Preface, no date (1566), Gerhard Dorn to Medical Doctors (BP.Dorn.1567-01)
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Recipient: | Medical Doctors |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | no date [1566] |
| Pages: | 6 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2655 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Gerhard Dorn, Clavis totius philosophiae chymisticae, Lyon: Jacques Giunta (héritiers) 1567, p. 6-11 [BP.Dorn.1567-01]
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| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | Dorn laments that many who are ignorant of Paracelsus's teachings disgrace him, even though Paracelsus surpassed other physicians in both experience and skill. These critics, Dorn says, fail to acknowledge their own ignorance while Paracelsus strived to educate and elevate those skilled in their art. Dorn encourages the learned to admire Paracelsus's achievements rather than condemn him. He criticizes those who deride the advancements made by Paracelsus and others in the medical arts, and suggests that this is due to envy and a lack of understanding. Dorn also critiques those who misappropriate the teachings of Paracelsus for their own gain, using his advanced knowledge without understanding it, and discarding those who have truly studied and practiced under his guidance. He calls on his peers to resist such behavior, defend the legacy of Paracelsus, and remain committed to his teachings, despite the slander and misinterpretation that followed his death. Finally, Dorn signs off by reminding his peers of their duty to their teacher, Theophrastus Paracelsus, and the need to continue his work and preserve his legacy. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
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[p. 6] Piis ac ervditis viris Medicis, qui Theophrasti Paracelsi Doctoris Medici libris, aut prælectura fructum fecere, Gerardus Dorn.
S[alutem] D[icit] P[lurimam].
Scio vos non latere fratres, quanam ignominia per orben afficiant ignari præceptorem nostrum Theophrastum Paracelsum, vel quia vident ipsum facile superasse quosuis nostri seculi Medicos, ac priscos, tam experientia quàm arte,vel quòd ignaros in genere medicos, physicos, & chirurgos non immeritò reprehenderit ab enormibus eorum erroribus. Nec vident isti quàm turpiter sibi conscij fatean- [p. 7] tur ignorantiam suam cum ignaros non tam carpere, quàm docere conetur, & doctos in arte sua quosque, summopere laudare studeat & exhortari. Docti viri sibi non attribuunt eam reprehensionem, tanquam ipsos non concernentem, sed admirandam eius experientiam, conati sunt imitari potius quàm vituperare. Contrà, qui sibimet sapiunt, nihil probare solent, cuius fuerint ignari: tales rustica nimium inuidia moti, dentes acuunt in eos, qui suo labore prodesse conantur omnibus. Quapropter hortor vos fratres (ne tantum facinus maneat inultum) arripite calamum in eos, quos non pudet medicam artem deprauare tantum, verumetiam eos persequi, quorum omne studium assi- [p. 8] duo versatur, circa sepulta in hac arte veritatem recuperandam. Quod certè præceptor noster præstitit, dum infinitas regiones peregrinatus Medicinam chymisticam (non sine maximis expensis) nostro seculo solus restituit. En præmium pro meritis, quod ab ingratis hominibus accepit, vtpotè calumnias post mortem. Ipso viuente nullus oblatrare fuit ausus: mortuo iam bellum parant inermes. Euge viri boni resistamus, ne cumulus iste vilis per exemplum auctus, si non iure, saltem iniuria, bonas artes vna cum earum professoribus piis, ac veris prosternere præsumant. Non quòd per se quidpiam pr{{EditAbbr|æ}stare possunt, verùm quia seviribus omnino destitutos esse vident, ipsos se dant [p. 9] in prædam gigantibus: nam sciunt hominum hæc monstra nihil operis ardui vel præclari, quod non fecerint ipsi ferre posse. Et ne tanto quod susceperunt operi (nempe Iouem ipsum de sede sua deiicere) per aliud excellentius aliquando sit in honore diminutum: cùm ex eo summos honores ac diuitias hauriant, cateruam suam abiectis hominibus augere non verentur: vt quod ab æuo non potuerunt, arte nec ingenio, multitudine iam exequantur & ære. Solent attamen gigantum nonnulli, qui nectaris dulcedinem paulisper degustarunt, eius allecti suauitate, virosaccercire[c1], potissimum eos, quos Theophrasti doctirna resciuerunt imbutos fore: non quòd eorum delectentur consor- [p. 10] tio, sed vt blandis verbis ac policitationibus venentur, vt ab eis intelligant scripta Paracelsi, eorum ingenio superantia. His adhuc non contenti, petunt eorum quæ dicti viri practicarunt vnquam habere duplum: quod postquam obtinuerint, mox friuola quadam occasione quæsita, simulabunt iniuriam ab eis recepisse maximam, & rixosis verbis conabuntur eos terrere, ne vix (vt putant) hiscere sint ausi: dicentes, hoc opus vestrum est puerile, minus dignum authoritate nostra: quòd si Theologiam tractaret, aut leges, gratum nobis foret opus: abite hinc, opera vestra non indigemus. Sic solent bonos viros laboribus & arte fraudatos & inanes, impudenter dimittere. O pater omnipo- [p. 11] tens, qual Theologiam quærunt hi, qui montem montibus accumulant, vt te de cœlis deiiciant? quales expostulant leges, qui iustititam tolerare non possunt? Si talibus imbuti non estis artibus, etiam vocati fratres non adeatis: nisi vestro periculo velitis experientiam facere huius historiæ. Expertus hortor, & moneo vos, vt præceptoris nostri teneatis doctrinam, scribentis, Alterius non sit, qui suus esse potest. Interim in Christo primum, tandem in Theophrasto, fratres charissimi valete, non immemores quantum debeamus præceptori nostro, licet mortuo, iterum iterúmque valete.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 29 June 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.
To learned and deserving physicians who have benefited from the books or lectures of Theophrastus Paracelsus, the medical doctor, greetings from Gerard Dorn.
I know, brothers, that you are not unaware of the disgrace heaped upon our teacher, Theophrastus Paracelsus, by those ignorant of his teachings. They condemn him either because they see that he has easily surpassed any physician of our age, and the ancients, both in experience and skill, or because he has justly rebuked the generally ignorant physicians, physicists, and surgeons for their grave mistakes.
These critics do not realize how poorly they confess their own ignorance when they aim not so much to criticize the uninformed but to instruct them, and strive above all to praise and encourage those who are learned in their own art. The knowledgeable do not take his criticism personally, as if it doesn't concern them, but, admiring his experience, they have sought to imitate him rather than condemn him.
On the contrary, those who are self-satisfied usually approve of nothing they did not know beforehand: moved by excessive rustic envy, they sharpen their teeth against those who endeavor to benefit everyone through their labor. Therefore, I urge you, brothers (so that such a crime may not go unpunished), to take up your pen against those who are not ashamed to corrupt the medical art so much, but also to pursue those whose entire effort is devoted to recovering the truth buried in this art.
Certainly, our teacher achieved this while travelling through infinite regions and single-handedly restoring chemical medicine to our age (not without great expense). Behold the reward for his merits, which he received from ungrateful men, namely calumnies after death. No one dared to slander him while he was alive: now that he is dead, the unarmed prepare for war.
Good men, let's resist, lest this vile heap, augmented by example, presume to overthrow good arts along with their pious and true professors, if not by right, then by injustice. Not that they can achieve anything on their own, but because they see that they are completely deprived of strength, they make themselves prey to giants: for they know that these monstrous men have not done any difficult or illustrious work that they themselves can bear.
And lest the work they have undertaken (namely, to overthrow Jupiter himself from his seat) be diminished in honor by some other more excellent work: since they draw the highest honors and wealth from it, they are not afraid to increase their flock with despised men: so that what they could not achieve by age, skill or ingenuity, they now achieve by number and brass.
However, some of the giants, who have tasted the sweetness of nectar for a short time, attracted by its sweetness, try to gather men, especially those who have been imbued with the teachings of Theophrastus: not because they delight in their company, but so that with flattering words and promises they may come to understand the writings of Paracelsus, which surpass their own abilities.
Still not satisfied with this, they ask for double what said men have ever practiced: once they have obtained it, they will immediately seek some trivial excuse, pretend to have received a great injury from them, and with quarrelsome words they will try to intimidate them, so that they hardly dare to breathe (as they think), saying, this work of yours is childish, not worthy of our authority: if it were dealing with theology or laws, it would be welcome: go away, we do not need your work. Thus, they are accustomed to shamelessly dismiss good men who have been cheated of their labor and skill and left empty-handed.
O Almighty Father, what kind of theology do these men seek, who pile mountains upon mountains, in order to cast you out of heaven? What kind of laws do they demand, who cannot tolerate justice? If you are not imbued with such arts, do not go, even if called, brothers: unless you want to experience the history of this danger at your own risk.
Having experienced this, I advise and warn you to hold fast to the teaching of our teacher, who writes, Let no man belong to another who can belong to himself. Meanwhile, first in Christ, finally in Theophrastus, dear brothers farewell, not forgetting how much we owe to our teacher, even though he is dead, farewell again and again.
