QUNTESSENCE.PDF

1982

THEODORUS MUNDANUS

His answer to W. Dickinson concerning:

Quintessence of the Philosophers

Although very many letters relating both to business

and Civillity, as is most agreeable to a man of my

character, and continually written by me, arid no Time

does more please and truly delight me, than that which

is spent in philosophical reading, and contemplation;

yet sometimes I am constrained to give Answers to

philosophical letters very unlike the mariner of

philosophers; because for some reasons (which they

cannot but conjecture) I would not appear in the dress

of a philosopher; but rather to write in such a form,

which may deserve the name of imprudence or ignorance:

However my very learned friend, so greatly was I

delighted, and as it were ravished, with your most

ingenious, elegant, and excellent philosophic letters,

dated the last of July 1683, that had not your most

courteous and friendly deportment, Chymical Industry,

candour of behaviour, and all kind of Learning extorted

from me a promise, I could not but at this time give an

Answer to them and your demands with so much clearness

as may agree with former obligations, and the Rules of

Secret Philosophy.

And I ingeniously profess, so far as those Rules will

beare an Amplification, without a rupture, I shall for

your sake, dilate arid extend them.

About 20 years ago in my travels through all England,

where in my passage and short stay at that harmonious

and splendid University of Oxford, I had the favour and

happiness to come to your acquaintance and be an eye

witness of your great Labour and Cost bestowed on the

Chymical Art.

I was filled with great joy that I found to meet

together in one man, probity of behavious, variety of

ingenuity, a Studious genius of Pyrotechny, with the

true principles of philosophy: that I had a mind in my

letters to promote and illustrate the principles

of my philosophy to you, to confirm your earnest and

diligent search of the True Science: And if you will

remember I gave my councel in this Thing in a letter

from London, wherein I payed my Thanks for that most

courteous entertainment I received from you at oxford;

which undoubtedly I had performed, had I now afterwards

heard that your weighty employ in Medicine, and great

esteem would not hereafter permit you -to be at

leasure, for chymical experiments. For this cause I

altered my purpose, of having further acquaintance and

commerce with; although I can never recruit the

Veneration I have towards your signal Eminency. But

when on my return to England in 1679, I heard again of

your Name and fame at London; and at that thme when

meeting together with my friend Beckett, I found your

Love of Chymistry, not altogether extinct, but

contracted, and covered over with business, like fire

with hot ashes. And perceived by the furnaces newly

built by which, your Chymical desire, like fire afresh

stirred up, I greatly rejoiced at this Sight, both for

your own sake, (being well persuaded that by the

blessing of God) prospering your painfull sagacity, at

length you would obtain that, which would abundantly

recompence your labour and Cost; as also for the sake

of the Art itself, which in my opinion such an

ingenious, honest and prudent Lover of it, by an

undoubted Argument, how great an opinion I had of you,

and how honorably I thought of you, and that I might

the more confirm you in the principles and practice of

philosophy, not long after in your presence, I made

those two projections; And what I say ought not to be

questioned, lf I affirm for certain, that, although I

have been an Adept philosopher more than 40 years, I

never made known myself, or the Verity of the Art to 3

persons, besides yourself. But this my silence and

recess, is not to be imputed to pravity of mind, or

envy, but to a just fear, and necessary care, which

becomes every wise man to use, for his own safety.

There are many examples and proofs of Dangers,

Imprisonments, and untimely deaths, which philosophers

have brought upon

themselves, to the knowledge of others. If other arguments

were wanting, the things which have of late happened to my

friends the philosophers ~f France, would give me

sufficient admonition and what happened in times past to

Raymond Lully in England, they may also teach you to be

wary, if at any time the Almighty God shall Crown your

Chymical Endeavours with a desired event.

Some portions of the Elixir, or Transmuting Powder have

come to the hands of wicked men; but it has been a snare,

and destruction to them.

But my dear friend, be fully persuaded of this, that

those philosophers which know the nature and intimate

Mysteries of this Art, were eminent in Piety and honesty,

and had performed many magnificent and famous words to the

Glory of God, the good of Mankind, and the peculiar profit

of the common weale where they lived, if they doust

discover their faculty of doing those things, but such is

the parvity of mortal man, such the covetousness no less of

the superiour, than inferiour; but no sooner has a

philosopher made himself known, but he is presently exposed

to imprisonment by the injurious and treacherous

inclinations of ill men; nevertheless, there is extant in

many countries great Monuments of liberality and

magnificience and in every age great works have been

performed by them which have not been publically known to

be by the help of the Elixir, or to proceed from their

beneficience, who were indeed the author.

I shall only produce 2 examples of their magnifience;

first, that which was done by a philosopher of your own

land: The 2nd. because it was done in your own country, for

a Regint of unblainable credit, hath noted that your

countryman Ripley for many years successively sent 100,000

pounds annually to the Knights of Rhodes, to sustaine the

War against the Turks.

And Raymund Lully gave to Edward Vth. King of England,

six minards (?) of gold, to be spent in the holy War, waged

in the Holy Land, which he made in St. Cathariries Church

near the Tower of London.

But it may clearly appear how little the philosophers

esteemed vain glory, or popular applause, very many of

them who set forth books have not affixed their names

to the writings; and those that founded Convents,

Monestarys, Hospitals, Temples, and other public Houses

(many among them having taken care that such places

should be erected) have not suffered their Statues to

be seen in the frontispiece of the Buildings, or their

names to be read or Known, they were greatly pleased

with Religious words at their own proper costs,

although they were built in the name of others, and

serving to propagate the fame (of) other men, being

abundantly content with that private applause which

they had in the Theatre of their own conscience.

For this my dear friend, I would have you know, that

this Mystical (and to speak with other philosophers)

divine science, doth indowe and replenish the breasts

of the happy Adepts, with cogitations and affections

aspiring far above the basis of this world, so that

Ambition, Avarice, with other passions torturing and

corrupting the minds of other mens have little or no

dominion in them and therefore they more esteem the

virtues of the great Elixir for the perfect vigour of

body, and most high Tranquility of mind, joined to a

wonderful perspicuity which it doth stedfastly produce;

than for those immence riches which at their pleasure

they may obtain from it.

Yet do not so interprete my sayings as tho’ I would

have it believed that the Philosophers did altogether

dispise the Treasures of the earth, so as to employ no

part of silver or gold lawfully possessed, by them from

this blessed science to their own proper uses, & etc.

For this only reason they have endeavoured carefully,

by what means and methods they might, to conseale the

first matter and cover and darken the verity of it,

with obscure appolations: and so they do affleict, and

confound the curious searchers, with Hyroglyphics,

traps, Allegories, windings, and divers feigned

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