Alchemiae Gebri Arabis philosophi solertissimi, libri, cum reliquis, ut versa pagella indicabit

enigmas, in the philosophical manner, but they cover the matter of the stone so that no one attains what they mean unless by the gift of God. In this class, GEBER holds the first place, whom some more recent writers follow at a long interval, such as Roger Bacon, whom our Pico della Mirandola also mentions, and many others. Some wrap the art, methodically informed, entirely in enigmas, as the poets did in the fables of Cadmus, the Hesperides, and the Argonauts, and some more recent author did in the dialogue concerning the golden booklet. Some, omitting the method, shadow forth the principal things only by figures and enigmas, so that they wish to be understood only by those who have progressed so far in philosophy that they almost conjecture this art by themselves: of this kind is Hermes, Maria the Prophetess, Morienus, and the Turba Philosophorum. The fourth class writes only the practice original: "πράξιν", but so simply and rustically that it appears there is nothing abstruse in it at all. Truly, in that class, there is absolutely nothing sound original: "οὐδέν ὑγιές" (as is said in the proverb), but all things are erroneous, false, and mendacious. Students should begin chiefly from GEBER. He wrote four little works, bearing witness to one another, namely, of Investigation, of Invention, of Furnaces, and the Sum of the Perfect Mastery. Some have corrupted this in various ways, dividing it into either three, or five, or seven books, when there are only two. We, having compared the copies, have shared with our friends the most corrected and most diligently distinguished version possible; we would have added the book of roots attributed to him by many, but we have most clearly discovered it to be by another. It remains that we also warn the reader concerning the name of the art, which I am surprised is called Alcumistica by Erasmus with a barbaric and prodigious name. It is said, however, by its true name by the Greeks XHMEIA, that is, Fusoria original: "casting/smelting", because metals, and those things allied to them, namely salts, alums, and vitriols, which flow in the fire, and are treated chiefly in this art. They are called original: "ἀπὸ τοῦ χέω, χῶ χεύματα", that is, fusible (just as original: "ἀπὸ τοῦ σχέω, σχῶ, σχήματα"). The Arabs, however, having borrowed this name from the Greeks, placed an article before it in their own manner and said Alchemy. Just as they also called the composition of Ptolemy, the Megisten, Almagest original: "Almegistum". This art, however, has, like all the rest, certain peculiar words and terms of its own, not sufficiently known to the common people, partly because they are barbaric and exotic, such as Aludel, Alembic, Bearded Pot original: "Botus barbatus", Salt Alkali, Elixir, and the like. Partly because they are used original: "καταχρηστικῶς" or abusively, such as To Imbibe, for to irrigate: To Fix and Fixate, for to cause that the matter is not corrupted or evaporated in the fire: To Descend, for to melt and liquate, and many others of this kind, which will become known only by diligent reading of the authors. Having prefaced these things, I will no longer delay the benevolent and studious reader, already panting (if I am not mistaken) with a yearning soul for the inner chambers of this admirable art.