Georgius Agricola Quote

Since there has always been the greatest disagreement amongst men concerning metals and mining, some praising, others utterly condemning them, therefore I have decided that before imparting my instruction, I should carefully weigh the facts with a view to discovering the truth in this matter.

Translated by Herbert Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover, De Re Metallica, Book I (p. 4), The Mining magazine, 1912