Preface 2, no date (1581), Gerhard Dorn to the Reader (BP186)
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Recipient: | Reader |
| Type: | Preface |
| Date: | no date [1581] |
| Pages: | 2 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2120 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Gerhard Dorn, Congeries paracelsicae chemiae de transmutationibus metallorum, Frankfurt am Main: Andreas Wechel 1581, p. 220-221 [BP186]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | In the preface, the author emphasizes the importance of practical experience in learning chemistry, especially in understanding the generation of minerals and metals and their transmutations. He argues that students should first engage with the work itself, as learning comes from making mistakes and imitating the works of nature. Artificial chemistry is placed before natural chemistry to serve as an anchor for those struggling in their studies, and connecting this matter to the study of chemistry is deemed fitting and necessary. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
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[p. 220] Præfatio ad lectorem.
Qvanquam ordo videtur expetere priùs de generatione mineralium & metallorum tractari quàm de transmutationibus: Attamen quia non dilucidiùs Theorica potest, quàm à sua Practica percipi; è re studiosorum huius artis fore putaui, si ab opere primùm aggrediantur. Maximè quia Chemia non verbis, sed elaboratis rebus dumtaxat adimpletur, vt reliquæ omnes quotquot in vsum & neceßitatem hominum veniunt artes, quarum etiam habitus vsu contrahitur magis quàm vllis demonstrationibus. Licet istæ plurimùm faciant in confirmationem eorum qui iam prouecti sunt potiùs quàm initiatorum: Istis tamen à principio maximè prodest, manum in pastam (vt aiunt) mittere, ac sensim ab annotatis erroribus addiscere. Siquidem absque his nemo vel facilimam vniquam artem didicit. Pariter & Chemiam assequi nullus facilè poterit, qui priùs in ea non errarit sæ- [p. 221] pius donec probè teneat. Item nunquam ingredi veram semitam continget, vsque dum à deuio gressu gradum ad metam reuocet, erroresq́ue suos ab imitatione operum naturæ corrigat. Ab hac statim discere non ita facilè fuerit, cùm deficiant obiecta chimica naturalibus comparanda. Proinde Chemiam artificialem naturali præmittere visum est, quò periclitantes in hoc opere, ad mineralem Genealogiam, tamquam ad anchoram, reuocemus. Quam etiam in hanc rem annectere chimicis, visum est opportunum atque necessarium.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 23 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.
Preface to the reader.
Although it seems appropriate to first discuss the generation of minerals and metals before dealing with transmutations, it is because theoretical understanding can be more clearly gained from practical experience that I have thought it worthwhile for students of this art to begin with the work itself. This is especially true because chemistry is not fulfilled by words alone but by the actual elaboration of things, like all other arts that serve the needs and necessities of humanity, and whose skills are acquired more through use than through any demonstrations. Although these demonstrations greatly confirm the knowledge of those who have already advanced in the art rather than those just beginning, it is most beneficial for the latter to get their hands dirty, so to speak, and learn gradually from their noted mistakes. Indeed, no one has ever learned even the simplest of arts without making mistakes. Likewise, no one can easily attain chemistry without first making numerous errors until they grasp it well. It will also never be possible to enter the true path until one steps back from a misguided course, corrects their errors by imitating the works of nature, and redirects their steps towards the goal. It would not have been so easy to learn from nature itself right away, as there are not enough chemical objects available for comparison with natural ones. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to place artificial chemistry before the natural one, so that those who struggle in this work may be drawn back to the mineral genealogy, as if to an anchor. It also seemed fitting and necessary to connect this matter to the study of chemistry.
