Fridrichstadt Leisure, or the Chemical Tantalus

(o)

the salvation of my soul, the conservation of my body, and the knowledge of Nature are concerned, have been bestowed upon me, unworthy as I am, I call this my salvation. Twenty professors, like the Cedars of Lebanon, have fallen while I have lived here in Kiel, to the irreparable loss of the Muses. The Leopoldina itself has also lost more, indeed over forty, of its most beautiful and tallest cedars, to the great detriment of the Medical Republic. I, however, by the singular grace of God, survive and live, and I behold the dawn of Phoebus smiling upon the world.

The subject matter that I have treated in this and thirteen other treatises is of such a kind that it indeed merits applause from many, and is esteemed cheaper than seaweed by most. But truly, when from my early youth I read and reread authors of this kind with great study, I inscribed the idea in my mind, and following the dictates of that idea, I published such commentaries on the L. P. B. Added to this is the fact that I have exercised myself in chemistry for many lustrums Periods of five years.. Whether I have spoken what is true or merely probable on this subject, let the leaders and primates of the adept philosophy judge; to their tribunal I appeal. Let them decree concerning these efforts of mine as they please; I shall stand or fall by their judgment.

This work of mine, Magnificent and Most Generous Lord President, Excellent Lord Adjuncts, and You Most Excellent Lord Colleagues, most honored friends, I offer to this August Academy as a most humble client, in testimony of gratitude that you wished to receive me into the bosom of your most august Academy and to address me by such an honorific name. Whatever is offered here by me, the most humble of all colleagues, receive with a kindly brow. If God grants me the usury of life for a little while longer, I will contribute my token to the augmenting of your Centuries, of which the 6th and 7th have already appeared. I see not without astonishment and joy that our illustrious College has been augmented with new members, men who are not the least among the primates of the medicine of our Europe. And not without sorrow have I noticed that very few remain from their list who previously contributed their observations with great industry. Many, with me, desire to read a complete catalog of all colleagues from the beginning of the Society to this present day, and this point itself is placed among the greatest desires of the Asclepiadean Republic. It is yours to decide here what seems advisable. I merely indicate this desire from the mouth and pen of others. Now I have nothing to add, except that I commend your most illustrious Society to the protection of the highest Divinity and to Emperor Charles the Great