Preface.

...truth has been sought), it will nonetheless be sufficient to explore the foundation of this Divine Science original: "Scienz." From the Latin scientia, meaning systematic knowledge or a branch of study—in this case, the sacred art of alchemy.. Furthermore, with God there is no respect of persons; rather, to whomever He loves, He gives it while they sleep This is a reference to Psalm 127:2, suggesting that spiritual and alchemical insight comes through divine grace rather than through stressful, worldly labor., for all people bear the image of God. He takes pleasure in those who fear Him and who rely, in all humility and lowliness, upon His gracious mercy and bottomless kindness; in whose name I will begin to describe my humble treatise original: "Tractätlein." A diminutive form used by the author to show humility toward his work., which shall consist of two parts.

In the first part, I will provide an account of how the highly blessed Stone of the Ancient Sages original: "Stein der uralten Weisen." Better known as the Philosopher's Stone, this legendary substance was believed to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold and providing the "Elixir of Life." can be made just as effectively in the present day as it was made several thousand years ago. In this account, everything belonging to the Philosopher’s Stone shall be reported quite clearly and plainly. I will thus explain—clearly and from its very foundation—the process set in verse by Frater Basilius Valentinus original: "Fr. Basilii Valentini." A celebrated, though likely pseudonymous, 15th-century Benedictine monk and alchemist whose writings were foundational to the alchemical revival of the 1700s. (since in those verses he has, as it were, painted the entire Art original: "Kunst." In this context, the "Art" refers specifically to Alchemy or Hermetic philosophy. in vivid colors), so that it [will require] little effort