20. The secret should not be released
…… Statistical Significance ………
Supporting sources: 7 Contradicting sources: 4
Statistical significance: 0.5647247
This premise is not statistically significant
…… Supporting Quotations ………
686, 699, 404, 210, 684, 690, 239
(All of the supporting quotations from the previous premise.)
…… Contradicting Quotations ………
[81] A science kept secret, a hidden treasure, what is its use?
~ Magnus, Albertus. Compound of Compounds. 13th Cen. Alchemical Tract
[698] the philosophers have hitherto industriously kept that a profound secret; some out of selfish disposition, though otherwise good men. Others, who wished only for worthy persons to whom they might impart it, could not write of it openly, because covetousness and vanity have been governing principles in the world: and, being wise men, they knew that it was not the will of the most High to inflame and cherish such odious tempers, the genuine offspring of pride and self-love, but to banish them out of the earth, wherefore they have been withheld hitherto. But we, finding no restraint on our mind in that respect, shall declare what we know: and the rather because we judge the time is come to demolish the golden calf, so long had in veneration by all ranks of men, insomuch that worth is estimated by the money a man possesses; and such is the inequality of possessions that mankind are almost reducible to the rich, who are rioting in extravagance, and the poor, who are in extreme want, smarting under the iron hand of oppression. Now the measure of inequality among the rich hastens to its limit, and the cry of the poor is come before the Lord: 'Who will give them to eat till they shall be satisfied?" Hereafter the rich shall see the vanity of their possessions when compared with the treasures communicated by this secret; for the riches it bestows are a blessing from God, and not the squeezing of oppression. Besides, its chief excellence consists in making a medicine capable of healing all diseases to which the human body is liable, and prolonging life to the utmost limits ordained by the Creator of all things. There want not other reasons for the manifestation of the process; for skepticism has gone hand in hand with luxury and oppression
~ Anonymous. On the Philosophers' Stone. 17th Cen. (?). Alchemical Tract
20. The secret should not be released p.71
[688] XLIV. ALEXANDER: The good need not remain concealed on account of the bad men that might abuse it. For God rules over all, according to His Divine Will.
~ Anonymous. The Glory of the World, Or, Table of Paradise. 1526 AD. Alchemical Tract
[32] Lacinius -- I fear most that this book may make the matter too clear to the vulgar herd, thus bestowing God's most precious earthly gift upon the wicked and undeserving, in defiance of the ancient precept. Bonus -- That rule was more applicable to men of old than to our present state of Christian liberty. Heathen Sages might be fearful of spreading this knowledge too commonly, but Christ has taught us the true use of riches to relieve the wants of the poor and needy. Lacinius -- Why, then, do our masters follow in the footsteps of the ancients, and predict ruin to mankind from the "profanation"
of this mystery? John de Rupescissa conjures his readers not to make the Art known to the wicked and unbelieving, as such a course would ruin the Christian faith. Bonus -- Do you imagine that the faith of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can be overthrown by these means? Has it not always grown most rapidly, precisely where it has been most severely opposed? But Christ Himself has given us a sovereign rule for our guidance in this matter: "Freely ye have received, freely give." What is the use of concealed diamonds, or a hidden treasure, to the world? What is the use of a lighted candle if it be placed under a bushel? It is the innate selfishness of the human heart which makes these persons seek a pious pretext for keeping this knowledge from mankind.
Lacinius -- I know some men who are so jealous of the preservation of this secret that they will hardly read their own books, and would not for all the world allow any one else to look at them, just as if they feared that the Stone would at once leap forth from the book, if it were only opened, and that it would soon lie about in every gutter. These persons are such skinflints withal that they would rather remain in ignorance than spend a single penny in search of the Stone. I suppose they expect the knowledge to be showered down upon them from heaven. Surely we have reason to pray that such people may be delivered from their own blinding meanness and illiberality. Bonus -- Would that a ray of Divine light might illumine the gross darkness of their understandings! But I am afraid that their folly is past praying for. If indeed they could be brought to see that this world is under Divine rule and governance, that no mortal can approach God but by God, that even the light cannot be perceived without light, they might come to understand that, without the special grace of God, this ineffable gift is not bestowed on any man.
Lacinius -- How can those harpies reply to that argument? Bonus -- They are in a state of frenzied ignorance, which prevents them from perceiving the difficulties of the task; and so the Stone which they find is the Stone of Sisyphus.
For "they are few whom Jupiter loves, or whom their manly perfection exalts to the stars." When, indeed, the Stone is found, our friends, who now laugh and sneer at us, will be at a loss how to express their love.
~ Lacinius, Janus. Nuncupatory Discourse. 14-5th Cen. (?). Alchemical Tract
p.72 20. The secret should not be released
…… Commentary ………
This particular premise is ambiguous. It is clear from the previous premise that the alchemists were of the opinion that ‘Bad things would happen if the secret were released’ which strongly implies that these same authors also think that it should not be released. But in fact the two are not mutually exclusive; it is possible for them to believe that bad things would happen but that it still should be released – but this again would be an assumption on our part.
What is clear is that there are most certainly two schools of thought on this premise; some alchemists believing the secret should be kept and some that it should be released. So regardless of our assumption on whether bad things happening represents an opinion to keep the secret, this premise is not statistically significant as representing a single school of thought for all sources.
It is worth noting that The Glory of the World, Or, Table of Paradise has both supporting and contradicting quotes, although the latter appears to be a quote itself from another tract.