Page:The Art of Distillation, 1651.djvu/20

 To the Reader. work, propound to thy elfe what thou eeket for, and enter not upon the practicke til thou art firt wel vered in the theory, for it is much better to learn with thy braines, and imagination, then with thy hands, and cots, and epecially tudy nature wel, and ee if thy propolals be agreeable to the poibility thereof. 3. Diligently read the ayings of true philoophers, read them over again and againe, and meditate on them, and take heed thou doet not read the writings of impoters intead of the Books of the true Philoophers. Compare their ayings with the pobility of Nature, and obcure places with cleare, and where Philoophers ay they have erred doe thou beware, and conider wel the general axioms of Philoophers, and read o long til thou eet a weet Harmony, and conent in the ayings of them. 4. Imagine not high things, but in all things imitate nature, viz. in matter; in removing what is Heterogeneous; in weight, in colour; in fire; in working; in lownee of working; and let not thy operations be vulgar, neither thy