The Fire-Stone of Basil, or the Golden Apple

Benevolo Lectori Salutem plurimam.

To the Benevolent Reader, warmest greetings.

The lover of our Chrysomele golden apple is here informed in the briefest manner of the contents of this little booklet, so that he may read it entirely with greater eagerness and diligence, and not regard what is read with little value because of the great secret contained therein without consideration and reflection upon the possibility of nature. If, however, he should judge the same prematurely, I would prefer that he omit it entirely rather than attack this little work in an ignominious and undeserved manner (as is the custom of some know-it-alls) with thoughtless and impious judgment.

1. That the metalla metals and mineralia minora lesser minerals, especially common gold, when they are treated and prepared with spagyricâ arte spagyric art and truly chemically, and liberated from their vinculo bond and strong band of unionis & compactionis union and compaction, and brought into a state of summam penetrabilitatem supreme penetrability, bring great benefit to humans sympaticè & magneticè sympathetically and magnetically.
2. That those who reject the medicinal use of properly chemically prepared metallic medicines indicate that they do not understand that even precious stones, pearls, and corals, jet, and everything dug from the earth, contrary to daily experience, are of no use for medicine.
3. Although minerals do not have such a living power as animals and vegetables, one should not therefore conclude that they are entirely devoid of spirit and power, which is proven with examples.
4. That all minerals and metals, as long as they are not brought into the proper medicinal form through a method appropriate to nature, create little benefit in human bodies.
5. Although magnificent and highly useful medicines can be prepared from common and perfect gold by chemical art, the universal is never to be hoped for from it, and why?
6. The universal effect of our medicine must be labored from a universal materia matter that is not specified, and is neither a vegetable, nor an animal, nor a mineral or metallic body, but rather from one such [thing] from which metals and minerals grow.
7. Whether it is possible that a single medicine can cure all diseases? It is sufficiently proven affirmatively ex utraque schola from both schools.
8. Why one should diligently search for a universal is discussed simply, and the most necessary reasons are found why this should rightly not be omitted.
9. Since this medicine is so highly necessary, where to seek the subject is shown as if with a finger, sufficiently enough.
10. How the found subject is to be treated so that the true potable gold can be prepared and readied.
11. Finally, its use and effect are recounted.

A decorative floral woodcut ornament featuring symmetrical stylized foliage.