TO THE SONS of TRVTH:

 A Preface

To the Philosophicall ?NIGMA,

Or RIDLE.

Sons of Wisdome,

I

 have now opened to you all things from the very first rising of the universall fountaine, that there is no more left to be discovered. For in the foregoing Treatises¹ I have sufficiently² explained Nature by way of example: I have shewed the Theorie and Praxis, as plainely as it was lawfull. But lest any should complain of my briefnesse, that by reason of it I have omitted something, I will yet further describe to thee the whole Art by way of Ridle, or ?nigmaticall speech; that thou maist see how farre through Gods guidance I am come. The bookes that treat of this Art are infinite; yet thou shalt not find in any of them the truth so much, as it is in this of mine, made known, or discovered unto thee. The[Pg 48] reason that encouraged mee to make it so plain, was this, viz. Because, when I had discoursed³ with many men, that thought they understood the writings of Philosophers very well; I perceived that they did explaine those writings far more subtilly then Nature, which is simple and plain, did require: yea all my true sayings did seem to them being profoundly wise, or savouring of high things, to bee of no value and incredible. It hapned sometimes that I would intimate the Art to some from word to word, but they could by no meanes understand mee, not beleeving there was any water in our Sea, and yet they would be accounted Philosophers. Since therefore they could not understand my words, which I delivered by word of mouth, I doe not fear (as other Philosophers were afraid) that any one can so easily understand what I have wrote; It is the gift, I say, of God. It is true indeed, if in the study of Alchymie there were required subtilnesse, and quicknesse of wit, and things were of that Nature as to be perceived by the eyes of the vulgar, I saw that their fancies, or wits were apt enough to find out such things: but I say to you, bee simple, or plaine, and not too wise untill you have found out the secret, which when you have, it will of necessity require wisdome enough to use, and keep it; then it will be easy for you to write many books; because it is easier for him, that is in the Center, and sees the thing, then for him that walks in the Circumference⁴, and only heares of it. You have the second matter of all things most cleerly described unto you: but let mee give you this Caution, that if you would attaine to this secret, know that first of all God is to bee prayed to, then[Pg 49] your neighbour is to bee loved: and lastly, doe not fancy to your selves things that are subtill, which Nature knew nothing of; but abide⁵, I say, abide in the plain way of Nature; because you may sooner feel the thing in plainnesse, or simplicity⁶, then see it in subtilty. In reading therefore my writings doe not stick in the letter of them, but in reading of them consider Nature, and the possibility thereof. Now before you set your selves to work, consider diligently⁷ what it is you seek, and what the scope, and end of your intention is: for it is much better to learn by the brain, and imagination, then with labour, and charges. And this I say to you, that you must seek for some hidden thing, out of which is made (after a wonderfull manner) such a moisture, or humidity, which doth dissolve Gold without violence, or noise, yea so sweetly, and naturally, as ice doth melt in warme water: if you find out this, you have that thing, out of which Gold is produced by Nature: and although all Metalls, and all things have their originall from hence, yet nothing is so friendly to it as Gold; for to other things there sticks fast some impurity⁸, but to Gold none, besides it is like a Mother unto it. And so finally I conclude; if you will not be wise, and wary⁹ by these my writings, and admonitions, yet excuse mee who desire to deserve well of you: I have dealt as faithfully as it was lawfull for mee, and as becomes a man of a good conscience to doe. If you ask who I am, I am one that can live any where: if you know mee, and desire to shew your selves good and honest men, you shall hold your tongue: if you know mee not, doe not enquire¹⁰ after mee, for I will reveale to no[Pg 50] mortall man, whilest I live, more then I have done in this publick writing. Beleeve mee, if I were not a man of that ranke and condition as I am, nothing would be more pleasant to mee then a solitary¹¹ life, or with Diogenes to lie hid under a tub: for I see all things that are to be but vanity, and that deceit, and covetousnesse are altogether in use, where all things are to be sold, and that vice¹² doth excell vertue. I see the better things of the life to come before mine eys. I rejoice in these. Now I doe not wonder, as before I did, why Philosophers, when they have attained¹³ to this Medicine, have not cared to have their dayes shortned; because every Philosopher hath the life to come set so cleerly before his eyes, as thy face is seen in a glasse. And if God shall graunt thee thy desired end, then thou shalt beleeve mee, and not reveal thy self to the world.

1 treatises   

n.专题著作，专题论文，专著( treatise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many treatises in different languages have been published on pigeons. 关于鸽类的著作，用各种文字写的很多。 来自辞典例句
• Many other treatises incorporated the new rigor. 许多其它的专题论文体现了新的严密性。 来自辞典例句

2 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

3 discoursed   

演说（discourse的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He discoursed on an interesting topic. 他就一个有趣的题目发表了演讲。
• The scholar discoursed at great length on the poetic style of John Keats. 那位学者详细讲述了约翰·济慈的诗歌风格。

4 circumference   

n.圆周，周长，圆周线

参考例句：

• It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。
• The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

5 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

6 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

7 diligently   

ad.industriously;carefully

参考例句：

• He applied himself diligently to learning French. 他孜孜不倦地学法语。
• He had studied diligently at college. 他在大学里勤奋学习。

8 impurity   

n.不洁，不纯，杂质

参考例句：

• The oxygen reacts vigorously with the impurity in the iron.氧气与铁中的杂质发生剧烈的化学反应。
• The more general impurity acid corrosion faster.一般来说杂质越多酸蚀速度越快。

9 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

10 enquire   

v.打听，询问；调查，查问

参考例句：

• She wrote to enquire the cause of the delay.她只得写信去询问拖延的理由。
• We will enquire into the matter.我们将调查这事。

11 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

12 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

13 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。