Agricola, Georgius
,
De re metallica
,
1912/1950
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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. </
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<
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>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. </
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>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. </
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>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 </
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