thou hast enough: but take this caution along with thee; that thou dost not seek for this point in the metalls of the vulgar, in which it is not. For these metalls, especially the gold of the vulgar, are dead, but ours are living, full of spirit, and these wholly must be taken: for know, that the life of metalls is fire whilst they are yet in their mines; and their death is the fire, _viz._ of melting. Now the first matter of metals is a certaine humidity mixed with warm aire, and it resembles fat water, sticking to every thing pure, or impure, but in one place more abundantly then in another, by reason the earth is more open, and porous in one place then in another, having also an attractive power. It comes forth into the light somtimes by it self, with some kind of covering, especially in such places where there was nothing that it could well stick to; it is known thus, because every thing is compounded of 3 principles: but in reference to the matter of metalls is but one, without any conjunction to any thing, excepting to its covering or shadow, _viz._ sulphur, &c. [Illustration: *decorative divider*] _THE FOURTH TREATISE._ _How Metals are generated in the bowells of the earth._ Metalls are brought forth in this manner. After the foure Elements have sent forth their vertues into the center of the earth, the Archeus by way of distillation sends them up unto the superficies of the earth, by vertue of the heat of its perpetuall motion: for the earth is porous, and this wind by distilling through the pores of the earth, is resolved into water, out of which all things are made. Therefore let the sons of wisdome know, that the sperm of metalls doth not differ from the sperm of all things, _viz._ the moist vapour: therefore in vain do Artists look after the reducing of metalls into their first matter, which is only a vapour. The Philosophers meant not such a first matter, but only the second matter, as _Bernardus Trevisanus_ learnedly discusseth it, though not so cleerly, because hee speaks of the foure Elements, but yet hee did say as much, but he spake only to the sons of Art. But _I_, that I might the more cleerly open the Theorie, would have all be admonished here to take heed how they give way to so many solutions, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and reiterations of the same; for in vain is that sought for in a hard thing, when as the thing is soft of it self, and every where to be had. Let not the first, but the second matter only be sought after, _viz._ that, which as soon as it is conceived, cannot be changed into another form. But if thou inquirest how a metall may bee reduced into such a matter, in that I keep close to the intention of the Philosophers: This thing only above all the rest I desire, that the sons of Art would understand the sense, and not the letter of writings, and where nature doth end, _viz._ in metallick bodies, which in our eyes seem to be perfect, there must Art begin.