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Encomia and Letters of Most Illustrious Men on the Philosophical Scrutiny of the True Elixir of Life.

The Philosophical Scrutiny of the True Elixir of Life, extracted everywhere by the Most Excellent Lord Author from the solid foundations of the ancient masters of the Great Work and most learnedly arranged, most shrewdly teaches those ignorant of the theater of nature—and distinguishes false alchemists from the true Fathers of the secret Elixir, like Bacchus from the thigh of Jove, amidst the stench of this age. Therefore, I judge this little work of deeper learning, by which initiated hearts may imitate the genuine reading and order of legitimate writers while avoiding the Charybdis a mythological whirlpool, representing a deadly trap of corrupt books on all sides, to be most worthy of the press.

Salzburg, January 15, 1687.

JOAN. THEOBALD MURER,
of Yfstein, Doctor of Philosophy and Medicine, physician and intimate counselor to the Eminent Cardinal Archbishop of Salzburg.