yet lives in water. _Alch._ Now I see that I know nothing, but I dare not say so, for then I should lose my reputation, and my neighbors will lay out no more money upon mee, if they should know that I know nothing: yet I will say that I doe certainly know, or else no body will give mee so much as bread: for many of them hope for much good from mee. _Natur._ Although thou shouldst put them off a great while, yet what will become of thee at last? and especially if thy neighbours should demand their charges of thee again? _Alch._ I will feed all of them with hope, as much as possibly I can. _Natur._ And then what wilt thou doe at last? _Alch._ I will try many ways privately: if either of them succeed, I will pay them; if not, I will goe into some other far Country, and doe the like there. _Natur._ And what will become of thee afterward? _Alch._ Ha, ha, ha, there bee many countryes, also many covetous men, to whom I will promise great store of Gold, and that in a short time, and so the time shall passe away, till at last either I, or they must die Kings, or Asses. _Natur._ Such Philosophers deserve the halter: fie upon thee, make hast and be hanged, and put an end to thy self, and thy Philosophy; for by this meanes thou shalt neither deceive mee, thy neighbour, or thy self. [Illustration: *decorative divider*] A TREATISE OF SVLPHVR: _The Preface._ COURTEOUS READER, Seeing I might not write more cleerly, then other ancient Philosophers have wrote; haply thou mayst not bee satisfied with my writings: especially since thou hast so many other bookes of Philosophers already in thy hands: but beleeve me, neither have I any need to write books, because I seek neither profit, nor vain glory by them; therefore I doe not publish who I am. Those things which I have now publisht for thy profit, and advantage, seem to mee to be more then enough; I purpose that other things, which remain, shall bee referred to the book of Harmony, where I have largely treated of naturall things: yet by the perswasion of some friends I must needs also write this Treatise of Sulphur; in which whether it be needfull to adde any thing to what is written before, I know not. Yea, neither shall this satisfie thee, if the writings of so many Philosophers cannot satisfie thee: And especially, if the daily operation of Nature bee not a sufficient example, no other examples shall doe thee good. For if thou wouldst consider with a mature judgement, how Nature works, thou wouldst not have need of so many volumes of Philosophers: because in my judgement it is better to learn of Nature the Mistris, then of her scholars. Thou hast enough in the Preface of the book of the Twelve Treatises, as also in the First Treatise it self, because in this Art there be so many, and so great books to bee found, that they rather hinder, then help those that are studious of this Art: and so indeed it seems to be, because the Writings of Philosophers are out of that little