To the Reader.
thy veſſels; work diligently and conſtantly.
5. If it be poſſible, acquaint thy ſelf throughly with ſome true Philoſophers. Although they wil not directly diſcover themſelves that they
have this ſecret, yet by one circumſtance or another it may be concluded how neer they are to it. Would not any rational man that had been converſant with Bacon, and ſeeing him doe ſuch miraculous things, or with Sandivogius who did intimate the Art to ſome word by word, have concluded that they were not ignorant of it? There have been Philoſophers and perhaps ſtil are, that although they wil not diſcover how it is made, yet may Certifie you, to the ſaving of a great deal of coſt, pains, and time, how it is not made: and to be convinced of an errour is a great ſtep to the truth. If Ripley had been by any Tutor convinced of thoſe many errours before he had bought his knowledge at ſo deare a rate, he had long before, with leſſe charges attained to his bleſſed deſire.
And as a friendly Tutor in this, ſo in all ſpagyrical preparations whatſoever, is of all things mofſt neceſſary. A faithful wel experi-
