Helvetius the Physician
O Sir! The presence of such a new Guest shall never be troublesome to me, but rather I receive you as one of my best Friends. For Philosophick Discourse, touching the Secrets cf Nature, is the only recreation of my Mind, also it is such convenient Salutiferous Nutriment, as no man can be worthy to taste of, before he shall be rightly disposed for that Banquet. Enter, I pray, Friend, into the House.
Artist
Indeed Sir! Here, as it seems to to me, you have a compleat Vulcanian Shop, and perhaps all these things Spagyrically and exactly drawn from, the Mineral Kingdom; but I pray, to what end so many Medicaments? I believe, that God in the things of Nature, naturally gives such Medicines, with a very few of which, we may much sooner, and more safely re-integrate the decayed, and languishing Health of Man, unless the Disease be Mortal, from a deficiency of Nature, or from the putrefaction of some noble internal part hurt, or by reason of a total absumption of the radical humidity in which desperate Cases, no Galenick Cure, or Paracelsick Tincture can yeild releif. But in ordinary Diseases it is not so; and yet here, very many Men, before the fatal term of Life be expired (abfit Nemesis dicto) are enforced to pass out of this fair Kingdom of pleasing Light, into the Shadowed Land of the Dead, whilst, either they neglect the health of their own Body, or commit the same to the Faith of Physicians, unskilful of the Remedy they have in their hand.
Physician.
As far as I can gather from your discourse, if my Judgement deceive me not, you are either a Physician, or a man expert in Chimistry. Certainly, according as you say, so I believe, that in the things of Nature are given other more excellent Medicaments, as also very many other Philosophers affirm, that there is a certain (although to few known) Universal Medicament, by the benefit which, we may prolong Life unto the appointed End, cure all Diseases otherwise uncurable, and many other such things. But, where is any among all the Wisest men of this world, that can shew us the way, how to find out so noble a Fountain, whence such a wonderful Medicamentous juice, nobilitating the Physician, is drawn? Perhaps no one man.
Artist.
Indeed, I am not a Physician, but only a Melter of Orichalcum, and almost from my Child-hood, have exercised my Ingeny in Pyrotechny, and so have sought out the internal Nature of Metals And although I now cease from my usual diligence in elaborating some accurate work, by the Art of Vulcan, yet my mind still takes delight in labours of that kind, and in the lovers of this most curious Spagyrick Art; and I do verily. believe and judge, that the most Wise God, will in this our age communicate gratis, or for nothing, the Metallick Mysteries of Nature to his Spagyrick Sons, Praying, and Physico-chimically Labouring.
Physician.
My Friend, I must needs grant this, that God, for nothing, communicates to his Sons, this laudable Good, as well as all other gifts; yet you shall very rarely hear, that he for nothing gives or vends this Medicamentous Wine or Nectar to his Sons. For we certainly know, how great a number of Chymists lived in former ages who, (according to the Proverb ) strove to draw water in a Sieve, whilest they presumed to prepare this Universal Stone of Philosophers. Besides, out of the books of them, who triumph in the glory of Adept, no one man can learn the way of preparing, nor know their First Matter, so as any one, searching to the lowest roots of Mountains, can never ascend to those their Heights, where Ambrosia, and Nectar of Macrosophists, is drank.