View source for Dedication, 1606-01-20, Andreas Brentz to Wolfgang von Hausen, Bischof von Regensburg

{{InfoboxParatext
| Author=Andreas Brentz 
| Recipient=Wolfgang von Hausen, Bischof von Regensburg
| Type=Dedication
| Date=1606-01-20
| Place=Cham
| Pages=9
| Language=lat
| Editor=Julian Paulus
| Source=Andreas Brentz, Farrago philosophorum, 1606, p. 1—9
| SourceBP=BP276
| ReprintedFrom=
| Description=
| Abstract=
| Names=
| Places=
| Texts=
| Authorities=
| Note=
| ID=SudhoffBP276,1
| Translation=1
}}

Reverendissimo, & Illustrissimo Principi ac Domino, Domino {{MarkupUppercase|VVolfgango Episcopo Ratisponensi, Præposito ac Do}}mino {{MarkupSmallcaps|Eluacensi|u=v}}, &c. Domini meo clementissimo.

{{MarkupInitial|IN}} quovis opere dijudicando, Illustrißime Princeps, Domine Clementißime, duo se hominum genera offerunt: Vnum opus seu artem commendans; alterum vituperans.

Idem quoque in Chymicae artis judicio fieri, cottidianâ {{Pagemark|p. 2}} adprobante experientiâ, meridianâ luce est clarius.

Quosdam enim Viros honestos invenire licet, qui artem hanc multis nominibus jucundam utilemque amplectuntur, & pro vera agnoscunt: alii verò non desunt, quibus absurda nimis, inutilis, & incerta videtur, quae propter summam incertitudinem à tot seculis fuerit suspecta, & cujus eventum, cujus gratiâ maximè omnis in eâ labor suscipitur, nullus ferè unquam, qui notorius, aut certè rarißimi sint assecuti.

{{Pagemark|p. 3}} Non solùm autem artem ipsam; sed etiam eos, qui hanc editis libris divulgare, atque hac ratione excolore & propagare instituunt, magno prosequuntur odio.

Nam avaritiae illos servire plerique credunt, & improborum hominum animos speciosis blanditiis, ac spe magnarum divitiarum, quibus illi suam expleant libidinem, adeò inescare, ut indomiti & coeci quasi in summum se detrudant exitium: & non solùm fortunarum, sed etiam famae, valetudinis, imò etiam animae jacturam faciant.

{{Pagemark|p. 4}} Proindè nec artem aliis commendandam, nec libris editis divulgandam: sed multò magis ex omnibus benè constitutis Rebuspublicis, atque adeò omnium hominum consortio, unà cum Amplificatoribus prorsus ejiciendam, & extirpandam esse, manibus pedibúsque contendunt.

Sed Zoile bona verba quaeso.

An nescis Artem hanc neminem habere lusorem, quàm ignaros, malè feriatos, & qui nil, nisi quod ipsi cu- {{Pagemark|p. 5}} dant, probare solent: quiq́ue caninâ quadam invidiâ, alios à pabulo, quo ipsis frui non licet, arcere, omnem navant operam.

Omnibus etiam placere, gratúmque facere, impoßibile esse, ignoras? nec {{MarkupUppercase|Deum Opt[imum] Max[imum]|u=v}} omnium existentium Creatorem, & Dominum summo honore colendum, non cunctis placere posse, nemo est, qui nesciat.

Ipsa Sacrosancta Scriptura, quae meritò Ars ar- {{Pagemark|p. 6}} tium, scientia scientiarum definiri posset, non omnibus arridet, sed à nonnullis sinstrè accipitur, & malè interpretatur.

Ea propter processus & sententias has Philosophicas, à Viro quodam Dictißimo (D. L. O.) quibusdam paraphrasibus donatas, ob scyophantarum invidiam supprimere nolui: sed hoc modo collectas & dispositas pro candore meo naturalium mysteriorum indagatoribus communicare placuit.

Hoc unum jam restat, Reverendißime, & Illustrißime Princeps, excutere, cur hîc te {{Pagemark|p. 7}} compellam, & Reverendißimo nomini tuo tantulum quidem opus, si, quod de meo est, spectetur, nuncupandi, ac consecrandi ansam & confidentiam tam audacter arripuerim.

Sed cui potius, quàm Tuae Reverendißimae Celsitudini, hanc Farraginem (sic enim huic libello titulum imposui) ab omni invidia conservandi, tutela, ac cura committi possit, quae & bonis literis, & armis non mediocriter, sed abundè, omníque aliarum virtutum genere est instructa; {{Pagemark|p. 8}} cujus Antecessores, nimirum Acutißimus ille Philosophus {{MarkupUppercase|Albertus Magnus|u=v}}, qui in hac Philosophorum Farradine primum locum obtinet; Vt & Reverendißimus, & Illustrißimus Princeps, & Episcopus Matthias Fuggerus, sanctae memoriae, huic nobilißimae artis Chymicae, fuerunt dediti, & quasi devincti.

Hosce autem meos conatus Illustrißima Celsitudo tua clementi vultu accipiat, & favoris aurâ, gratiâq́ue dein- {{Pagemark|p. 9}} ceps suâ me dignari pergat, submißè oro. Eandem demùm valere, & ad Nestoreos annos vivere, ac pacificè regnare, ex animo precor.

Chambi, die XX. Januarii, Anno MDCVI.

Celsitudini T[uae] Illustriss[imae] Submissè deditus

Andraeas Brentzius Med[icinae] D[octor].


{{InfoboxTranslation|Date=2023-02-26}} To the Most Reverend and Illustrious Prince and Lord, Lord Wolfgang, Bishop of Regensburg, Provost and Lord of Elba, etc., my most gracious lord.

In any judgment of a work, Most Illustrious Prince, Most Merciful Lord, two types of people present themselves: one commending the work or art, the other condemning it. The same is true in the judgment of the art of Alchemy, which is made even clearer by daily experience. For it is possible to find some honest men who embrace and acknowledge this art as pleasant and useful under many names, while others do not hesitate to see it as too absurd, useless, and uncertain. It has been suspect for many centuries due to its extreme uncertainty, and very few people have achieved its desired outcome, which is the main reason why they undertake all their hard work.

Not only the art itself, but also those who publish books about it to promote and propagate it, are met with great hatred. Most people believe that they serve greed and are lured by the specious flattery and the hope of great riches, by which they fulfill their own desires, so much so that they are pushed down to their own destruction, like unbridled and blind animals. They not only lose their fortunes, but also their reputation, health, and even their souls.

Therefore, they strive to eliminate and eradicate it altogether, not only by not recommending the art to others but also by not publishing any books about it, and even more so by completely removing it from all well-established republics and from the society of all men.

But let me use good words, Zoilus. Do you not know that only the ignorant, the poorly educated, and those who only approve of what they care about have no player of this art? And that they put all their effort into excluding others from the food they cannot enjoy, out of a certain envious doggedness.

Do you not know that it is impossible to please everyone and make everyone happy? And that no one is unaware that the LORD GOD, the Supreme Creator and Lord of all that exists, should be worshipped with the highest honor, and yet cannot please everyone?

Even the Holy Scripture itself, which could rightly be defined as the art of arts and the science of sciences, does not please everyone, but is misunderstood and misinterpreted by some.

Therefore, I did not want to suppress these philosophical processes and opinions, which were given some paraphrases by a very distinguished man (D.L.O.) due to the envy of sycophants, but I decided to share them with natural seekers of mysteries, in this way collected and arranged according to my candor.

Only one thing remains, Most Reverend and Illustrious Prince, to explain why I address you here and why I boldly took the opportunity and confidence to give this work, even if only a little bit, the name and dedication of Your Most Reverend Name.

But who better than Your Most Reverend Highness can be entrusted with the safekeeping, protection, and care of this miscellany (for this is the title I have given to this booklet) from all envy, which is abundantly equipped not only with good literature but also with arms and all other kinds of virtues? Whose predecessors, namely the most acute philosopher Albertus Magnus, who holds the first place in this alchemical collection of philosophers, and the late Most Reverend and Illustrious Prince and Bishop Matthias Fugger, were devoted and almost bound to this noble art of Alchemy.

May your most illustrious highness receive my efforts with a kind countenance, and may she continue to honor me with her favor and grace. I humbly implore this. Finally, I sincerely pray that you may remain well and live to a Nestorian age, and reign peacefully. 

Chambi, January 20, 1606. Devotedly yours to Your Illustrious Highness, Andreas Brentzius, Doctor of Medicine.