Agricola, Georgius, De re metallica, 1912/1950

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    <archimedes>
      <text>
        <body>
          <chap>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <pb pagenum="xxviii"/>
              this subject, but all are difficult to follow, because the writers upon these
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              things use strange names, which do not properly belong to the metals, and
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              because some of them employ now one name and now another, invented by
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              themselves, though the thing itself changes not. </s>
              <s>These masters teach their
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              disciples that the base metals, when smelted, are broken up; also they teach
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              the methods by which they reduce them to the primary parts and
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              remove whatever is superfluous in them, and by supplying what is
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              wanted make out of them the precious metals—that is, gold and silver,—
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              all of which they carry out in a crucible. </s>
              <s>Whether they can do these things
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              or not I cannot decide; but, seeing that so many writers assure us with all
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              earnestness that they have reached that goal for which they aimed, it would
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              seem that faith might be placed in them; yet also seeing that we do not
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              read of any of them ever having become rich by this art, nor do we now see
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              them growing rich, although so many nations everywhere have produced, and
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              are producing, alchemists, and all of them are straining every nerve night and
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              day to the end that they may heap a great quantity of gold and silver, I should
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              say the matter is dubious. </s>
              <s>But although it may be due to the carelessness
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              of the writers that they have not transmitted to us the names of the masters
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              who acquired great wealth through this occupation, certainly it is clear that
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              their disciples either do not understand their precepts or, if they do under­
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              stand them, do not follow them; for if they do comprehend them, seeing that
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              these disciples have been and are so numerous, they would have by to-day filled </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
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