The Preface.  
Courteous Reader,
S
eeing I might not write more cleerly, then other ancient Philosophers have wrote; haply thou mayst not bee satisfied with my writings: especially since thou hast so many other bookes of Philosophers already in thy hands: but beleeve me, neither have I any need to write books, because I seek neither profit, nor vain glory by them; therefore I doe not publish who I am. Those things which I have now publisht for thy profit, and advantage, seem to mee to be more then enough; I purpose that other things, which remain, shall bee referred to the book of Harmony, where I have largely treated of naturall things: yet by the perswasion of some friends I must needs also write this Treatise of Sulphur; in which whether it be needfull to adde any[Pg 76] thing to what is written before, I know not. Yea, neither shall this satisfie thee, if the writings of so many Philosophers cannot satisfie thee: And especially, if the daily operation of Nature bee not a sufficient example, no other examples shall doe thee good. For if thou wouldst consider with a mature judgement, how Nature works, thou wouldst not have need of so many volumes of Philosophers: because in my judgement it is better to learn of Nature the Mistris, then of her scholars. Thou hast enough in the Preface of the book of the Twelve Treatises, as also in the First Treatise it self, because in this Art there be so many, and so great books to bee found, that they rather hinder, then help those that are studious of this Art: and so indeed it seems to be, because the Writings of Philosophers are out of that little Schedule of Hermes grown up unto so great, and erroneous a Labyrinth, and daily doe decline into obscurity: And this I beleeve is done only by envious Philosophers, when as the ignorant doe not well know what ought to be added, or left out, if haply the Authours hand cannot well be read. If in any Science, or Art it doth much help, or hurt to have one word lacking, or added, then much more in this: As for example: It is written in one place: Then mix these waters together, another addes Not, hee indeed added but a little, and yet by this he turned the whole Chapter quite contrary: yet let the diligent Student know, that a Bee doth gather honey out of poisonous hearbs. But if he judgeth what hee reads, according to the possibility of Nature, hee will easily get beyond all the Sophistry of Philosophers: yet let him not give over reading, because one booke ex[Pg 77]plaines another. And by this meanes I understood that the bookes of Geber the Philosopher (and who could know it, but they that read other Authours?) are so wonderfully enchanted, that they cannot possibly be understood, unlesse they be read over a thousand times, and this also by a witty Reader; fooles must bee utterly excluded from reading of them. There bee indeed many that undertake to interpret him as they doe other Authors; but I see their explication is more difficult then the text: My advice is, that thou dost persist in the text, and whatsoever thou readest apply to the possibility of Nature; and in the first place enquire diligently what Nature is. All indeed write, that shee is a thing of small account, easy, common; and indeed it is true, but it should have been added, that shee is so unto wise men. The wise man knows her to be amongst dung, and the ignorant man doth not beleeve her to bee in gold. And all these men, which have made such hard bookes, if they were now ignorant of the Art, but must find it out of such bookes (which books indeed are very true) would with more difficulty find it out, then men, that in these days search into the art, doe. I will not commend mine owne Writings, hee shall judge of them that shall apply them to the possibility, and course of Nature; and if by my Writings, Counsell, Examples, hee shall not know the operation of Nature, and her ministring vitall spirits constringing the aire, as also the subject of the first matter, hee will scarce understand them by Raimundus Lullius. It is a hard thing to beleeve that spirits have such a power and force in the belly of ............