Prolegomena.

...my tongue. Yet, as one who greatly loves my native country and the satisfaction of all skillful practitioners original: "Ingenious Artists," referring to practitioners of the Hermetic arts or alchemy, I have published (for their use) these following collected antiquities; and I shall say something more here than they themselves speak of.

Anyone who has the happiness to encounter Saint Dunstan’s work On Occult Philosophy original: "De Occulta Philosophia"—a book which E.G.A.I. made much use of, and which shall primarily support what I am about to say—may read stories there that will leave him amazed to think what stupendous and immense things are to be performed by virtue of the Philosophers' Mercury, of which I will provide only a taste and no more.

And first, concerning the Mineral Stone: it is refined only to the degree that has the power of transmuting any imperfect earthy matter into its highest degree of perfection. That is, to convert the basest of metals into perfect gold and silver; flints into all manner of precious stones (such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds, etc.) and many more experiments of a similar nature. But as this is only a part, it is the smallest portion of that blessing which may be acquired by the Philosophers' Material original: "Materia", if its full virtue were known. Gold, I confess, is a delicious object, a beautiful light, which we admire and gaze upon as children gaze upon Juno’s bird original: "ut Pueri in Junonis avem"; referring to the peacock. However, although making gold (says an incomparable author) is the primary goal of the alchemists, it was hardly the goal of the ancient philosophers, and the lowest use the adepts original: "Adepti"; those who have attained the secret of the stone made of this material.

For they, being lovers of wisdom more than worldly wealth, aimed for higher and more excellent operations. And certainly, he to whom the whole course of nature lies open rejoices not so much that he can make gold and silver, or that devils become subject to him, but that he sees the heavens open, the angels of God ascending and descending, and that his own name is clearly written in the Book of Life.

Next, we come to the Vegetable, Magical, and Angelical Stones. These contain no part of the Mineral Stone (insofar as original: Quatenus it is a stone fermented with a metallic and earthy nature), for they are marvelously subtle. Each of them differs in operation and nature because they are fitted and fermented for various effects and purposes. Doubtless, Adam (along with the Fathers before the Flood),