Prolegomena.

with which to present those grateful people. Because of this, I intended to gather some of my own ideas original: "Conceptions" in this science, and expose them also to scrutiny original: "Test": But (to this end, while reviewing the philosophers) I found that many (claiming that title) wrote what their imaginations, not their hands, had produced; and beyond their own thoughts, they had never actually seen the final transformation projection original: "Projection," the final stage of the alchemical process where the Stone is cast upon base metals to transmute them into gold.; (amongst whom our Ripley Sir George Ripley (c. 1415–1490), a famous English alchemist and author of "The Compound of Alchemy." was once one, as appears by his clever retraction original: "Ingenious Retractation." Ripley later wrote a work retracting some of his earlier theories that he felt were not based on practical success., mentioned later): and being truly aware of the great harm such works have done to young students (who at first are not able to distinguish who has written from their own undeniable experience and who has not; and consequently, do not know which to follow or which to avoid), I withdrew my thoughts (having never yet effectively set myself to the manual practice) lest I should add to the many injuries the world has already suffered by delivering a mere mixture of my doubtful ideas without the confident proof of practice: and be justly considered as foolish as those whom Ripley mentions, who prate

Yet still searching for what to choose, at length (by the encouragement of some who are diligent in seeking the public benefit) I centered my thoughts and fixed them on this design: of collecting all (or as many as I could find) of our own English Hermetic Philosophers, and making them public.

Nor did I change this resolution with my circumstances original: "with my Clothes," a metaphor for changing one's social standing or situation., notwithstanding the difficulties I saw, ready to encounter and block the undertaking: For, besides the effort and care that was required for it, the fear of not finding or obtaining the original manuscripts or authentic copies of this nature (which I knew to be in some men's hands, yet lacked them myself), severely original: "shrewdly" beset me, though it did not discourage me. Yet I was freely and generously supplied with them by some worthy and close friends, whom I would gladly mention here, but I well know they do not like to see their names in print. Once I had these, my care was next to arrange them in such a sequence as might match the respective times in which each author flourished; and also to the best advantage of the hardworking student: which I have managed with such a fair balancing original: "Adequation" that (I hope) it will neither diminish the due honor of the one, nor yet disturb or darken the direct path of the other.