Secrets of the Art Revealed

 

bullet1 Chapter 1 General properties of this Art and Science

bullet2 7. the easiest

Seven: This Art is the easiest

My Son, something is easy if the memory remembers it easily, the intellect understands it easily, if it is easily desired by the will and accomplished by power, and I promise all these things about my Art. Memory easily remembers whatever is most orderly, the intellect easily understands whatever is most clear and most intelligible, the will easily desires whatever is most lovable, power most easily executes whatever is most possible.

The Pupil:  This has been questioned, my Father, please explain what these things are.

 The Teacher: Nothing more nor less than the Circle, the Triangle and the Square.(Arb. Scient. de ram. Arb. elem. fol. mihi 16. de flor. Arb. sens. f. 72. de fol. Arb. coel. f. 251. in Arte Comp. Med. cap. de sexta fig. in Lib. de Astron. p. 2. cap. de 12 sig. et in Pract. Test. cap. 5.6.&seq.) dealt with in many of my books, in these three figures, the entire secret of my Art is contained; what could be easier for the memory to remember, for the intellect to understand and for the will to desire than these three figures? Therefore, commit them to your memory, understand them, love them, and learn to make these figures operational, and you will find all of my Art very easy. "Now if you have excellent understanding with a foundation in Logic and  Natural Science, and if you are diligent, you will be able to learn it in two months, one month for theory and another month for practice. (Ars Generalis Ultima p. 13.). What could be easier?

The Pupil: Certainly, but what do you mean by a foundation in Logic and Natural science?

The Teacher: This means to understand the three said figures.

The Pupil: Now I know what I do not know.

The teacher: You do not know this now, but you will soon learn it in Chapter 3.