The Preface.
But of this enough. I will now ſpeak of the Philoſophers Secret, and bleſſed Viridity, which is to be ſeen and felt here below. It is the Proteus of the old Poets; for it the Spirit of this green Gold be at Liberty, which will not be till the Body is bound, then will he diſcover all the Eſſences of the Univerſal Center.
Tum variæ illudent ſpecies, atque; ora Ferarum:
Fiet enim ſubito ſus horridus, atraque; Tigris,
Equamoſuſque Draco, & falvâ cervice Leæna:
Aut acrem flammis ſonitum dabit, atque; ita Vinclis
Excidet, aut in Aquas tenues dilapſus abibit;
Omnia transformat ſeſe in miracula Rerum,
Igneque; Horribilemque; ferā, Fluviumque; liquentē.
But this is Poetry: let us now hear the ſame Scene deſcribed by a moſt excellent, and withall a ſevere Profeſſor of Philoſophy. Ubi vero ſpritus (ſaith he) exceſſit fragilibus, per quos ſparſus erat, meabus, eſtque ab omni prorſum Colluvie urgatus, in infinitas ſeſe attollit formas; modo in Berbam, modo in Lapidem, but in Inſolitum quoddam Animal: interdum in Æquor, aut Unionem, aut Gemmam, aut Metallum: dulceque
rubentibus
