animals original: "Animalibus" and vegetables original: "Vegetabilibus" / and posit / that it consists of soul original: "Anima", spirit original: "Spiritu", and body original: "Corpore", and that the soul cannot be united with the body without the mediation of the spirit.

Likewise / do they not write throughout the entirety of their books / that the Sun original: "Sol," representing the masculine/gold principle is the father / and the Moon original: "Luna," representing the feminine/silver principle the mother / of our blessed Stone / and that they cannot be united without the seed of them both / namely Mercury original: "Mercurio." In alchemy, Mercury is the "messenger" or "mediator" that allows the fixed (Sun) and the volatile (Moon) to join. / indeed, they call it the sole means to join original: "conjungiren" the tinctures original: "Tincturen." A tincture is a potent alchemical substance capable of infusing its properties into other metals, effectively "dyeing" them into gold or silver.?

Since then this medium the "middle" or "mediation" must be maintained in all things / without which no union original: "Conjunction" can be performed / it is right to call it a Golden Chain original: "aurea Catena." This refers to the concept of the "Chain of Hermes," representing the continuous link between the divine and the material, and the sequence of natural processes. / and it is no wonder / that not all men / indeed even the most learned doctors original: "Doctores" of this Philosophical Science original: "Philosophischen Scienz" have been led into error by it; for which reason / after they have begun this divine science / but in the end did not obtain their desire / they have held it to be a fable.

If a true knowledge of things is to be obtained / then one must diligently and above all things [pray to] GOD the Almighty / through JESUS Christ—