장음표시 사용
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DAGE. PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION . . . . . . . . . t X. P ΕFACE ΤΟ THE ORIGINAL EDITION . . . . . . . . . I
MnclathnnRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SI
that is, a Chemicat work, in whicli the way is Shewn, the Malter nam ed, and the Process described ; nam ely, the Method of obtaining the Universal
d in tUre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., ... 69
NicholaS Flameli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I
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Barnaud Delphin RS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 27 I
XI. -THE GOLDEN TRIPOD : or, Three Choice Chemicat TractS, nam ely : That of Basilius Valentinus, a Monk of the Benedicti ne Orcler, called Practica, with Twelve Reys and an AppendiX ...
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HE HERMETIC MUS EUM RESTOR ED AND EN LARGE Dform os an anterior Ork whicli, appearing in I 623, iS moresCarce, but, intrinsi Cally, Os tess Value. Iis design waS apparentlyto SUPPly in a Compaci form a representative collectiora of the more bries and less ancient alchemicat writers ; in this respeCt, it may be regarded as a supplement to those large StorehouSeSos Hermetic learning such as the Theatrum Chemicum, and that SCarcely less colossat os Mangelus, the fibliotheca Chemica Curiosa, whicli are largoly concerned with the cream of the archaic literature, with the works of Geber and the adepts of the school os Arabia, with the writings attributed to Hermes, with
a distinctive school in Alchemy, not altogether Committed tocertain modes and terminology whicli derived most of their prestige sto in the past, and Sufficiently enigmatical as it was stili inclined to be less obscure and mistending than was the was published in Latin at Frankfori, in the yearl678, and, as iis titie implies, it was an ei larged
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the property of a college of adeptS, pretending to have
allegorical Romance of the Rose V with the parabies os Alchemy : Flamet will be familiar to ait Hermetic studentes as the most celebrated of the French ad epis : the Saintlyname of Basil Valentine, investigator of the propertieS os antimony, Will not even no v be unhonoured by the chemist: Eirenaeus Philalethes, equalty revered and unknown by alideVOut SPagyrites, is supposed to have been the most lucid
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of hierophanis, and the Open Entrance V to be the clearestos ali his works. Helvetius was an illustrious Chemist, and Michael Mater is a person os sonae repute in the Rosi Crucianconti OVersy. Michael Sendivogius was an uninstructed disciple
his master, who has been Called the Chies martyr of Alchemy. It may be added in this connection that sonae criti CS have cast doubi upon the genuine nature of the Testament of Johia Cremer, and it is true that the annales of westininsterdo not include an abbot os that name It should be understood that the writer of this bries note must not be accredited with the translation whicli it seel sto introduce. That is the work Os a genti eman who is sat dio have had a lis e-long acquaintance with alchemicat literature : it has been subjected to a Searching revision at theliandes of the present editor, hO may himself be permittedio Claim Some eXperionCe in Hermetic antiquities the versionas it stanos cloes not uncreditably represent both the spiritand the sense of the original Without the originars prolixity. While amor ling to the modern Student Os secret doctrines an unique Opportunity sor acquiring in Englisti a Collection ofalchemicat writers, this edition Os THE HERMETIC MUSEUM also clainas consideration at the hancis of the historian as a contribution os real value to the early hi StOry of Chemi Stry.
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THE PREFACEOF THE ORIGINAL EDITIO N.
ati the aris invented for the use of life by the reason Osmata, that of Alchemν is the most nobi e and glorious. For ali philosophers exclaim, as it were, With One VolCC, albeit in many langu ages, that this ari is not only true, but after the Divine Laru by whicli our fouis are saved) the bestand most magnificent gist bestowed upon mala by God ; and that it should therei ore be investigated with ali geal and withthe greatest patias. But AS good wine needS no Prai SO, SOneither cloes this ari require a herald ; for iis truth is undoubted, and iis utili ty in human ii se universalty acknowledged, and shewn sortii, not only in the Art of Medicine, in PharmaCy, and many other Sciences, but more especialty in the Art of Transmuting Metais, is so clearly and PerSpicuouSty demonstrated, that it in no way requires to be adorned by the splendour os Oratory, or triched out with the device of language. I will notentarge iapon the blessing whicli the elaboration of minerais and metals has besto ved upon our race. I merely poliat it Ouf, butresrain frona discussing it at longili. Disserent men devote thenaseives to the study of thi S science Dom different moti Ves. The philosopher is impelled by the love of truth, and the thirstaster wisdom. He deligitis in knowledge sor iis own sal e. He
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Nature, to the glory of Almighty God. This is a sufficientlygen OrOUS reward for a philosopher. He has at his command
the most effectual means of beco ming ricli, is he would ora lyuse them. But he is si red by the love of philosophy, and doesn Ot care for the mocking grandeur of fortune. So thought the Sages of the Saracens, Egyptians, Arabs, and Persian S rWhen they Were oppreSSed by tyranis, and violently dri ven intoeXile, they protected and supported them solves by means of their Art, and , through their knowledge of the transmutationos metais, they had at their command , not Only sufficient tolive Upon, but ali the com foris and pom p of lila, and thus practi catly demonstrated that they could obtain ali that goldand Silver Could give. Concerning this true transmutation Osmetals, whicli is accomptished only by the Elixir or Sione of the Philosophers, we here propose to speat . This ari iS Setforth in a series of treati ses by different authors, whicli appeared
Very many have been. and a re stili being dcceived by them. These dupes, by reading this book, in whicli the Magistery os the Stone is most Clearly and plain ly set sortii, and into whicli no
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error or sol gery has been admitted, will be secured against theimpositire of that wiched and mercenary band who delight in fraud. For in this book ali errors are Shewn up and dispelled. For this reason I confidently offer this volume to the sons Ofknowledge, in order that while they thinti upon and investigate the secret wOrking of Nature, they may obtain si om it nothingbut the truth, and gain a clear insight into the very nature of things. In this alone consisis the persection of the entire