FIRST as to the Book it self: The Author modestly calls it an Essay, tending to set forth a True and Natural Way to prepare and fix common Mercury into Silver and Gold, intermixed with a Discourse, Vindica­ting and Explaining that famous univer­sal Medicine of the Ancients, vulgarly called the Philosopher's Stone, built up­on four Natural Principles. This, say some, is a notable Title, did the Book make it out, but they cannot find it to be so; yet (without their good leave) notwithstanding their short sightedness, others can plainly read that he hath ful­ly made it out, beyond what any Man could reasonably expect; for he hath shewn that in order to fix common Mer­cury, the Artist must acuate, or impreg­nate it with a true Mineral Sulphur or Fire; and that the whole Preparation is [Page 4] made by four Metalline Principles; viz. Metalline Fire, Air, Earth and Water, and perfected by three Works, or Ope­rations. This, I dare affirm, is plainer than any Book yet extant hath set forth; but this is nothing, in comparison, of what follows; for further he shews us, 1 That the two first Principles must be purged, purified and joyned by a strong Fire; which being done, he says, is the first Operation, or Medicine of the first Order, called Radix Artis; and also directs us to a true Receipt for doing it, tells us it is commonly made to be sold, tho' not always for this purpose; and to put the matter out of doubt, has described its Character, Colour, Quali­ty and Quantity, so plain, as a Man that runs may read it, and reading may easily name it. And he hath back'd and proved this part of his Position, by the concurrent Testimony of several eminent Philosophers, both Ancient and Modern; and hath further been so ex­act as to direct us to the very Pages and Sentences, &c. If he hath com­mitted any Fault, in this Point, it is certainly none other, but that of being too open and sincere: For hereby he hath explained that for good Will, [Page 5] which some others would not have done for many Pounds. And except he had learn'd this from the Worthy and Generous Adeptist Aeyrenaeus, we had not yet (I think) known what Geber meant by his Medicine of the first Order, nor have understood that Sendivogius, Norton, Valentine, &c. were all of one Mind, though we had pored upon them many Years longer; for their Books have been a considerable time extant; And who amongst us hath from them so plainly shewn us this thing?

Next, he tells us, That the Water 2 will not joyn with this prepared Fire and Air, without the Principle of the Earth which is a Medium, and must be accommodated to both, and is of a Metalline Substance; and he has plain­ly described it, with the Quantity, Co­lour and Quality; and further directed the ingenuous where they may have full Satisfaction of this Principle of Earth. This cannot be possibly be found fault with, but through Ignorance or Envy; nay, on the contrary, it re­quires the greatest Commendation; for we may easily perceive that other Men, and those Learned, have not been able [Page 6] to find out the Doves of Diana, nor why so called; they seem to have been reserved only for his Discovery.

3 Next, as to the fourth Element or Principle of Water, It is plainly said and proved to be common Mercury, and to excel the rest in Quantity; which mixing with the other Principles or Elements, they joyn and purge each other to that degree, that the Mercury is made clean, sulphu [...]eous, and tending to fixation, and that then all is in Mer­cury which the wise Men seek, because this prepared Mercury may now be di­gested into Sol and Luna; upon which Sol or Luna, and the prepared Mercury depends the Grand Medicine, or Elixir of the Ancient Philosophers, and the whole Art of Transmutation of Metals. This, I say, he has not only written, but proved from sufficient Authorities, has referred us to those Books, which more fully shew the manner of Subli­mation and true Regimens of the Fire; and further he hath shewn the Reasons why so great a Medicine is only to be found in Metals, and what that Divine Form, Instrument, or Agent is, which animates the whole Work, and is the true Author of all Transmutation. And [Page 7] now what does there remain to be dis­covered? Or what can any reasonable or ingenuous Man desire more? Surely nothing but Time, Place and Oppor­tunity, with a due Qualification for so great an Undertaking. In which last thing, to advise us, the Author has been very Industrious, and that in a Religi­ous Manner; but not to swell or stuff his Book with Quotations, as some loosely, or rather foolishly imagine.

He hath said himself, that the World is more beholden to that famous Adep­tist Aeyrenaeus, than to all his Predeces­sors. This doubtless is true; for before him we read of none, that could ever attain the Knowledge of this high Art without a Master; and had he been si­lent, the Matter had yet remained un­der great Obscurity. Notwithstanding Hortolanus (as I may say) is an Ex­plainer both of Aeyrenaeus, Sendivogius, Norton, and others, who in their life time were the very Flower of Alchimy; but most of them writ only to shew themselves to their Fellows; and al­though Aeyrenaeus far excels the rest, yet he was not willing to reduce the Matter to a certain Number and Order, or to pursue his Discourse in a linear [Page 8] Method more than he has done in his Introitus Apertus, which the dull Rea­ders cannot yet understand.

But notwithstanding all this Care and Exactness; to open our Eyes, the blind World cannot yet see, Men still stumble at Straws in the very Noon Day. The Books of Aeyrenaeus, tho' worth their weight in Gold, are but little valued, Men would have a great Knowledge but little Pains, a high Art but small Labour.

Obj. 1. Says one to me I expect­ed the Book had shewn us readily how to fix common Quicksilver into Gold; but looking into it I saw no such thing. Whereupon, Sir, I asked him if he had seriously perused it as the mat­ter required? I only looked into it, re­plied he; and had it been so, I must needs have seen it.

By this I perceiv'd the Man was huge big in Conceit with a quick Appre­hension.

Ans. What, Sir, said I, do you think it such an easie matter, as to see that with a Glance, which hundreds have not been able to get Sight of in many [Page 9] Ages? Perhaps you expected some Re­ceipt of Baking, Boyling, or Frying it into a Malleableness; some Vinegar and Pepper to constringe it. Alas! Sir, 'tis no such thing; there is a great deal of Pains and Skill required to introduce a Metalline Sulphur into it, in order to its fixation; and if you cannot discover it in Hortolan, you will never be able to find it in Paracelsus, nor elsewhere that I know of, except in those elabo­rate Works of Aeyrenaeus: Nay, Sir, says he, if it be so he might have kept his Receipt to himself: Do you think Gentlemen will trouble themselves with Fire and Smoak to try his Whim? I think they have something else to do, says he; and away he flung.

Obj. 2. Another hearing this Discourse, comes flily up to me, and leering in my Face, thus accosted me; Sir, says he, I am apt to think there is something in it: But, pray, what was this Hor­tolanus Jun^r. a rich Man or a poor Man, a Clerk or a Layman, and how far did he go in this Art? For, says he, till this be known, 'tis dangerous to fall upon Practise; but by the Circumstan­ces of the man we may easily guess at [Page 10] the Truth of the matter. I answered him thus.

Ans. Nil habet infaelix paupertas durius in se quàm quòd ridiculos homines facit. He tells you plainly, Sir, quoth I, that for Satisfaction sake he tried the joyning of the four Elements, and the purging and distilling of his Mercury, according to the Principles laid down, and that they so far answered his Ex­pectation, tho he did it by Guess only, and not by Weight or Measure: But that being no Chymist, nor having ac­quaintance with any, he digested not his Mercury, by reason a convenient Atha­nor, or Furnace is altogether necessary. He further tells you, that he is allotted to serve others; and therefore, as I sup­pose, set about this thing immediately, that after having served the World, he might, perhaps, endeavour to serve himself. O generous, and unparallel'd Temper! And as for his being a Clerk, I think, his Work will sufficiently prove it.

There are also, Sir, said I, other Reasons very likely to induce him to this Publication before he made further tryal.

First, That he might set all men up­on the same bottom with himself, and thereby prevent impertinent Que­stions.

Secondly, That he might try the Temper of the Age, and possibly hear of the Accomplishment of this great Work from his Instructions, by some other Hand more at leisure to attend it than himself; for I cannot think he did Envy that any other should attain it be­fore him.

And lastly, This consideration might prevail, that if he should afterwards haply have the Opportunity, or rather Blessing to perfect this Work, he would be then, as it were, under a Philosophi­cal Necessity of Silence. Having said thus, Sir, my Gentleman modestly com­posing his Countenance, very gravely sat down.

Obj. 3. But contrary to all Expe­ctation, as if it had been on purpose to provoke Laughter and Ridicule, up starts a third man: Hold, Sir, says he, I have an invincible Objection against the Golden Age, and it is this. The Book (says he) for I have seen it, is composed all, or the greatest part of [Page 12] Quotations and Sentences from other mens Works; and therefore I do not approve of it.—

Ans. Ha, ha, ha, ha, Risum tenea­tis amici, a notable Objection I assure you; such another as was made against an eminent Lawyer for backing his Ar­gument with half a dozen topping Au­thorities home to the Point. After a little silence was made; Sir (said I) was this slur found out before, or after you ask'd the price of the Book? Af­terwards, Sir, says he, I'le assure you; for I thought to have had the Book for Sixpence. At this all the Company were provok'd to Laughter; but least I should seem to give Offence, in the mean time I took Pen and Ink, and drew the Character as underneath:

By this time the Noise being prety well over, I returned to my Gentleman a­gain, in this manner. Sir, said I, since reducing a long and difficult Incertainty to a plain and regular Certainty don't [Page 13] please you, since an orderly Collection of good substantial Authorities to open and confirm the most Mystical, yet highest piece of Philosophy that is in Nature don't please you, since to know the dark Sayings and passages of the Ancients, and that they were all to one and the same purpose, don't please you; Pray, Sir, What is it that will? Let me know your mind, I shall endeavour to please you, if possible?

Obj. 4. Sir, replies he, I am altogether for something that's Florid and Lofty, some new Strain that's Diverting, some­thing that may be peculiarly called a man's own, and the like; or else what is so plain, in this Art, that it may ad­mit of no further Objection.

Ans. With your leave, good Sir, said I, that can neither be reasonable nor commendable in this Art; for should a man, in a lofty Style, tell you that he has attained the Art, and per­fected the great Elixir, to say no more, you have but his bare Word for it; and it would be to you unprofitable, should he openly tell you his Principles, and the exact manner of preparing them, [Page 14] with the true degree of Fire, through every Regimen, and thereby save you abundance of Thought and Inquiry; he might perhaps have this Answer that you knew it before, and then his Ad­vice would retort upon him as unneces­sary and idle: (Not here to mention any thing of the heavy Anathemas laid on him for this very thing by many Philosophers, both Ancient and Mo­dern;) And for him to lay open the whole Secret, and thereby displease the Ingenuous and true Sons of Art, for the sake of the Dull and Conceited, would be altogether unpardonable. And lastly, for him to broach a new airy System of Philosophy contrary to Truth, and against natural Principles, Orders and Authorities, would, at best, be but a Romance, something like a new Hypothesis of the Earth, which departing from the True, Ancient, and Mosaical Text, would shew forth the old Spirit of Contradiction (to say no worse of it) Clothed with a new Mantle of Self-conceited Invention.

But in short, Sir, I am of Opinion that whatsoever of this nature may be offered contradicting those Principles laid down by Hortolanus, it will in the [Page 15] tryal prove fallacious; yet if any Man is desirous to shew forth his Metal, I think we have now a sure Touch-stone whereby to try his Allay.

Obj. 5. I know not, Sir, says ano­ther, who was but lately come in, what to make of your Discourse; you seem sometimes in earnest, and other times in jest; however I say this that The Golden Age is only a Collection, and considering the many Hundreds of prin­ted Books relating to the Philosopher's Stone, I cannot think it any difficult matter to pick out of them all so small a Volume as this.

Ans. That it is a Collection, Sir, (I replied) none denies; but that it has been so easily put together, non sequi­tur, on the contrary it was rather a most difficult Labour and Study, at­tended with a natural Disposition, or Genius to trace it out through such crooked Meanders and intricate Laby­rinths, in which the Ancients have so Mystically and Metaphorically placed it. It requires great Learning and Skill, especially in this Art, to distinguish every Sentence well, and to know to [Page 16] what Work it doth appertain; a Skill which few (as Aeyrenaeus testifies) by all their Reading could e'er attain, and yet of Theory this is the main. And, in truth, Sir, I do not find that any man can give us a tollerable satisfaction in the matter, other than by an ocular Demonstration, or else a true natural Prospect, back'd by sufficient Reason and Authority; the first is not to be expected, the latter is now sufficiently done to our Hands.

Obj. 6. Let it be so then (says he) yet I do not by this Book, in the least perceive the third Principle of Earth, the Doves of Diana. The two first, and last Elements, I must confess, seem to be Natural and Real; but the other, I presume, is only fictitious, and imagi­nary.

Ans. To this I replied; there have, Sir, been several who seemed desirous of knowing the Name of the Publisher of Hortolanus his Book; and tho' it was plainly written before their Eyes, yet they could not perceive it. No won­der then, Sir, that you do not present­ly find cut the Doves of Diana: Pray [Page 17] look upon that Character, that Omnia mea mecum Porto; Has it not the Com­plection of the four Philosophical Ele­ments in its Face?

Complection of Philosophical Ele­ments, say you? I can compare it to nothing fitter than a Mathematical En­gine, a battering Ram to beat down a Bulwark, or some such thing. If you can shew us no nearer resemblance, says he, I shall be wholly out of Conceit with this Figure casting too?

Hereupon, to please the Company, I took my Pen, and first I made a Figure of the Globe of the World; next I fix'd two Characters of the Planet Mars to the sides of my Globe; I made both their Circles to answer, in proportion, one half of the other, as near as I could guess, then I partly enclosed them with a Quadrangle divided in the half, or ra­ther two half Moons, which being joyn­ed might take up twice the compass of the other three; after this I surrounded the whole with a large common Circle, lightly flowing, as it were forwards and backwards, as the Figure seems to demonstrate; [Page 18]

Afterwards I writ on one side thereof, War begets Poverty, Poverty Peace, &c. as Men use to do in their Almanacks. Having finished it I shewed it to the next Gentleman to pause upon; he, Sir, no sooner look'd upon it, but desired I might presently be secured, for he a­vouched I was no other than a Con­jurer, and had learnt these Tricks from Fryer Bacon; and to confirm his Sug­gestion, said Hortolan had also cited his Name in the Book: And hereupon they told me, unless I would plainly shew them what the Doves of Diana were, and also where to be found, they would inform against me for practising the Black Art, &c.

Alas, Gentlemen said I! you may as well quarrel at the learned Gentleman who writ the Book, called, Mysterium Sigillorum Herbarum & Lapidum, price 5 s. or thereabouts, in which are de­scribed many stranger Characters than these: Nay Paracelsus himself has stuff­ed a large Volume almost full of them, and such like Cunning Devices, to teach Men far stranger things than the Philo­sopher's Stone; yet neither of these were accounted Conjurers or Witches, but on the contrary great and learned Men. Moreover (continued I) there is an old Book, newly Reprinted, will teach you to beget wise and witty Children, either Sons or Daughters, as to your Worships shall seem meet; and if your Honours like not the knack of making the Powder of Pimper le Pimp, you may be pleased to practise these other more commendable Operations.

Come, come, Sir (said they) this shall not serve your turn; What you think to shift us off with a Banter, do you? To the Question, Sir. The Doves of Diana quickly, if you desire to save your Hide from Tar, and your Eyes and Ears from Feathers; speak quickly.

Then perceiving the great Danger, that was at hand, I readily bethought my self of some Sentences in Hortolan; and presently, though confusedly, with a loud Voice, cryed out, Vultur supra montem existens magna voce clamat in­quiens Sol meus & radii mei sunt in me; Luna vero mihi propria est ac lumen meum omne lumen superat, seminate au­rum vestrum in terra alba fo— fo— fo— foliata. And there I stopt.

A prety Fellow, says one, he is also for his Quotations, but the Plagiary has not the Wit to cite them aright; be­sides, Sophister, What is this to the Doves of Diana? Is Earth and Birds of a like Nature, ha? Pray, Sir, hold (says another) do not interrupt the Gentleman, he is not so much besides the Mark as you imagine; the Doves of Diana are said to be the third Principle, and the third Principle is said to be Phi­losophical Earth, and Philosophical Earth is said to be Terra alba foliata; and this perhaps may be no hard matter to come by▪ pray, Gentlemen, be civil, let the Man alone.

I know not well (replied another) what to say; I think the matter is all a Jest. I wish we could perswade the [Page 21] Man to sing us one of his Philosophical Songs, by way of further Divertise­ment; for, I think, he has given us his Dance and a half already. Agreed, cryed the rest, What say you to't, Spark? Are you prepared with one in your Budget? I have heard, says he, that the Dangerous Voyage for the Golden Fleece, the Encountering the Dragon that kept the Golden Apples in the Gardens of the Hesperides, the Sowing of the Serpent's Teeth by Cadmus, and the Fable of Hermaphroditus flying from the wanton Nymph, with that of St. George and the Dragon, are all Phi­losophical, yea and Hermetical too; What say you to it, Sir? Can you oblige us?

Gentlemen, said I, since you are so merrily Disposed, I will, for your Ci­vilities sake, endeavour to sing or say something to that purpose: For as con­cerning these Doves of Diana, I must ingenuously confess, Mr. Aeyrenaeus has coop'd them up in his Ripley Revi­ved, &c. And Hortolan was not wil­ling to put them on the Wing, but only pointed at them; so that there is no o­ther way lest, but to buy Aeyrenaeus his Works; its true they will cost you a [Page 22] George or two; but after you have bought them, I know not, but you may come to wear a Garter.

Now for my Song (said I) but first let me sound my Trumpet of Glass. Tarra tantarra— tarra tantarra— tar­ra tantarra—, murmur; two Dances and one Song, or two Songs and one Dance for a Halfpeny, any thing for an honest livelyhood: Hold, Sirs, next by way of preamble, give me leave to tell you, that once upon a time Diana in­vited the Seven Planets to a Hunting Match of Wild Beasts, and Fiery Dra­gons. The Song begins thus.

The next part, Gentlemen (said I) goes in another Tune; therefore I must change my Note to what follows.

Gentlemen, said I,

If you will have the Second Part to the same Tune, I must beg your Pa­tience 'till a more convenient Season, for now the time will not permit. Agreed, say they, for we begin to like your Sport and Pastime; so each Man gave me a Halfpeny. I scrap'd my Leg, set my Trumpet to my Mouth, gave them a Dance and a half, and a­way I trip'd. 'Slife, says one, this is [...]he Fellow that cryes Singing-glasses, and Cock-spurs about the Town; I know him by his Trumpet, and Treble [Page 30] Cap of Maintenance; an arch Knave, I warrant him. Having gotten a di­stance from them▪ I turn'd about, and lifting up my Voice, made this Procla­mation: Gentlemen, said I, when I come again, I expect you to have longer Ears and a shorter Tongue; however I in­tend to bring Mr. Mastix along with me, together with a Mallet and Punch; you may well know what I mean, un­less you be Numbskuls; but I hope you'll give us no occasion to make use of them. So at present farewel.