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.Yet the student may getinformation even from these books (as the bee obtains honey even from poisonous flowers), if he reads them by thelight of natural fact, and with constant reference to the utterances of other Sages.One writer explains another.Yetsome of them are so closely beset with the difficulties of an obscure phraseology, that it is almost impossible tounderstand them, except by reading them side by side with the facts of Nature; for their interpreters andcommentators are more hopelessly unintelligible even than the writers whom they take upon themselves to explain;the exposition is more difficult than the text.If you would succeed in this study, keep your eyes fixed on thepossibilities of Nature, and on the properties of the natural substance.It is universally described as common andeasy of access and apprehension, and it is so, but only to those who know it.He who knows it can discover it in thedunghill; he who does not will fail to find it even in gold I have no desire to praise myself, but this one thing I willsay, that the reading of my Books, in combination with a careful study of Nature, and of the writings of othergenuine possessors of this Stone, must in the end open up to you the understanding of this secret.If I have plantedanother tree in the dense forest of Alchemistic literature, I have done so, not in order to obstruct the path of students,but in order to aid and refresh them by the way.Let not the diligent and God-fearing enquirer despair.If he seek theinspiration of God he will most surely find it.This knowledge is more easily obtained of God than of men.For Hismercy is infinite, and He never forsakes those who put their trust in Him; with Him there is no respect of persons,nor does He despise the humble and contrite heart.He has showered the fulness of His mercy even on me, theunworthiest of all His creatures, in shewing to me His wonderful power and ineffable goodness, which I am utterlyunable to declare.The only way in which I can, in a small degree, at least prove my gratitude, is by succouring mystruggling brother students with friendly counsel and assistance.Rest assured, then, gentle Reader, that He will grantthis boon to you, if you wait upon Him day by day with earnest prayer, and in the power of a holy and loving life.He will throw open to you the portals of Nature; and you will be amazed at the simplicity of her operations.Knowfor certain that Nature is wonderfully simple; and that the characteristic mark of a childlike simplicity is stampedupon all that is true and noble in Nature.If you would imitate Nature, you should take her simplicity for your modelin all the operations of Art.If my Book does not please you, throw it away, and take up some other author; it isshort, so that you need not spend much time in reading it through.Only persevere: to the importunate knocker thedoor will at length be opened.The times are at hand when many secrets of Nature will be revealed to men.TheFourth or Northern Monarchy is about to be established; the Mother of Knowledge will soon come; and many thingswill be brought to light that were hidden under the three preceding monarchies.This fourth kingdom God will foundby the hand of a prince who will be enriched with all virtues, and endowed with wisdom greater than that ofSolomon.In his time (to adopt the words of the Psalmist) mercy and truth will meet together; peace and justice willkiss each other; truth will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from heaven.There will beone Shepherd and one fold; and knowledge will be the common property of all.For those days I, too, am waitingwith longing.Pray to God that it may come soon, gentle Reader.Fear Him, love Him, and- read carefully the booksof His chosen Sages-and you will soon see, and behold with your own eyes, that I have spoken truly.CONCERNING SULPHURThe Second Principle SULPHUR is by no means the least important of the great principles, since it is a part of themetals and even a principal part of the Philosopher's Stone.Many Sages have left us weighty sayings about thissubstance: for instance, Geber himself ("Sum of Perfection," bk.I, chap.28), who says: " It illumines all bodies,since it is the light of the light, and their tincture." But seeing that the ancients regarded it as the noblest principle,before we proceed to speak about it, we must first explain the origin of the three principles [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]