Golden Fleece — Trismosin (Splendor Solis Author), 18th-Century MS

I call to you all, Darlings of Nature,
I call to you all at the sweet sound of my voice;
Come with a discreet eye to judge the painting
That I give to you here just as I possessed it.
If it were better (no better can be
the enterprise of others) you would have it with a good heart:
Let a Theater of Love make this game appear,
Judging modestly the flowers of my humor.
There you may gather in the golden vineyard
Of my sacred orchard, some grain of verjuice Verjuice is the acidic juice of unripened grapes, used here as a metaphor for the difficult or "bitter" early stages of alchemical study.;
But if the trellis is prepared by a long hand,
These sournesses will depart and return no more.
I will not prevent the world from slandering,
Rather I wish to evoke this cause near them;
I take them as witnesses that I wish to say nothing,
That is not of good taste, and not to provoke them.
Whoever does better must publish it,
And give this Treasure to posterity;
But discretion does not say that he should ally himself
With a slandering vice full of temerity.
To criticize is easy, to do better is difficult,
And the Censor always holds some passion;
But all considered, let them bite row by row,
I shall appear firm in my good intention.