Text.Duchesne.1604-01.!2r/Translation
To the most illustrious Maximilien de Béthune, Marquis de Rosny, Senator of the Secret and Inner Council, Commander of a hundred armored cavalry, Treasurer and Chief Steward of the Royal Treasury, Overseer of War Machines and Military Works, and Governor of the Province of Poitou, Joseph du Chesne sends his greetings.
Not only does the well-known Greek proverb, "χαλεπὰ εἶναι τὰ καλὰ" ("beautiful things are difficult to attain"), prove true, magnanimous hero, but daily experience also abundantly attests to and confirms the same. Since such admirable things are not attained without great toil and since ordinary people do not aspire to them—indeed, their intellectual capacity cannot even approach them—it is no wonder that they occupy themselves with trivialities, in accordance with their inclinations, and linger over matters of no or very little importance, often wasting their time. However, those to whom nature has granted great and lofty intellects strive for far greater things and bring them to completion, so that they meditate on nothing but what is grand, solid, and steadfast. By their utmost labors and vigilance—without which such knowledge cannot be acquired—they investigate the most excellent and supremely beneficial things for humanity, by which they earn both glory for themselves and well-being for the commonwealth.
Hence, how great the efforts and with what remarkable ingenuity and industry eminent physicians have labored in pursuit of their goal is evident from the records of both ancient and modern scholars. For this science—by which I mean medicine—is, after theology, the noblest, most profound, and most useful and necessary to mankind above all others. Since it does not admit just any intellect into its innermost sanctuary, but embraces only those endowed with sharpness of mind and the ability to endure intellectual exertion, and since it introduces them into the hidden depths of its mysteries, it is certainly no wonder that sluggish and dull intellects have so grossly and disgracefully erred, and continue to err, in their attempts to scrutinize and extract its secrets.
For what else can such people accomplish, those who concern themselves only with the outer shells and superficial appearances of things, while they either remain entirely ignorant of the hidden recesses where virtue lies concealed, or, if they do recognize them, are unable to comprehend them due to the dullness of their intellect? From this arises so many and such great difficulties in the art of healing, from this the perplexity and anxiety of both physicians and patients alike: while the latter fear for themselves when treated by the unskilled, the former, measuring the truth of their art only by conjecture, practice medicine in an uncertain and unlearned manner, so that it is hardly possible to anticipate a definite outcome, nor can any good be expected from such wavering and inconsistency.
Yet those distinguished intellects, who have investigated the truth and certainty of medicine, have keenly recognized that it is not to be found in the external husks and refuse of things, but must be excavated from the depths of nature and the virtues enclosed therein. Discontent with the mere outward appearance of things and their superficial processing, they sought something greater and more excellent hidden within the innermost parts of things. At last, they extracted the core—namely, the secrets of nature—laden with properties, faculties, virtues, astral influences, forms, and spirits, freeing them from their bonds and entirely eliminating the useless bodies in which these tinctures did not exert their power.
How necessary it is to separate the vital from the lethal, the good from the poisonous, the pure from the impure, the subtle from the coarse, and the stars from their orbits and the impediments of bodies, and—after having rejected all impurity—to extract the true and potent essence of things and apply it solely for its intended use, is taught to us by nature itself, as it strives to convert food into nourishment within our bodies. If it were necessary to provide clearer evidence of this, an infinite number of examples could readily be demonstrated, nor could this truth be revealed to us from any source other than the innate powers of nature.
For how many impurities, good God, does it eliminate! How diligently and precisely does it digest, purify, and refine everything through numerous processes of cooking, digestion, circulation, sublimation, and all other truly chemical operations, so that, even from a great quantity of food, it extracts only a few pure spirits and essences and employs them for its own use!
Hence, various arts have been conceived and invented by those sublime intellects. Hence, among all of them, the most noble art—Chemistry—has been drawn from the light of nature, imitating it. It alone has shone forth, uniquely suited to purify all things with its fire, to extract the spirits and essences of substances, and to separate the pure from the impure. It has been held in great honor since antiquity because its inventors and practitioners accomplished wondrous feats and thereby acquired for themselves the glory of the gods, as well as widespread fame among the people.
However, since these matters are amply discussed in the course of this work of mine, as well as in others I have published, and in those which, with God's favor, I will soon bring to light, why should I weary you any longer here?
One thing remains, most noble and illustrious hero: to explain why I address you here and why I have so boldly seized the opportunity and confidence to dedicate and consecrate this work—so small a work, if judged by what I have contributed, but so great if measured by the importance of its subject—to your great name. But to whom could this offspring be more suitably entrusted, to be protected from all envy, than to you, who are not only moderately but abundantly endowed with both learning and military prowess, and who, equipped with every other virtue, embrace all that is excellent with open arms? You have always been devoted to ingenious innovation that benefits humanity and have been a diligent investigator of the secrets of nature.
Indeed, no one could have been found more suitable than you to assist our most august and powerful King, none who could have been chosen and called before you to undertake the weighty tasks and grave responsibilities entrusted and assigned to you, as one most skilled, most intelligent, and most faithful.
Thus, those who are acquainted with your greatness of spirit, your supreme industry in state affairs, your integrity, and—if I may add—your good fortune, know well how valued and esteemed you are, first by your King, our own sovereign, and then by all honorable men.
If you accept this small gift with a benevolent spirit and an open mind and deem me worthy of the honor of your favor, you will bind me wholly to your service. Furthermore, you will provide no small encouragement for me to undertake greater endeavors and to devote myself even more eagerly to your service.
Farewell.
Your most obedient servant,
Joseph du Chesne, Royal Physician.
