Alchemy: ancient and modern : being a brief account of the alchemistic doctrines, and their relations, to mysticism on the one hand, and to recent discoveries in physical science on the other hand ; together with some particulars regarding the lives and teachings of the most noted alchemists / by H. Stanley Redgrove.

  • Redgrove, H. Stanley (Herbert Stanley), 1887-1943.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Alchemy: ancient and modern : being a brief account of the alchemistic doctrines, and their relations, to mysticism on the one hand, and to recent discoveries in physical science on the other hand ; together with some particulars regarding the lives and teachings of the most noted alchemists / by H. Stanley Redgrove. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [§ 36 suffered much persecution. He was a firm believer in the powers of the Philosopher’s Stone to transmute large quantities of “ base ” metal into gold, and also to extend the life of the individual. “ Alchimy f he says, “ is a Science, teaching how to transforme any kind of mettall into another : and that by a proper medicine, as it appeareth by many Philosophers Bookes. Alchimy therefore is a science teaching how to make and com¬ pound a certaine medicine, which is called Elixir, the which when it is cast upon mettals or imperfect bodies, doth fully perfect them in the verie projection.” 8 He also believed in Astrology; but, nevertheless, he was entirely opposed to many of the magical and super¬ stitious notions held at the time, and his tract, De Secretis Operibus Artis et Naturce, et de Nullitate Maguz, was an endeavour to prove that many so-called “ miracles ” could be brought about simply by the aid of natural science. Roger Bacon was a firm supporter of the Sulphur-Mercury theory: he says : “ . . . the natural principles in the mynes, are Argent-vive, and Sulphur. All mettals and minerals, whereof there be sundrie and divers kinds, are begotten of these two: but I must tel you, that nature alwaies intendeth and striveth to the perfection of Gold : but many accidents coming between, change the metalls. ... For accord¬ ing to the puritie and impuritie of the two aforesaide principles, Argent-vive and Sulphur, pure, and impure mettals are ingendred.”9 He expresses surprise that any should employ animal and vegetable substances in their attempts to prepare the Stone, a practice common to some alchemists but warmly criticised by 8 Roger Bacon : The Mirror of Alchimy (1597), p. 1. 9 Ibid. p. 2.