The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
Know then friend _Puccio_, the Philosophers do hold, that such as covet
to become rich indeed, must understand how to make the Stone: as I will
tell thee how, but marke the manner very heedfully. I do not say, that
after the Stone is obtained, thou shalt be even as rich as now thou
art; but thou shalt plainly perceive, that the very grosest substance,
which hitherto thou hast seene, all of them shal be made pure golde,
and such as afterward thou makest, shall be more certaine, then to
go or come with _Aqua fortis_, as now they do. Most expedient is it
therefore, that when a man will go diligently about this businesse,
and purposeth to prosecute such a singular labour, which will and
must continue for the space of 40 nights, he must give very carefull
attendance, wholly abstaining from sleepe, slumbering, or so much as
nodding all that while.
Moreover, in some apt and convenient place of thy house, there must
be a forge or furnace erected, framed in decent and formall fashion,
and neere it a large table placed, ordered in such sort, as standing
upright on thy feete, and leaning the reines of thy backe against it;
thou must stande stedfastly in that manner every night, without the
least motion or stirring, untill the breake of day appeareth, and
thine eyes still uppon the Furnace fixed, to keepe ever in memory, the
true order which I have prescribed. So soone as the morning is seene,
thou mayst (if thou wilt) walke, or rest a little upon thy bed, and
afterward go about thy businesse, if thou have any. Then go to dinner,
attending readily till the evenings approch, preparing such things
as I will readily set thee downe in writing, without which there is
not any thing to bee done; and then returne to the same taske againe,
not varying a jot from the course directed. Before the time be fully
expired, thou shalt perceive many apparant signes, that the stone is
still in absolute forwardnesse, but it will bee utterly lost if thou
fayle in the least of all the observances. And when the experience hath
crowned thy labour, thou art sure to have the Philosophers stone, and
thereby shalt be able to enrich all, and worke wonders beside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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