Rudolph II., King of Hungary and Bohemia". The opening 

 paragraph, addressed to his old patron, exhibits his bold 

 arrogance that never forsook him even in distress : 



"Though I have already twice suffered chains and 

 imprisonment in Bohemia, an indignity which has been 

 offered to me in no other part of the world, yet my mind 

 remaining unbound, has all this time exercised itself in 

 the study of that philosophy which is despised only by 

 the wicked and foolish but is praised and admired by the 

 wise. Nay, the saying that none but fools and lawyers 

 hate and despise alchemy has passed into a proverb. 

 Furthermore, as during the preceding three years I have 

 used great labor, expense and care in order to discover 

 for your Majesty that which might afford you much 

 profit and pleasure, so during my imprissonment a 

 calamity which has befallen me through the action of 

 your Majesty I am utterly incapable of remaining idle. 

 Hence I have written a treatise by means of which your 

 imperial mind may be guided into all the truth of the 

 ancient philosophy; but if my teaching displease you, 

 know that you are still altogether wandering astray 

 from the true scope and aim of this matter, and are utterly 

 wasting your money, time, labor and hopes . . . Nothing 

 is more ancient, excellent, or desirable than truth and 

 whosoever neglects it must pass his whole life in the 

 shade ... I venture to hope, however, that my life and 

 character will so become known to posterity that I may 

 be counted among those who have suffered much for the 

 sake of truth." 



Shakespeare might have had this arrogant boaster in 

 mind when he wrote: 



"The empty vessel makes the greatest sound." 



49 



