An ornate horizontal woodcut headpiece strip featuring reclining mythological figures or putti amidst swirling acanthus leaf and floral scrolls, with a central mask-like face.

TO THE SINCERE

READER

A large decorative drop cap 'A' within a woodcut square frame, surrounded by dense foliate scrollwork and floral motifs.

THIS REMARKABLE WORK OF THE AMPHITHEATER, in which the Author Heinrich Khunrath of Leipzig, Doctor of both Medicine and Philosophy, original: "utriusque Medicinae & Philosophiae Doctor" has set before everyone DIVINE, HUMAN, MACRO- AND MICROCOSMIC WISDOM Macrocosmic refers to the universe as a whole, while Microcosmic refers to humanity as a reflection of that universe.: Divine-Magical, Christian-Cabalistic, and Physico-Chemical A blend of spiritual practice, Jewish mystical interpretation, and early laboratory science/alchemy., with admirable industry, to be viewed with the EYES, contemplated with the MIND, and pursued through Work, in the Oratory and Laboratory Khunrath famously argued that laboratory work was useless without prayer (the Oratory).. O friendly and sincere Reader, we now give it to you whole and complete. The Author himself, having been prevented by an untimely death, left it behind unfinished in some parts, though not many. Dying, he placed that burden upon my shoulders—unequal to the task, indeed—so that this posthumous WORK might be brought to light through my care: both because I was joined to him in close friendship, and because he made me a participant in his plan for publishing this work, along with other more secret things left by him. I have therefore diligently applied my effort so that it might go forth into public as he himself wished it to go forth, as I accurately understood it: If everyone is not satisfied in all things, let them weigh the magnitude of the MATTER original: "REI" and let them do better than these things. It remains for me to advise you briefly about the purpose of the Work: It is admitted by everyone with what great care the human mind naturally desires to KNOW. How many volumes of books are unrolled for the sake of the sciences? How many troubles are endured? What expenses are paid out? How many nighttime studies, vigils, and labors are exhausted? The end of all of which is finally either vanity or poverty, and often even broken strength of body and madness of mind; to such an extent human reason shows a difficult path and approach to shadowy philosophy A dismissal of traditional academic or Aristotelian philosophy as a mere "shadow" of true wisdom.. But our Theosophy does otherwise in this WORK; for first, it does not consist of so many labors and expenses. Hear her speaking to you: She is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her: A paraphrased quote from the Wisdom of Solomon 6:12.