But that I may not direct all things I say to the new beginner only, wee shall say something to you also who now have passed over these painfull labours. Have you seen that Countrey, where a man marryed a wife, whose nuptialls were celebrated in the house of Nature? Have you understood how the vulgar with you have seen this Sulphur? If therefore you will that old women should practise your Philosophy, shew the dealbation of your Sulphurs; say unto the vulgar, Come and see, for now the water is divided, and Sulphur is come out; hee will return white, and congeale the Waters. Burn therefore Sulphur from incombustible Sulphur, then wash it, make it white, and red, untill Sulphur become Mercury, and Mercury bee made Sulphur, which afterwards you shall beautifie with the soule of Gold: For if you doe not sublime Sulphur, from Sulphur, and Mercury from Mercury, you have not yet found out the Water, which out of Sulphur, and Mercury is created by way of distillation; hee doth not ascend, that doth not descend. Whatsoever in this Art is remarkable, by many is lost in the preparation, for our Mercury is quickened with Sulphur, else it would bee of no use. A Prince without a people is unhappy; so is an Alchymist without Sulphur, and Mercury. If thou hast understood mee, I have said enough. [Illustration: *decorative divider*] THE CONCLVSION. Every searcher of this Art must in the first place with a mature judgement examine the creation, operation, and vertues of the four Elements together with their actings: for if hee be ignorant of the originall, and Nature of these, hee shall not come to the knowledge of the Principles, neither shall hee know the true matter of the Stone, much lesse attain to any good conclusion; because every end is terminated upon its beginning. Hee that well knowes what hee begins, shall well know what shall bee the end. For the originall of the Elements is the Chaos, out of which God the Maker of all things created, and separated the Elements, which belongs to God alone: but out of the Elements Nature produceth the Principles of things, and this is Natures worke, through the will of God alone: Out of the Principles Nature afterwards produceth Mineralls, and all things: out of which the Artist also by imitating Nature can doe many wonderfull things. Because Nature out of these Principles, which are Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, doth produce Mineralls, and Metalls, and all kinds of things; and it doth not simply produce Metalls out of the Elements, but by Principles, which are the medium betwixt the Elements, and Metalls: Therefore if Nature doth not make those things, much lesse shall Art. And not only in this example, but also in every naturall processe a middle disposition is to bee observed. Wherefore here in this Treatise wee have sufficiently described the Elements, their actings, and operations, as also the originall of the Principles (because hitherto no Philosopher hath discovered things more cleerly) that the well