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Lives of alchemystical philosophers / To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy cover

Lives of alchemystical philosophers / To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy

Chapter 62: INDEX.
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About This Book

A compendium of biographical sketches of historical alchemists accompanied by analytical essays on the principles and practice of the magnum opus, a discussion of spiritual or psychal chemistry, and a critical catalogue of hermetic literature. The author revises and supplements earlier compilations, compresses archaic passages, and offers a concise physical theory and practical outline for readers new to alchemy. The volume includes textual emendations, bibliographical notes, and an expanded alphabetical bibliography of alchemical and hermetic writings, alongside accounts of individual adepts and selected treatises that illuminate the philosophical and operative traditions of the art.

INDEX.

  • Abraham the Jew, 99
  • Adfar, an Arabian adept of Alexandria, 53
  • Alain of Lisle, 67
  • Albertus Magnus, 57
  • Alcahest, 157
  • Alchemy—Diversity of opinion on the object of alchemical science, 9;
  • the avowed object, 10;
  • the aim said to be concealed, 11;
  • symbolism of the science, 11;
  • distinction between alchemy and chemistry, 21;
  • alchemy as a factor in the progress of the physical sciences, 27;
  • physical nature of the alchemical aim established by the lives and writings of the adepts, 29;
  • side issues of alchemical theories, 32;
  • application of alchemy to the extension of life, 65;
  • modification of the human body by alchemy, 65;
  • alchemy the science of the four elements, 93;
  • the Seal of God set on the secret of alchemy, 165
  • Alfarabi, 48
  • Alipili, 22, 23
  • Altotas, 221, 234
  • Ancient War of the Knights, 43
  • Anima Magica Abscondita, 21
  • Anonymous adept, 184
  • Antimony, Basil Valentine’s preparation for the study of, 17;
  • the Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, 121
  • Aphrodite Urania, 37
  • Apono, Peter d’, 88
  • Aquinas, St Thomas, 61
  • Argent Vive—Reduction of metals into sophic Argent Vive, 87;
  • the Medicine of all Metals, 90;
  • the first thing to be ascertained in alchemy is the significance of this term, 92
  • Arnold de Villanova, 88
  • Ars Lulliana, 68
  • Avicenna, 51
  • Azoth, or The Star in the East, a forthcoming work on the psychic potencies which enter into the higher act of transmutation, on the mysteries of spiritual chemistry, and on the possibilities of practical transcendentalism, 37

  • Bacon, Roger, 63
  • Balsamo, Joseph, Travels, Adventures, and Imprisonments, 220
  • Basil, Valentine, 120
  • Belin, Albert, 186
  • Berigard of Pisa, 148
  • Bird, William, unknown adept, 150
  • Böhme, Jacob, 161
  • Bono, Peter, 118
  • Borri, Guiseppe Francesco, 208
  • Botticher, John Frederich, neophyte, 212
  • Braccesco, Giovanni, 151
  • Busardier, unknown adept, 182
  • Butler, 168

  • Cagliostro, Count Allesandro, name assumed by Balsamo, 230
  • Calcination, an alchemical process, 13, 19
  • Canons of Espagnet, 19
  • Charnock, Thomas, 148
  • Chemistry, said to have no connection with alchemy, 14;
  • distinction between alchemy and chemistry, 21, 25;
  • a counter view, 44
  • Contemplation, a preparation for alchemical practices, 18
  • Cremer, John, pseudo-abbot of Westminster, 83

  • Dalton, Thomas, 133
  • Dee, John, 153
  • Delisle, 216
  • D’Espagnet, Jean, 170;
  • on the obstacles which beset the alchemist, 39
  • Diana Unveiled, 180
  • Dissolution, an alchemical process, 12
  • Dominic, St, said to have been an adept, 58
  • Dubois, descendant of Flamel, 114
  • Dunstan, St, Book of, 154, 155

  • Egyptian Masonry, 245, 250, and Appendix II.
  • Elias the Artist, 193
  • Eliphas Lévi, 82
  • Elixir, the White and Red, 195
  • Étoile Flamboyante, 59
  • Eugenius Philalethes, 21, 31, 189
  • Exaltation, an alchemical process, 32

  • Fabre, Pierre Jean, 200
  • Ferarius, 92
  • Figuier, Louis, alchemical critic, 27, 63
  • Fioravanti, Leonardi, 153
  • Flamel, Nicholas, 95
  • Fontaine, John, 129

  • Galip, 55
  • Geber, 44
  • Generation of Metals, 38, 48, 133
  • Goëtic magic, 65
  • Gold, 10, 28, 140
  • Grand Magisterium, 57, 123
  • Grand Secret and Grand Act, 170, 189
  • Great Art, 130
  • Grimoire, 60
  • Gustenhover, 181

  • Helmont, J. B. Van, 166
  • Helvetius, John Frederick, 201
  • Hermetic—Aim of Hermetic science, 29;
  • true method of Hermetic interpretation, 30;
  • supreme secret of Hermetic philosophy, 66;
  • the Hermetic art a gift of God, 68
  • Heydon, John, 210
  • Hitchcock—His Remarks on Alchemy and the Alchemists, 10, 14, 23, 30

  • Interpretation of Hermetic theories, &c.—Hermetic typology, 10;
  • the moral method, 13;
  • the Psychic method, 122
  • Invocation as a preparation for the practice of alchemy, 17
  • Isaac of Holland, 123

  • Jean de Meung, 90
  • Johannes de Rupecissa, 119
  • John XXII., Pope, 93

  • Kalid, an initiated monarch, 54
  • Khunrath, Henry, 159;
  • treats of spiritual alchemy, 33, 36

  • Lascaris, 211
  • Lavures, alchemical operations, 112
  • Light—Veritable light of alchemy, 15;
  • vision in the Divine Light, 16;
  • light the First Matter of the Magnum Opus, 38

  • Magic Chain, 22
  • Magnum Opus—The first Matter of the Magnum Opus in its psychic aspect to be revealed in a forthcoming work, Azoth, or The Star in the East, 37;
  • processes for the accomplishment of the Magnum Opus, 42;
  • these described by Arnold, 90;
  • the composition of the Stone is the accomplishment of the Magnum Opus, 152;
  • manner of the accomplishment of the Magnum Opus described in “The Adventures of an Unknown Philosopher,” 186
  • Maier, Michael, 58, 87, 160
  • Man—The concealed subject of every adept, 11;
  • the mystic vase of election, 14
  • Manuel, Domenico, 215
  • Mary of Alexandria, 36
  • Matter, the first matter of the Magnum Opus, said to be gold, 28;
  • defined as a fifth element, 39;
  • one only and self-same thing, 40;
  • its true nature not disclosed by the adepts, 41;
  • its informing spirit variously adaptable, 43;
  • a duplex nature, 53;
  • contained in silver and gold, 87;
  • the seed of every metal can be reduced into the first matter, 93;
  • figured in the book of Rabbi Abraham, 103;
  • found by Nicholas Flamel, 106;
  • mercury the true first matter, 118;
  • the matter of the philosophical stone a viscous water, 119;
  • said to be Saturn, or lead, 124;
  • is found everywhere, 136;
  • may be discovered by studying the best books of the philosophers, 145
  • Medicine—Properties of a universal medicine attributed to the Stone, 13;
  • the Stone a medicine for metals and man, 32;
  • life is prolonged by the stone, 123;
  • application of the tincture as a medicine for the human body, 148
  • Mercury—Identified with the supernatural, 11;
  • obstacles to its discovery, 39;
  • sophic mercury described by Avicenna, 52;
  • mercury the water of metals, 129;
  • a matchless treasure, 197
  • Morien, 53
  • Morning Star, 36

  • New Birth, 11, 12
  • Norton, Thomas, 130

  • Obereit, John Hermann, 219
  • One Thing Needful—The exaltation of the cognising faculty, 15
  • Orizon Æternitatis, mystical term of Paracelsus, 36

  • Palingenesis, 92
  • Philalethes, Eirenæus, 187;
  • on the Aqua Philosophorum, 22
  • Picus de Mirandola, 136
  • Psychic Chemistry—A Scheme of Absolute Reconstruction, 36;
  • accomplished by the Divine Power in the Soul, 22;
  • general observations on spiritual alchemistry, 32-37

  • Regnauld, Brother, 63
  • Rhasis, 46
  • Richthausen, his transmutations with stolen powder, 183
  • Ripley, George, 134;
  • his description of the Stone, 41;
  • supposed to have initiated Thomas Norton, 130
  • Romance of the Rose, 90
  • Rose Nobles, 82, 84, 86
  • Rosicrucians—Had other alchemical objects than metallic transmutations, 36;
  • the associates defended by Michael Maier, 160;
  • initiation offered by the Rosicrucians to Sendivogius, 179

  • Sendivogius, Michael, 175;
  • “The New Light of Alchemy” falsely ascribed to this neophyte, 21, 31
  • Separation an alchemical process, 12, 17
  • Sethon, Alexander, 171
  • Son of the Sun, 37
  • Sophistication of metals, 62
  • Starkey, George, 165, 195, 197, &c.
  • Stone of the Philosophers—Said to be a symbol of immortality, 13;
  • analogous in its nature to the state of primeval man, 31;
  • Transmutation accomplished by its means, 38;
  • in appearance a subtle, brown, and opaque earth, 132;
  • dark, disesteemed, and grey in colour, 165;
  • the seed out of which gold and silver are generated, 201
  • Subject of Alchemy—According to Hitchcock, 13;
  • according to George Starkey, 24
  • Suggestive inquiry concerning the Hermetic Mystery, 9, 14, 17, 24, 30, 34
  • Sulphur (Sophic)—Said to symbolise Nature, 11;
  • sophic sulphur and the conscience, 12;
  • difficulties in its discovery, 39;
  • described by Avicenna, 52

  • Transmutation—Doubts as to the significance of the term, 9;
  • identified with spiritual conversion, 13;
  • the physical theory of Transmutation, 38, &c.;
  • possibility of the fact, 33
  • Transmutations performed by adepts and their emissaries, 84, 94, 106, 118, 133, 136, 148, 156, 167, 168, 177, 178, 181, 183, 184, 185, 196, 201-208, 212-216, 217, 218
  • Trévisan, Bernard, 124;
  • honoured by Philalethes, 194
  • Tschoudy, Baron, 39
  • Typology—Possibility of an infinite variety of interpretations of any sequence of typology, 29

  • Urbigerus—His alchemical aphorisms, 40

  • Vase of the Philosophers—Identified with man, 14;
  • its true nature unexplained by adepts, 41;
  • described by Geber, 46
  • Vaughan, Thomas, 187

  • Wisdom Faculty, 15
  • Wood of Life, 152

  • Zachaire, Denis, 140

Turnbull & Spears, Printers, Edinburgh.