Page 34 - Scottish Alchemists

the poor and indigent in this world, as they wold eschew the curse of God if
they do otherways.”

After this peremptory injunction there follows a solemn caveat in Latin,
to this effect :- “Beware that you do not disclose this little book to the
impious, the imprudent, or the garrulous - Beware!”

In the preface the author states that he had collected all that was scat-
tered through the works of the Hermetic writers bearing upon the art of
alchemy, which he considered a great gift of God. He also states that his
object in writing it was for the sake of the good men who worship God with
sincere and pure hearts.

That the author was convinced of the difficulties which might follow
from the too great success of the alchemistical processes, and of the neces-
sity for their being kept profoundly secret, is evident from the following
passage in the preface:- “Whoever divulges these sacred mysteries shall be
held guilty of betraying this secret, and responsible for all the ills that may
emanate therefrom. A madman must not be armed with a sword. Divulge
this secret, and the hind would become greedy of gold to his own
destruction. The earth would be deluged with iniquities. Agriculture and the
other arts of civilization would no longer exist. Mighty in their gold, nations
would rush to causeless war. The worthless would wax proud, and scorn
their rulers. The reins of civil power and legitimate government thus relaxed,
a fearful convulsion would follow. Oh! I say, reveal this secret to the vulgar,
and the darkness of chaos must again brood on the face of the waters.”9

This singular manuscript contains many extracts from the cabalistic
works of the most noted adepts, with annotations by the compiler,
“whereby,” as the title intimates, “the marrow of the true hermetic intention
is made manifest to such of my posterity as fear God.” Among the
philosophers quoted are Flamelli Hieroglyphica, or Flamel’s Explication of
Hieroglyphic Figures; Nortonus Anglicus, author of the Ordinal of
Alchemy; and Basilius Valentinus, author of the Mystery of the Mycrocosm.
There is, however, in it no reference to the illustrious father of its author,
who does not seem to have bequeathed the grand secret now communicated
under such fearful restrictions. It contains a quotation from D. D. Mollierus,
who may be the Doctor Daniel Muller whose intimacy with John Napier has
already been referred to. The following may be taken as a specimen of the
enigmatical poetry so much in favour with the alchemists of the period, and
its translation is by Napier himself :-

9 Lectures on Logarithms by Mark Napier, ii. p.50.

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