THE TALE（第27页）

grame:sorrow;anglo-saxon，"gram;"german，"gra"

arnaldusvillanovanus，orarnolddevilleneuve，wasadisuishedfrenchchemistandphysicianofthefourteenthcentury;his"rosariumphilosophorum"wasafavouritetext-eeded.

hermestrismegistus，counsellorofosiris，kingofegypt，wascreditedwiththeinventionofwriandhieroglyphics，thedrawingupofthelawsoftheegyptians，andtheoriginationofmanysciencesandarts.thealexandrianschoolascribedtohimthemysticlearningwhichitamplified;andthescholarsofthemiddleagesregardedwithenthusiasmandreverencetheworksattributedtohim—notablyatreatiseonthephilosophersstone.

secretofsecrets:"secretasecretorum;"atreatise，verypopularinthemiddleages，supposedtocontainthesufaristotlesinstructionstoalexander.lydgatetranslatedabouthalfofthework，whenhislabourwasinterruptedbyhisdeathabout1460;andfromthesametreatisehadbeentakenstoftheseventhbookofgowers"confessioamantis."

tyrwhittsaysthatthisbookwasprintedinthe"theatrumchemicum，"underthetitle，"senioriszadithfi.hamuelistabulachymica"（"thechemicaltablesofseniorzadith，sonofhamuel"）;andthestoryheretoldofplatoandhisdisciplewasthererelatedofsolon，butwithsomevariations.

ignotumperignotius:toexplaintheunknownbythereunknown.

thoughhemultiplyterfhislive:thoughhepursuethealchemistsartallhisdays.