Finally, to mention somewhat by way of addition, ’tis necessary that I say onely thus much, that happily in some short time, the business will so come about that many Men will not for the time to come take on them such a deal of care about the laborious, costly, and uncertain ordering of Mine-pits, but will rather lay hold on and manage (and that with greater profit) such as can be had and gotten better on the outside of the Earth. But especialy there will not be a few who will set about these Cementations of mine for gains sake, for they have many times many lying idle by them, and which yields them no profit, which by this assisting way they will augment, and without doubt it will be effected too by many.
Verily I cannot at all see (as far as I know) whether there can be found any honester and certainer way of sustaining Life in the whole World, than this true melioration of Metals, which brings with it so great a benefit. For even Merchandise it self though it be so very gainfull, yet doth it stick amidst Sins, as firmly as a Nail does in a Wall.
The Services of Lords and great Men are laborious and full of servitude, which many have experienced. And as for War, that snatcheth away abundance of Men by an immature death.
Far better therefore is it to live quietly with one’s Family in some poor Cottage, and to feed on a piece of Bread, than to hunt after uncertain Riches by most great dangers. Therefore I doubt not but there will be many found for time to come, who being holpen by my Writings, will more commodiously sustain themselves together with their Wives and Children, than hath been hitherto done. Nor do I at all doubt, but that many will take it very untowardly, that I have so manifestly and so perspicuously revealed all things. For this is often done and daily is it, that I am upon that account reprehended by others, as the following Letter may witness, the like of which I could have here added more had I so listed.
There is no Body can satisfie all. Even Jupiter is not the same (or alike acceptable) to all: One is troubled with hear, another is burdened with cold. What things soever I have written, they are clear and evident to such as are skilfull in the Art, and have understanding in the business, and therefore they had rather I had written more darkly. But the unskilfull and ignorant do judge that I have plaid the Sophister in Writing, because they hit not the mark.
But all their judgments and Censures mought be tolerated whatever they be that they pass upon my Writings, did they not by reason of their ignorance, contemn the good things themselves, and say of such things as are most true, that they are Fallacies and Lies: but this needs not seem strange to any, forasmuch as such wicked contemnings proceed from those that by reason of ignorance and blockishness do no better understand the business. But this is plainly diabolical, to be highly benefited by any one, and to be made partaker of such great secrets, and yet afterwards impudently to deny the same and say, that they never had any good thing conferred upon them. The detestable malice and impiety of these Men hath enforced me to manifest in this Appendix, so many excellent secrets, which I would at no time have laid open, had I not been so treacherously deceived by those perfidious Men.
This is the Letter written unto me, of which I made some mention even now.
“Thou hast written too clearly, and again too manifestly; beware lest God stir not up against thee another new Farnerian Devil, to punish thy easiness [or forwardness] of publishing such Mysteries. For they are not to be profaned by the ungodly, let not the present corruption of Men deceive thee, and that blindness [of theirs] which for the most part ariseth therefrom; for all wicked Men are not blind, I know many Farners that are defiled with all kinds of Evil, and yet are not all of them so blinded as thy Farner is. Nay, their Wit is so penetrative and so clear-sighted, that should they but read the divine Books that thou hast published there would not be a secret in all nature, but they would know it; nay more, they would in a short time perfect that Philosophick Work. Which should it so come to pass, (the more’s the grief) what a many Slaughters, what Whoredoms, how many ruinings! And what evils of all sorts would break in upon mankind; of the which, thou thy self (though innocent) would’st be the cause. I know that the detestable Calumnies of the impious Farner enforced thee to publish them, for he every where reported and to all, that thou wert ignorant of them. But my most dear Sir, what is your knowledge as a thing of nothing, unless another likewise knows that you know it? God knows that thou knowest, for he gave thee thy knowledge. Thine own conscience also knows it. What? Cannot these two most plenarily bless or make a Wise Man happy? The pleasure that depends on the Opinion of Men is unhappy. In vain do we seek after true Felicity without us, if so be its solid principle or foundation should be within us. What matters it, if Men think thee to be less learned than thou art, as long as the very light it self of nature shines unto thee? I would to God that I could once accomplish that, which, by thy divine Books it is most certainly manifest unto me, thou hast perfected, and let all Men believe me to be a most stupid Fellow; I wish not thus, as if I did at all doubt of the truth of any Work. For though I should have perfected the whole work an hundred times, I could scarce be more certain of the truth thereof [than now.] He that knows the way of concentrating Fire, and of uniting the terrestrial Sun to this concentrated Fire, and the Arcana’s of Fermentations doubts not, nor seeks after any thing more. I may boldly say, that seeing nature doth perform whatever she has a mind unto, by these three, it must necessarily be, that it should do some most eminent thing. But if I could but once have finished the Work it self amidst those thousand of businesses that have hitherto withheld me, and kept me off from the Operation, I should have been long ago able to wind my self out of the intricacies of this present Age, and wholly devoted my self unto God, and to the most holy Philosophy. I beseech thee therefore my [dear] Master, and entreat thee by God and by the most laudable charity thou owest thy Neighbours, to write more obscurely for the time to come, nay, and if it may be, to wrap over the Books thou hast already published with some new cloudings, lest that celestial treasure fall into the hands of the unworthy, and so become hurtfull to pious Men. Pardon Sir the liberty of my complaint, for there is no other cause thereof save piety to God, and a Zeal to the most Learned, most upright Man, and one that too well deserves from ungratefull mankind. And albeit thou knowest not me, yet canst thou not be unknown to the Curious, seeing thou hast Written such wonderfull things. Nor can there be any one that shall but once have read over thy Books, but he will be highly obliged unto thee, if he has but any light of Justice [or Righteousness] remaining in him, &c.”
Many such like Letters as these, have been ofttimes sent me from learned and skilfull Men, tending to this end, to warn me not to publish such excellent secrets for the time to come. Yet nevertheless, amongst those that are rendred partaker of such, there are some who (although the Operation it self has been sometimes manually showed them very perspicuously and clearly,) are notwithstanding so sottish and ignorant, as that they cannot imitate the aforeshown Operation. But some there are also that are come to such an heighth of Treachery, as that (being either seduced by their own false malice, or drawn away with the desire of profit,) they deny even the truth, certainty and stability of that very thing themselves have manually experienced, and dare to say it is false, this verily is an astonishing and detestably malicious wickedness, and justly and deservedly gives every one an occasion to shun such devilish Men more than a Dog or Snake.
I Glauber may justly and deservedly be compared with a burning Candle, by serving others, am I consumed; have not I by the publishing such very excellent Writings kindled a clear and new light to the whole World, and added and consumed mine own peculiar Oil, and that in vain too, as reaping no recompence proceeding from a gratefull mind?