me; wherefore it falls out contrary to your expectation. You think that you deal with my sons rationally, but you perfect nothing; and if you will consider rightly, you do not handle them, but they handle you: for you can make nothing of them, neither know you how to do it, but they of you when they please, make fooles. _Alch._ It is not true: I also am a Philosopher, and know well how to worke, I have been with more then one Prince, and was esteemed a Philosopher amongst them, my wife also knows the same, and now also I have a manuscript, which was hid some hundreds of years in an old wall, now I certainly know I shall make the Philosophers Stone, as also within these few dayes it was revealed to mee in a dreame. O I am wont to have true dreams; Wife thou knowest it! _Natur._ Thou shalt doe as the rest of thy fellowes have done, who in the beginning know all things, and thinke they are very knowing, but in conclusion know nothing. _Alch._ Yet others have made it of thee (if thou art the true Nature.) _Nat._ It is true, but only they that knew me, and they are very few. But hee which knowes mee doth not torment my Sons; nor disturbe mee, but doth to mee what hee pleaseth, and increaseth my goods, and heals the bodies of my sons. _Alch._ Even so do I. _Natur._ Thou dost all things contrary to mee, and dost proceed with my Sonnes contrary to my will: when thou shouldst revive, thou killest; when fix, thou sublimest; when calcine, thou distillest; especially my most observant Sonne Mercury, whom thou tormentest with so many corrosive waters, and so many poisonous things. _Alch._ Then I will proceed with him sweetly by digestion only. _Natur._ It is well if thou knowest how to doe it, but if not, thou shalt not hurt him, but thy selfe, and expose thy selfe to charges, for it is all one with him, as with a gem, which is mixed with dung, that is alwaies good, and the dung doth not diminish it, although it be cast upon it, for when it is washed, it is the same gemme as it was before. _Alch._ But I would willingly know how to make the Philosophers Stone. _Natur._ Therefore doe not handle my Son in that fashion: for know, that I have many Sonnes, and many Daughters, and I am ready at hand to them that seek mee, if they bee worthy of mee. _Alch._ Tell me therefore who that Mercury is? _Nat._ Know that I have but one such Sonne, and hee is one of seven, and hee is the first; and hee is all things, who was but one; hee is nothing, and his number is entire; in him are the foure Elements, and yet himselfe is no Element; he is a spirit, and yet hath a body; he is a man, and yet acts the part of a woman; hee is a child, and yet bears the armes of a man; hee is a beast, and yet hath the wings of a bird; hee is poison, yet cureth the leprosie; he is life, yet kills all things; hee is a King, yet another possesseth his Kingdome; hee flyeth from the fire, yet fire is made of him; hee is water, yet wets not; hee is earth, yet hee is sowed; hee is aire,