To say a few prefatory words about ourselves, as now
" Talking of Stones, Stars, Plants, of Fishes, Flies ; Playing with Words, and idle Similes; "
—at
this the close of our literary endeavours, we cannot do better than
quote the quaintly pertinent reflections (by far better expressed for
the purpose than any phrases of ours could be) of " the most learned
Theophrastus Paracelsus, firs* written in the German tongue, and
afterwards published in the English, by John Hester, Practitioner in
the Art of Distillation, 1633 " : "At the beginning,—some ten, or more,
years back,—casting about with ourselves, we were cumbred with a
hundred odde crotchets, all as farre beyond the compasse of our reach,
as they were short of the condition of our liking; till at length, in
the midst of this muse we met in our mind with two such minions as in
our conceit were the only Paragons of the rest; the one, sweet and
odoriferous, adorn'd with flowers, and hearbs, beautified with
delicate spices, sole Lady, and Regent of all pleasant things that grow
upon the face of the Earth ; the other, gallant, and gorgeous,
garnish'd with Gold, and Silver, bedect with Jewels, sole Ladie, and
Governesse of all the rich Mines, and Minerals that are in the bowels
of the Earth. These we vowed to serve, and to honour, (even, if
required, to the losse of life, and
