The Preface.
occultè Medicans, ſpragitque ſalubres
Ambroſiæ ſuccos, & odoriferam Panaceam.
This word is much abuſed by certain Alchimiſts, as they call themſelves: but Servius upon the Place tels us, it is Nomen mirè compoſitum, and he obſerves out of Lucretius, that the Panacea was Salt. It is true, that if we could putrifie Salt, it would diſcover all the Myſteries of Nature, for it hath all the Tinctures in it: but to deſtroy this ſubſtance, is a hard task, for he that would do it, must do ſomething more, then Death can do, for even her Prerogative comes not ſo far. Howſoever it cannot be denyed, but ſome Wiſe men have attain’d to the putrifaction of Salts, but this Key they received from God, and it is the great Secret of their Art. What I admire moſt in it, is this: That when it is kil’d, it dyes not, but recovers to a better life, which is a very ſtrange priviledge. On the contrary, if ſome Animal dyes, if an Herb withers, or if ſome mettal be calcin’d and the parts thereof truly ſeparated, we can never reſtore them again: but this Myſtical ſubſtance, this Root of the world, if
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