Preface, no date (1580), John Hester to the Reader (BP184)
| Author: | John Hester |
| Recipient: | Reader |
| Type: | Preface |
| Date: | no date [1580] |
| Pages: | 5 |
| Language: | English |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2028 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | John Hester, The first part of the Key of Philosophie, London: Richard Daye 1580, sig. *6r-*8r [BP184]
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| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by John Hester |
[sig. *6r] Experience the daughter of Tyme, the mother of Wisedom, the rewarde of trauell, and the onely iewell of a fewe the wiser, is commonly good Reader sette out at so high a price, & valewed at so deare a peneyworth, that she hat euer moe cheapners the Chapmen, moe lookers on her, then likers of her: and yet is she bought of some, though one dream of her cost them a whole pound of repentance. To discende into the particulars, were but to tye thee to a wearisome tale, and to leade thee along through a tedious Laborinth, stuft full of examples of former age: a matter alreadie so open to the viewe of the while world, that for me to stirre farther therin, were but to sette a light Candle in the bright sunn. Onely for proof, it may please thee good Reader to admitte the instance in my self. When I began first du shake hands with the varietie of delightes, that vn- [sig. *6v] stayed youth, are commonly caried awaie with: & looking back (as ist were euer my shoulder) saw the vast Sea of sugered miseries that I had waded through: I then began to thinke it high tyme to set doune a surer compasse to direct the remnant of the course that I haue yet to runne. And although at that tyme I caried in my purse sufficient wealth to support my callyng, in my bodie sufficient health to maintaine my life: and these both so reasonable as might haue satisfied a reasonable man, (were not Natura hominum nouitatis auida) yet found I neither such content in the one, nor the other, as might longer content me to continue in that state. But drawne on a while by this instinct or infection (I know not whither to call it) I was driuen at last by a greedy kinde of Ielosie, to enuie the store that I saw in others, in respect of mine owne penurie: and therwithall I fell into consideration how I might become one of the small nomber of those, whom the [sig. *7r] greates number wondred at. To enter the straight path that many the learned had happely to their greate commendation perfectly troden, I saw it almoste vnpossible: vnlesse peraduenture I should get me where the Muses dwell, to Oxforde and Cambridghe: and there puttyng my self a prentize seuen yeares, to the seuen liberall sciences, might afterwarde become as long iourney man I can not tell to whome: & in the end (as too many the learned do) get I can not tel what. This course yeelded so course a liking, as I soner passed ouer it, then into it: and castyng about again with my self, I was combred with a hundreth other odde crochettes, all as farre beyond the compasse of my reache, as they were shorte of the condition of my liking: till at length in the midst of this muse, I mette in my mynde with two suche Minions, as in my conceipt were the onely Paragons of the rest: the one gallant and gorgeous garnished with golde and siluer, bedect with [sig. *7v] iewelles, sole Ladie and gouernesse of all the riche Mynes and Mineralles that are in the bowolles of the yearth: the other sweete and odoriferous, adorned with flowers & hearbes, beautified with delicate Spices, sole Ladie and regent of all the pleasant thinges that growe vpon the face of the yearth. These I vowed to serue and to honour, euen to the losse of life and lim: neither haue I greatly broken promise with them, though they haue not kept touch with me. Goodly and many golden Mountaines they promised me, mary hitherto haue scantly performed any leaden Molehilles. But howsoeuer the bargaine stande betweene them and me, I am neither disposed to accuse them, nor to excuse my self. We agreed vpon wages, and I weare their liueries: their cognisance such as it is, I beare wheare I am not ashamed to showe it: diuers and sondrie their affaires haue thei employed me in, in the whiche I haue faithfully, painfully, and chargeably [sig. *8r] applied my self, & haue attained by their instructions (to myne owne destruction almoste) many their hidden secretes as well in Metalles, in Mineralles, as in Hearbes and Spices: parte wherof I haue diligently collected together, and for non paiment of my boordwages at their hands am forced to set them with the residewe of my skill to sale, with offer to thee (good Reader) of preferment to the best thinges I haue: yet at a far easier price then they cost me, beyng no losse my Summa Summarum cast vp, and the foote of my accompt set doune, then the wastyng out of my former health, and the wearyng of the little wealth I had. So that what experiences soeuer I haue digged out of harde stones, blowne out from hot fire, raked out from foule ashes, with greate cost and greater trauaile, that hast thou heare in my booke to see, and in my shop to vse with greate ease at thy commaundement.
Modernized English
Generated by ChatGPT on 2 April 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
Experience, the daughter of time, the mother of wisdom, the reward of travel, and the only jewel of a few the wiser, is commonly set out at such a high price that there are always more window shoppers and bargain hunters than actual buyers. Yet, some are willing to pay the price, even if it leads to regret. One dream of her can cost them a whole pound of repentance.
To descend into the particulars would be to tie you to a wearisome tale and to lead you along through a tedious labyrinth, stuffed full of examples of former ages. It's a matter already so open to the view of the whole world that for me to stir farther therein would be to set a light candle in the bright sun.
Only for proof, it may please you, good reader, to admit the instance in myself. When I began to shake hands with the variety of delights that unsteady youth are commonly carried away with and looked back (as it were over my shoulder) and saw the vast sea of sugared miseries that I had waded through, I then began to think it high time to set down a surer compass to direct the remainder of the course that I have yet to run.
Although at that time I carried in my purse sufficient wealth to support my calling and in my body sufficient health to maintain my life - and these both so reasonable as might have satisfied a reasonable man (were not nature of humans greedy for novelty) - yet, I found neither such content in the one nor the other as might longer content me to continue in that state. But drawn on a while by this instinct or infection (I know not whether to call it), I was driven at last by a greedy kind of jealousy to envy the store that I saw in others, in respect of my own penury. And therewithal, I fell into consideration of how I might become one of the small number of those whom the greatest number wondered at.
To enter the straight path that many the learned had happily trodden to their great commendation, I saw it almost impossible, unless perhaps I should go where the Muses dwell, to Oxford and Cambridge, and there put myself as an apprentice for seven years to the seven liberal sciences. Then I might afterwards become, as too many of the learned do, a long journeyman to someone and end up getting, I cannot tell what.
This course yielded such a course liking that I sooner passed over it than into it. Casting about again with myself, I was burdened with a hundred other odd whims, all as far beyond the compass of my reach as they were short of the condition of my liking. Until at length, in the midst of this musing, I met in my mind with two such minions, as in my conceit were the only paragons of the rest. One was gallant and gorgeous, garnished with gold and silver, bedecked with jewels, sole lady and governess of all the rich mines and minerals that are in the bowels of the earth. The other was sweet and odoriferous, adorned with flowers and herbs, beautified with delicate spices, sole lady and regent of all the pleasant things that grow upon the face of the earth.
These I vowed to serve and to honor, even to the loss of life and limb. Neither have I greatly broken promise with them, though they have not kept touch with me. Goodly and many golden mountains they promised me, but they have scarcely performed any leaden molehills.
But however the bargain stands between them and me, I am neither disposed to accuse them nor to excuse myself. We agreed upon wages, and I wear their liveries. Their cognizance, such as it is, I bear where I am not ashamed to show it. Diverse and sundry are the affairs they have employed me in, in which I have faithfully, painfully, and chargeably applied myself, and have attained by their instructions (to my own destruction almost) many of their hidden secrets as well in metals, in minerals, as in herbs and spices. Part of which I have diligently collected together, and for non-payment of my board wages at their hands am forced to set them with the residue of my skill to sale, with an offer to you, good reader, of preferment to the best things I have. Yet at a far easier price than they cost me, being no loss when my sum total is cast up, and the foot of my account set down, than the wasting out of my former health and the wearing of the little wealth I had.
So that whatever experiences I have dug out of hard stones, blown out from hot fire, raked out from foul ashes, with great cost and greater travail, that you have here in my book to see, and in my shop to use with great ease at your commandment.
