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Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
Adam McLean
Date: 1 Sep 1999
I wonder if I might call upon our collective knowledge to help me
draw up a list of 20th century scholars of alchemy for inclusion on the
alchemy web site. Of course the criterion for inclusion are difficult
to set but perhaps we should include
recognised scholars (Julius Ruska for example)
people whose work has a solid scholarly basis (e.g. Harry
Sheppard, Serge Hutin.)
people who have published extensively either articles or
books on alchemy (such as D. Z. Bor)
people who have produced a single key work on alchemy
(such as Jack Lindsay)
Here is my provisional list. I would welcome any additions.
My apologies to anyone I have neglected. Some of the members
of this email group will I feel sure ultimately be recognised as
scholars of alchemy (it is a matter of publications and profile).
Abraham, Lyndy.
Alleau, Rene.
Bolton, H. Carrington.
Bor, D. Z.
Browne, C. A.
Bugaj, Roman.
Buntz, Herwig.
Burland, C.A.
Coudert, Allison.
Craven, J.B.
Darmstaedter, Ernst.
Davis, Tenney L.
Debus, Allen G.
Dobbs, Betty Jo Teeter.
Duveen, Denis I.
Eliade, Mircea.
Faivre, Antoine.
Ferguson, John.
Figala, Karin.
Forbes, R.J.
Franz, Marie-Louise von.
Gabriele, Mino.
Gantenbein, Urs Leo.
Ganzenmueller, W.
Gebelein, Helmut.
Halleux, Robert.
Hartlaub, Gustav Friedrich.
Heym, Gerard.
Holmyard, Eric John.
Hubicki, Wlodzimierz.
Hutin, Serge.
Jollivet-Castelot, Francois.
Josten, C. H.
Karpenko, Vladimir.
Kibre, Pearl.
Klossowski de Rola, Stanislas.
Kraus, Paul.
Lennep, Jacques van.
Linden, Stanton J.
Lindsay, Jack.
Lippmann, Edmund O. von.
Mahdihassan, S.
Matton, Sylvian.
Muir, M.M. Pattison.
Multhauf, Robert P.
Needham, Joseph.
Neumann, Ulrich.
Newman, William R.
Pagel, Walter
Paneth, Fritz.
Partington, J.R.
Patai, Raphael.
Pereira, Michela.
Plessner, Martin.
Poisson, Albert.
Principe, Laurence.
Rattansi, P.M.
Read, John.
Redgrove, H. Stanley.
Ruska, Julius.
Sarton, George.
Schwarz, Arturo.
Secret, Francois.
Sheppard, H. J.
Singer, Dorothea Waley.
Stapleton, H.E.
Sudhoff, Karl.
Taylor, F. Sherwood
Telle, Joachim.
Thompson, Charles J.
Thorndike, Lynn.
Wilson, William
Subject: ACADEMY : Speciale's Codex
From: Massimo Marra
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
Jose Rodriguez wrote:
>I found an article by José Ramón de Luanco with a reference
>about a 'Liber deforationis' in nine chapters (¡¡¡) attributed to Arnau.
>He said that there was a copy in a manuscript on alchemy
>property of: «the "Speciale" family from Sicilia (14th century)».
>Luanco said that this manuscript had been comented in:
>Isidoro Carini. 'Sulle Scienze occulte nel medio evo e sopra un
>codice della famiglia Speciale, dal Sae'. Edited in: Palermo, 1872, - in
>8º.
>Can anyone tell me about the "Speciale's manuscript"? All
>information would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Jose,
The Carini's book is actually reprinted by:
Arnaldo Forni Editore S.R.L.
Via Gramsci 164
40100 Sala Bolognese (Bologna - Italy)
tel. 039 51 6814142
" " 6814198
fax 039 51 6814672
The price of the book (130 pp.) is italian £.29000
About the Speciale's Codex there is an article in the "Propugnatore"
(an old Italian philological journal) in the 1872.
The Carini's books focused principally on the Codex's latin text.
The Propugnatore's article (by Vincenzo Di Giovanni) is focused
on some alchemical and pharmaceutical recipes in old Italian.
The Speciale Family is an ancient family in Palermo.
In the history of this family there is also a Viceroy (Nicola Speciale).
The very remarcable Speciale's library was dispersed in a tumult
broken out in Palermo in 1860. The codex in object is among the
few saved books.
It is a very important collection of alchemical treatises (Hermes,
Tommaso D'Aquino, Ruggiero Bacone, Arnaldo da Villanova,
Michele Scoto ....) with an interesting early bibliography: "Exemplum
librorum alchimicorum quos habet reverendus frater Dominicus
monacus monasterii Sancti Proculi de Bonomia....".
The codex was written between XIIIth. and XIVth. century and it
mentions some recipes by some very obscure medieval Italian
alchemists (as Anselmo di Genova, Mastro Andrea, Petruccio,
Bartolomeo da Modena, Battista, Marco da Seccha napolitano and
others) about which we have no accounts.
Best wishes.
Massimo Marra
Subject: ACADEMY : Christina and il laboratorio filosofico
Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
The following short document in Queen Christina of Sweden's
hand, written after the abdication during her residence in Rome
is rather intriguing since some of the crossing-outs seem to indicate
that she was composing a treatise or perhaps a speech for her
academy (although it seems improbable that one would speak
of alchemy in a semi-public meeting of this sort). The chapter
headings may on the other hand be notes from a work that she is
reading. This issue was discussed by the late Arne Wettermark
many years ago in meetings and correspondence with Eugène
Canseliet who had commented on Christina's alchemical interest
in his work Deux logis alchimique (1944). Although, or perhaps
because, Wettermark was deeply involved in research concerning
Christina and alchemy he never published anything on the matter. I
reproduce the document in the hope that it can be recognized by our
Italian readership. The source is probably contemporary to Christina
and therefore very little known.
Il laboratorio filosofico
Paradossi chimici
praemio
1. della antichita delle arte alchimica
2. della sua simplicita
3. della sua brevita
4. della sua nobilita
5. delli errori che essi commutione esso
6. della (pocha?)
7. delli fornelli
8. dell fuoco (delli vasi - crossed out)
9. della materia uni cognito del alchimia
10. delli vasi
11. del studio del Autori
12. tempo
13. predicamenti varii che si lavoranno dalli tre regni Animal, vegetabile
e minerali, modi di farsi
14. della medicina universale
15. del l'opera (filosofico - crossed out) grande
16. delle luso e vertu di si gai(?)
17. del Magnete
If this outline is Christina's own it would show that she was
knowledgable in the art and prepared to lay out its techniques for an
audience, probably a limited one. Wettermark was after his
conversations with Canseliet prepared to regard her as an
advanced practitioner. That she was inquisitive is clear. In 1667
while at Hamburg, she puts seventeen questions (in her difficult
hand) to Rudolf Glauber beginning with asking what colour the
material is when it is reduced to its ulimate perfection, whether it is
subject to change, whether it is affected by liquors, what dosis to
take of various ingredients and their colours in the process etc.
These questions were put shortly before her meeting with the
messianic prophet and alchemist Giuseppe Borri in the same year
and with whom she practised for some weeks at Hamburg. In the
1670's she sets up her own laboratory in Rome with a working
alchemist Pietro Antonio Bandiera to whom she testamented the
equipment.
To do alchemy by proxy is of course a questionable method
and one may wonder whether Bandiera was her servant or her
master in the art.
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : Information required about two books
From: Hans H. Hammerschlag
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
Dear members of ALCHEMY-ACADEMY forum :
I would like to request from any of you that could send further
information about the books described below :
1) In the first case, what are those "irrefutables" proofs that Papus
argues in this book.
2) On the second book, it calls my attention the fact that it includes
a preface by Eugene Canseliet, so I was wondering about its content.
Thanks in advance for any comment to these matters,
Hans H. Hammerschlag
1 - Main Title: La pierre philosophale : preuves irréfutables de son
existence : avec une planche hors texte / Papus.
LC Control Number: 97107933
Type of Material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
Personal Name: Papus, 1865-1916.
Published/Created: Paris : Georges Carré, Libraire-Editeur, 1889.
Related Names: YA Pamphlet Collection (Library of Congress)
Description: 29 p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 21 cm.
Subjects: Alchemy.
LC Classification: YA 28650
CALL NUMBER: YA 28650 YA Pam
Request in: Rare Book/Special Collections Reading Room
(Jefferson LJ239)
2- Main Title: Érotique de l'alchimie. Préf. d'Eugène Canseliet.
Personal Name: Flamand, Elie-Charles, 1928-
Published/Created: Paris, P. Belfond [1970]
Description: 174 p. illus. 23 cm.
Subjects: Sex, Alchemy
Series: Sciences secrètes
LC Classification: HQ64 .F62
Other System No.: (OCoLC)1863021
CALL NUMBER: HQ64 .F62
-- Request in: Book Service: Jefferson (Main Eur Hisp LHG)
Thu Sep 02 12:35:31 1999
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999
From: Ed Thompson
I think I've spotted a gap or two:
McLean, Adam -- seems to be absent.
Dickson, Donald -- should be there, I think, for his work on Thomas
Vaughan (now accepted for publication in Medieval Texts and Studies), and
papers like "Thomas Henshaw and Sir Robert Paston's Pursuit of the Red
Elixir: an Early Collaboration between Fellows of the Royal Society"
(Notes Rec.R.Soc.Lond. 1997).
Ed
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Massimo Marra
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
Some additions:
Stefano Andreani, Andrea Aromatico, Titus Burkhardt , Eugéne Canseliet,
Giovanni Carbonelli, Antonio Clericuzio, Chiara Crisciani, Andrea De
Pacalis, Julius Evola, Didier Kahn, Paolo Lucarelli, Manuel Insolera,
Alfredo Perifano, Fabrizio Pregadio (chinese alchemy), Gino Testi, Elémire
Zolla.
Best wishes.
Massimo Marra
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
How about Evgueni Tortchinov? I believe he's published regarding
Chinese alchemy.
Best wishes,
Catherine Fox-Anderson
Subject: ACADEMY : Andrea Aromatico
From: Hans H. Hammerschlag
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999
Dear Massimo Marra and forum members,
Regarding XX century scholars, I would like to ask you
to forward information about ANDREA AROMATICO's
work.
I am aware of his work :
"Alchimia : l'oro della conoscenza", 1996, Electa Gallimard
Also published in Spanish under the name :
"Alquimia : el secreto entre la ciencia y la filosofía"
editor: B. Ediciones B, S.A. prf: 406 ; 7735. SAN 001-5911.
The spanish translation mentions it was translated from English,
so I was wondering which was the original language of the work,
and if he has published other material.
Contact information for this author if at all possible also
would be desired.
Best regards,
Hans
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Adrian Monk
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999
Unfortunately I by mistake deleted Adam McLean's original list,
but I don't recall having seen Alexander von Bernus included
when I skimmed through it.
Not a major writer on alchemy, perhaps, but von Bernus' 'Alchymie
und Heilkunst' was inspirational to me, for one, back in the early
1970s and directed me to Weidenfeld and Pott, amongst other
things. It also prompted me to visit and talk to his widow, from
whom I obtained permission to translate the work into English
(something I subsequently never found the time to do, unfortunately).
Adrian Monk
Bedford
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Adam McLean
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
Dear Massimo Marra,
Stefano Andreani. I only know 'Un libretto di alchimia, inciso su lamine
di piombo nel secolo XIV' which I have in my library. Are there any
other works by him?
Antonio Clericuzio helped edit 'Alchemy and chemistry in the 16th
and 17th centuries' edited by Piyo Rattansi and Antonio Clericuzio.
c1994. Are there other works by him? I do not know of any others.
Chiara Crisciani translated and edited some works I believe. Is this
correct?
Manuel Insolera wrote on spirituality and imagery in early
books, but not much on alchemy. Am I correct here? I have seen
his edition of 'Azoth, ovvero, L'occulta opera aurea dei filosofi
Basilio Valentino'
Testi should have been included in the list. but my memory
failed me and I regrettably do not have copies of his
works which include,
La Materia pensante. Interpretazione metapsichica del simbolismo
alchimistico, etc. Milano, 1946.
Dizionario di alchimia e di chimica antiquaria. Roma, 1950.
These writers on your list are not familiar to me, though the first two I note
are in your list of modern Italian books on alchemy on the web site
Andrea Aromatico
Paolo Lucarelli
Alfredo Perifano
Would it be too much to ask you to provide us with some short
information on these people and their work. The Italian contribution
to the study of alchemy is so unknown to British and American
scholars. It would be good to document it further.
Best wishes,
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Jose Rodríguez
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999
I suggest:
(On European alchemy) Didier Kahn, Alfredo Perifano, Chiara Crisciani,
Barbara Obrist, Antoine Calvet, François Secret.
(Muslim alchemy) Paul Kraus.
(Spanish alchemy) Francisco Javier Puerto Sarmiento.
Best wishes.
Jose Rodríguez
Subject: ACADEMY : Andrea Aromatico
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
Dear Hans,
Have you tried Azogue, the web page of Jose Rodriguez? He has
interesting castillian alchemy links, including Munoz Moya Editor, who
deals in Spanish language alchemy, and who is himself very helpful.
Address:
http://personal2.redestb.es/emclmffgm/
Also, Libreria 2 de enero, in Spain, is a bookstore with an extensive
list of alchemical titles available: they are very helpful with
resources
<2enero@retemail.es>
Good luck,and please post any interesting results.
Catherine
Subject: ACADEMY : Andrea Aromatico
From: Jean Debord
Date: 4 Sep 1999
Hans H. Hammerschlag wrote:
>The spanish translation mentions it was translated from English,
>so I was wondering which was the original language of the work,
>and if he has published other material.
I have the french translation:
Alchimie, le grand secret
Editions Gallimard, collection "Découvertes", 1996
Traduit de l'Italien par Audrey Van de Sandt
ISBN : 2-07-053354-9
So, it seems that the original edition was in Italian. Also, the
book gives other references from the same author:
Ottaviano Ubaldini, il principe filosofo e la rocca di Sassocovaro
(Actes du colloque Pessaro, 1993)
Medicamenti, pozioni e incantesimi del Ricetario Magico
Urbinate (Milano, 1993)
Liber lucis, Giovanni da Rupescissa e la Tradizione
alchemica (Milano, 1996)
I hope this helps.
Jean Debord
Limoges, France
Subject: ACADEMY : Parisino
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999
From: Sophie Page
I wonder if I might ask the alchemy-academy group a question on
behalf of a fellow student at my college:
He is interested in the relationship between the Duke of Mantua,
Ferdinando Gonzaga and scientists in the early seventeenth
century. In a letter he found in the Archivio di Stato at Mantua, an
envoy in Bologna offered the duke a book of chemical
experiments by a certain "Parisino" and a Pseudo-Lullian book
(The so-called Testament of St Thomas). He wondered if
anyone had heard of the name 'Parisino', or could suggest
possible authors or texts under this heading.
Thank you,
Sophie Page
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1999
From: Johann Plattner
What's about Jost Weyer ?
I think he belongs to the most scholarly writers. May I mention the
following valuable book by him:
Jost Weyer, "Graf Wolfgang II. von Hohenlohe und die Alchemie",
Forschungen aus Württembergisch Franken, Bd. 39, Jan Thorbecke
Verlag, Sigmaringen, 1992
Article: "Die Alchemie im lateinischen Mittelalter", Chemie in unserer
Zeit / 23. Jahrgang 1989 / Nr. 23
Best wishes
Johann
Subject: ACADEMY : Christina's alchemical manuscripts
Date: 5 Sep 1999
From: Adam McLean
Dear Susanna Åkerman,
I am sorry I do not have any knowledge of the document
you cite that might give us some insight into Christina's
alchemical work.
I wonder if I might ask you a separate question regarding
Christina's personal library, in particular the manuscripts
she collected on alchemy. As we know it is found now
mainly in two libraries - The University of Leiden and the
Vatican.
Can you give us some information particularly on the
alchemical manuscripts? Is there any clear picture of
which works found their way to Leiden and which to the
Vatican? Did this repesent a point of choice made by
Christina? Did she choose only to take certain works
to Rome? Or was this division entirely made by Vossius?
I am sure I read something of this in one of your books
or articles but cannot imediately find the reference.
It would be instructive to have some information on this
fine collection of alchemical manuscripts made by Christina
in the 17th Century.
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : 'Flos Florum' and the 'Ripley Scroll'
From: Adam McLean
Date: 4 Sep 1999
The recent discussion of the influence of the 'Flos Florum'
on part of the imagery of the Ripley Scroll is very interesting
and demonstrates the importance of the academic study
of alchemical source material.
On the previous e-mail discussion group earlier this year there
was an animated discussion about the interpretation of the
Ripley Scroll. Some contributors insisted on being free to
look at the symbols on the scroll out of context and interpret
the images in parallel with Tarot symbolism etc. The neo-
Jungians wanted us to see alchemy as being merely a
storehouse of unconscious archetypal imagery. Implicit behind
this was the idea that the author of the Ripley Scroll projected his
imagery from his unconscious and one contributor to the discussion
even went so far as to suggest that he may not have understood
the way in which he was working with this imagery or its meaning.
But here surely we see a clear case of the author of the Ripley
Scroll consciously drawing on an existent tradition, and working
the imagery of the text of the 'Flos Florum' into the sequence of
roundels in the flask.
Alchemy is not a sea of unconscious imagery. Once we put
works into some context we can often clearly see that texts
lie in chain of tradition. A key aspect of alchemy is this
chain of tradition.
I know this is obvious to many scholars, but in needs restating
every now and again. People often want the big picture, but
the true insights are often found in such small details.
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : Parisino
From: Jose Rodríguez
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999
Dear Sophie:
The French alchemist Christophe of Paris (15th century)
was called "Il Parisino" or "Cristoforo Parisino" in various
Italian and Spanish manuscripts. For example:
- Florence. Biblioteca Nazionale MS. Palat. 755. 16th century.
[Christophorus Parisiensis. Incominico l'Apertorio Alfabetale
dell' Ecc. Cristoforo Parisino...]
- Rovigo, Biblioteca Comunale MS. Concordiano 402.
15th Century. f145-150: [Copia delo Lucidario delo
excellentissimo dottor maistro Cristoforo parisino philosopho
dignissimo...]
The alchemy works by Christophe of Paris, like Ramon Llull
or Arnau de Vilanova, were popular in Italy in the16th century.
José Rodríguez
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Massimo Marra
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999
Dear Adam,
I think that your intented survey of all the XXth century alchemy
scholars is very difficult to carry out. Several contributions are
dispersed in various magazines and books and the inclusion
criteria are rather vague. A single contribution to alchemical studies
by an author that wrote about alchemy only once could be very
important. On the other hand, a lot of works written by an author
whose production is entirely focused on alchemy could be
useless.
I have listed only some of the authors not included in your
posting.
Please, where should we draw the line? If (for example)
hermeticism is included in your survey, we have forgotten some
authors as Festugiére and Scott.
Now, some elucidations about the authors that I have mentioned:
About Andrea Aromatico, I have the same notices posted by
Jean Debord.
Stefano Andreani was, for many years, director of the collection
'Biblioteca Ermetica' by the Italian publisher Edizioni Mediterranee.
Besides the title you mentioned, Andreani is the editor of other
alchemical treatises published by Mediterranee (for example,
Vigenere's Trattato del fuoco e del sale ). Andreani has also
written a book about Alchemy: Alchimia: appunti per una
semiologia del sacro 1976 ERI
Chiara Crisciani:
Chiara Crisciani has edited various books about the History of
Medicine, and various works about Alchemy. She is the editor of
the Italian manuscript of the 'Pretiosa margarita Novella' by
Pietro Bono da Ferrara (Firenze, La nuova Italia 1976).
Another book is : C. Crisciani, M. Pereira L'Arte del Sole e della Luna:
alchimia e filosofia nel medioevo. 1996 Centro italiano di studi sull'Alto
Medioevo - Spoleto
Among Crisciani's articles about Alchemy, I can quote:
- 'The conception of alchemy as expressed in the 'Pretiosa Margarita
Novella' by Petrus Bonus of Ferrara', in Ambix 20 1973 pp. 165-181
- 'Experientia' e linguaggio nella tradizione alchemica in 'Atti XXIV
congresso Nazionale Filosofia' Società filosofica italiana Roma pp.
357-364 1974
- La 'questio de alchimia' fra duecento e Trecento in 'Medioevo' 2, pp.
119-168 1976
- I Domenicani e la tradizione alchemica in 'S. Tommaso nella storia e nel
pensiero' Edizioni Domenicane Italiane pp. 35-42 1976
- Note sull'alchimia Francescana nel sec. XIII in 'Atti XXV Congr.. Naz
Filosofia' Società Filosofica Italiana Roma pp. 214-220 1980
- Labirinti dell'oro. Specificità e mimesi nell'alchimia latina. In 'Aut
Aut' 184-185 pp. 127-151 1981
- Il corpo nella tradizione alchemica: teorie, similitudini, immagini. In
'Micrologus. Rivista internazionale per lo studio del medioevo latino' 1
1993
Aspetti della trasmissione del sapere nell'alchimia latina: un'immagine di
formazione, uno stile di commento. In 'Micrologus Rivista internazionale per
lo studio del medioevo latino' 1995
Chiara Crisciani's historical papers focus exclusively on a scholarly and
academic perspective .
Antonio Clericuzio is a scholar in History of Sciences
Besides the work you quoted, he wrote another paper about alchemy:
"Agricola e Paracelso : mineralogia e iatrochimica nel Rinascimento" in 'La
nuova civiltà delle macchine' 2-3 1994
By the way, a recent Clericuzio's paper focuses about the English alchemy:
'Alchemia vetus et vera: les theories sur l'origine de l'alchimie en
Angleterre au XVII siecle' in AA.VV. Alchimie Art, Histoire et Mythes
(Milan-Paris 1995 pgg. 737-749
By the way, about the Italian production in History of Sciences, you
can find bibliographical information about the most recent production
(1982-1996) at the site:
http://torricelli.imsss.fi.it/easyweb/biss/ricerche.html
with a search engine.
Paolo Lucarelli:
Paolo Lucarelli was, for many years, an Italian pupil of Eugéne
Canseliet. He is the Italian translator of Canseliet's books and
he edited an Italian translation of the Turba:
"Arisleo: La Turba dei Filosofi seguita dal discorso di un anonimo sulla
Turba. Introduzione traduzione e commento di Paolo Lucarelli". Roma 1997 ed.
Mediterranee.
He also edited "Le dodici chiavi" by Basilio Valentino (ed. Mediterranee)
You can found some Lucarelli's articles about the history of Alchemy in
'Abstracta', a very interesting Italian magazine issued from 1986 to 1990
(You can find Lucarelli's articles in the issues 10, 15,19,38,41,43,45,50,54
of that magazine)
You can find also the introductory study of the book I quoted, together with
other recent Lucarelli's works, at the site:
http://www.zen-it.com/Lindice.htm
A recent Lucarelli book is :
"Lettere musulmane: Riflessioni sull'Alchimia." 1998 Promolibri Magnanelli
I think that he's preparing an Italian translation of De Lubicz's "Le temple
de l'Homme" .
Manuel Insolera:
In fact, besides the title you quoted, he wrote only another book about
alchemy, even if there are some works announced in French. I have included
him in my list because of a recent book :
"Manuel Insolera - La trasfigurazione dell'uomo in Cristo nella Mistica
nella Cabala e nell'Alchimia." 1997 ed. Arkeios, with an introduction by
Mino Gabriele.
That book is very important for those interested in inner alchemy. It
explores the imaginative techniques in the Mystical, Cabalistic
and Alchemical paths, and, with a solid inquiry about the
traditional texts, it shows analogies and differences. It's a very
interesting comparative study, and, on this subject, a key work.
Alfredo Perifano is a member ( together with Silvain Matton and
Didier Kahn) of the 'Societé d'Etude de l'Histoire de l'Alchimie.'
(Chrysopoeia).
Alfredo Perifano's book:
"L'alchimie a la cour de Come Ier de Medicis: savoirs, culture et politique"
1997 ed. Champio Honore
Some articles:
"Benedetto Varchi et l'alchimie. Une analyse de la 'Questione sull'alchimia' ".
In Chrysopoeia tome I 1987 ed. Arché
"Frére Elie de Cortone: deux sonnets alchimiques". In Chrysopoeia tome 2
fasc.4
Another text by Gino Testi:
"Storia della Chimica". Roma 1940 ed. Mediterranee
Best wishes
Massimo Marra
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Adam McLean
Date: 5 Sep 1999
Dear Massimo,
Thank you for spending the time to answer my questions so
fully. Unfortunately, Italian scholarship in the realm of alchemy
has not always been recognised, so I am often ignorant
of the contributions made by such people. Perhaps we can
pull this information together and put in into the Italian section
on the web site.
You say
>I think that your intented survey of all the XXth century alchemy
>scholars is very difficult to carry out. ... the inclusion
>criteria are rather vague.
I am not really trying to create an exhaustive survey, more just
to draw up a list of the major contributors. People browsing the
web site often ask me questions like "are there any scholars
of alchemy", or "who are the major scholars of alchemy in this
century". I could just have made a list up out of my own memory,
but by putting this question to the academic group I have been able
to fill in some gaps, and happily have found some scholars whom
I was not aware of before
You ask:
>Please, where should we draw the line?
I think the sharp focus on alchemy is necessary. Once we move
into hermeticism and the religious dimension there are just so
many scholars working. Few of these have had much to say about
alchemy itself. No the focus so far has been just right.
I will collate all the information posted so far and put a list up on
the web site. We can then add further names as we realise that I
have excluded, forgotten, or just did not know of the body of
work of a writer.
Thanks to all who helped contribute to this list.
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Dusan Djordjevic Mileusnic
Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1999
Here are few names I think important for 20 Century scholars
on alchemy list
J.-C. Margolin
Bruce Moran
H. M. E. de Jong
Dorothea Singer Waley
Gerschom Scholem
Richard Reitzenstein
A. J. Hopkins
U. Szulakowska
Barbara Obrist
Best wishes to all
Dusan Djordjevic Mileusnic
Subject: ACADEMY : Christina's alchemical manuscripts
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
Adam Mclean wrote:
>I wonder if I might ask you a separate question regarding
>Christina's personal library, in particular the manuscripts
>she collected on alchemy. As we know it is found now
>mainly in two libraries - The University of Leiden and the
>Vatican.
A list of these manuscripts can be found on Adam's site in the
file on manuscript libraries, those of Leiden (Codices
Vossiani Chymici or Voss. Chym.) and the Vatican
(Reginenis Latini or Reg. Lat. for short).
Take a look!
>Can you give us some information particularly on the
>alchemical manuscripts? Is there any clear picture of
>which works found their way to Leiden and which to the
>Vatican? Did this repesent a point of choice made by Queen
>Christina? Did she choose only to take certain works
>to Rome? Or was this division entirely made by Vossius?
All of the above questions are very relevant for a future study.
The problem is that there is little information over the
procedure left in our archives. The Manuscripts at Leiden were
given as payment to Isaak Vossius who as a Greek scholar of
renown had worked to set up an academy in Stockholm
to investigate the Oriental background to the Bible. Money ran
short and the Prague collection was given as payment for his
work in Christina's court. In 1654 Christina had shipped them
together with other collections on the ship Fortuna to Antwerp,
where they were set up on the gallery of the stock-market
pending her further plans. Vossius made his selection from there.
The manuscripts had been taken by the Swedes at Prague in
1648 when Swedish troops invaded the Hradchin palace and
looted books, manuscripts and artworks (such as Arcimboldi's
"vegetable" portrait of Rudolph). Most of the material in the
collection were written during the time of Rudolph II. A particular
item that interests me is the Latin index to Aegidius Gutman's
late 15th-century work, often thought to be lost:
"Offenbarung göttlicher Majestät". It is referred to by Julius Sperber
in his "Echo" (1615) to the Rosicrucians as a work he had
seen seventeen years before and in the same genre as the
Rosicrucian writings. The collection contains many German and
Czech items, as well as Latin ones. They are not lavish presentation
copies but rather are plain copies of such works.
Christina's Manuscripts in the Vatican may have been acquired
later (as with Palombara's "La Bugia") when her interest and time
for laboratory work increased. Thus she may not have been
an active alchemical collector until her Roman period starting
in 1656. The most curious item in her collection may have
been brought from Stockholm: John Dee's Monas Hieroglyphica
(1564) written in German with illustrations. It is bound in red
moroccan leather with her family (Wasa) coat-of-arms imprinted
on it gold. In the same volume there is a letter of Fredrik V in 1618
announcing that he is "crossing the Rubicon" to enter Prague to
be elected King of Bohemia, an important event starting the
Thirty years war.
What did Vossius expect of his collection? One may note that
Spinoza in 1667 writes to Vossius to hear of his opinion on
Dr. Helvetius announcement of a perfected processing of the
Stone in the Netherlands in the same year.
Vossius answers that the case is not believable. It is difficult to
judge whether this shows Vossius' expertise or disinterest in
the matter. In the literature it is said that Vossius wanted to trade
his alchemical books for more interesting Greek manuscripts.
But the collection remains intact to this day at Leiden University
library.
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : Correction - Gutman
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
In my recent Christina-letter I inadvertently wrote that the index to
Aegidius Gutman's "Offenbarung" in the Leiden collection is a
15th cent work. I of course meant that it is from ca. 1575 or as it
is listed at No. 644 Voss.Chym. F.37: "Manifestatio divinae
majestatis descripta capite I Geneseos".
For easy reference the web-adresses to Leiden and the
Vatican listings are respectively:
www.levity.com/alchemy/almss30.html
www.levity.com/alchemy/vatican.html
with Reg.Lat items (Christina's) at the end of the list.
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : New French Journal on alchemy
Adam McLean
Date: 7 Sep 1999
Today I received notice of a new French journal on alchemy.
Though of a general nature it may contain some worthwhile
scholarly material. I will definitely risk a subscription.
Adam McLean
---------------------------------------------------
Une revue spécialisée sur l'Alchimie
Cette revue trimestrielle de format A4 avec au moins 64 pages,
rédigée en langage simple et clair, convient à l'amateur comme
au spécialiste.
Elle comporte dans chaque numéro:
une rubrique consacrée à l'histoire de l'alchimie
un dossier sur un alchimiste ou un interview
des articles de spécialistes sur l'alchimie pratique, philosophique,
symbolique, etc.
un forum d'échange, d'information et de recherches
des recettes pratiques d'opérations alchimiques ou spagyriques
des travaux de chercheurs peu connus présentés
les dernières nouveautés publiées, les activités
des termes définis sous forme de glossaire ou dictionnaire
et de plus, en exclusivité, une vingtaine de page de textes rares,
inconnus voir inédits provenant de manuscrits ou d'imprimés
des siècles derniers...
Abonnez-vous dès à présent pour 1 an soit 4 numéros.
Dans le premier numéro vous trouverez les thèmes suivant abordés
histoire de l'alchimie: étymologie de l'alchimie
l'interview exclusive d'un alchimiste: Jean D'Ambre
un alchimiste au XXème Siècle: T. H Moray
alchimie pratique: le sel des cendres
spagyrie pratique : la teinture du millepertuis
le mercure rouge
les voies alchimiques, etc.
sans compter nos textes rares et inédits dont pour la première fois
les écrits de Garschaole Lenselt : les apparences de vérité vraye,
autres instructions pour faire la pierre philosophale, etc.. Mais aussi
la première partie de la suite au traité du sel de Le Crom avec la
véritable préparation du sel des philosophes, ainsi que le traité de
Jacob Tollius (Jacques Toll) sur Le ciel des philosophes.
Je m'abonne pour 4 numéros au prix de 380 Fr (France)
400 Fr (outside France)
Mme NICOLAS ALCALAY
11, route du cou Gaulois
80290 DIGEON
FRANCE
Subject: ACADEMY : New Book on spanish alchemy
From: Jose Rodríguez
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999
Here I send a notice about a very interesting book on Spanish
alchemy that I have read recently.
AUTHOR: Mar Rey Bueno.
TITLE: El Hechizado. Medicina, alquimia y superstición en la
corte de Carlos II (1665-1700)
PAGES: 158
EDITORIAL: Ediciones Corona Borealis.
C/ Julián Hernández, 9
28043
Madrid (Spain)
ISBN: 84-930329-0-5
COMMENTARY: Mar Rey Bueno (Universidad Complutense de
Madrid) is a scholar of Spanish alchemy. She has published
various historical articles on alchemy and ancient pharmacy in
Spanish scientific journals. This book is one of the better works
on Spanish alchemy that I have read in the last years. She
explains about the relationships of the Spanish kings Felipe II
and Carlos II with alchemy and the alchemists. There are many
details on alchemists, spagyrists or pharmacists using
spagyrical operations in Spain during the 16th, 17th, and 18th
centuries. It is really a great historical book!
José Rodríguez
Subject: ACADEMY : New Book on spanish alchemy
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
Greetings Jose,
Do you know of a web address for Ediciones Corona Borealis?
I did an advanced search on five search engines, no luck.
This sounds interesting. How would you summarize the author's
perspective toward alchemy (as charlatanism, authentic, strictly
academic, mystical analysis, etc.)?
Muchas gracias
Catherine Fox-Anderson
Subject: ACADEMY : a) Rozemberg b) Rosencrantz
Date: Thu, 09 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
In reading Otto Walde's "Storhetstidens litterära krigsbyten"
(Stockholm, 1916-20) yesterday I was made aware that the
major part of the library (30 chests) taken at Prague in 1648
by the Swedes was made up of the library belonging to Peter
and Wilhelm Ursini Wok a Rosis (Rozemberg). It had been
transferred to the Hradchin palace and were as I can understand
incorporated in Rudolph's collections. (Or were they placed
separately at the Wittingau palace nearby?) Vossius' collection
at Leiden may thus in fact be from Rozemberg's library. Peter
Rozemberg is well known for receiving Dee and Kelley at
Trebona when they fled Prague in the 1590's. He was an avid
book collector and alchemical patron.
In researching the Prague looting (in Walde) I found that the
collector of Rosicrucian tracts at Lübeck, Joachim Morsius, writes
to Holger Rosencrantz in March 1626 to sell him a collection of
"an old man in a Catholic town that feared to be looted by
invading troops". We discussed Rosencrantz earlier this summer
and found him to be an alchemist, book collector, patron of
research, friend of Tycho Brahe and a dedicatee of
J. V. Andreae's "Dextera porrecta amoris".
For our Danish readership: Did Rosencrantz correspond any
further with Morsius? Did Rosencrantz support Morsius´ attempt
in 1624 under the pseudonym Anastasius Philareta Cosmopolita
to spread versions of Parcelsus' Lion prophecy in Denmark - to
cull Christian IV to join in the war in Germany? The Lion propehcy
is alluded to in the Rosicrucian Confessio in 1615 and Yates'
conjectures that Fredrik of Würtemberg was the object of
prophecy. Joachim Morsius went to Stockholm in 1622 to meet
the Royal antiquarian Johannes Bureus to discuss the seven
sections in Bureus´ reply to the Rosicrucians, his "Fama e
Scanzia Redux" (1616). In the next year August of Anhalt sent two
texts on "der Löwe aus der Mitternacht" to Bureus who was to
launch the idea of the Lion of the North in Sweden when
Christian turned out to be defeated in Germany in 1625.
(PS. Anton Hoberweschel von Hobernfeldt in Holland knew
of Morsius´ Lion-text)
Perhaps answers can be found in "the Black Diamond" - the
new annex to the Royal library in Copenhagen!
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : Ceres
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
I recall seeing mention of Ceres in a few alchemical texts- her
image or name. Can anyone help? Are there any texts on the
alchemy web site that mention her? Or images posted?
Many thanks in advance,
Catherine Fox-Anderson
Subject: ACADEMY : Mercurius and dualities
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
Could anyone recommend a text that focuses on Mercurius-
in particular its dualities? Anything in Spanish would be ideal,
but English is fine, too.
Many thanks in advance,
Catherine Fox-Anderson
Subject: ACADEMY : Ceres
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999
From: Adam McLean
>I recall seeing mention of Ceres in a few alchemical texts- her
>image or name. Can anyone help? Are there any texts on the
>alchemy web site that mention her? Or images posted?
Search of alchemy web site
Word count: ceres: 5
Documents 1 - 5 of about 5 matches, best matches first.
Faust - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
... , fleetly To adorn a fair head meetly. A Wreath of Golden Ears. To bedeck you, gifts of Ceres Will be lovely, sweet, and rare; What for us most wished and dear is Be for your adornment ...
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/faust23.html - 40k - 1999-08-08
Atalanta fugiens emblems 26 - 30
... to the utmost coasts of India, where are seated the Columns of Dionysus. Emblem XXXV. As Ceres accustomed Triptolemus and Thetis accustomed Achilles to abide Fire, so also doth the ...
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/atl31-4.html - 28k - 1999-08-08
EL PEZ FILOSÓFICO
... é (3)". El pez hermético es, además, Maya preñada de Mercurio, Juno preñada de Hebe, Ceres de Hécate; son Marte y Venus atrapados en la red trenzada por Vulcano, Horus antes de ...
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/el_pez.html - 37k - 1999-08-08
Rosicrucian Thoughts on the Ever-Burning Lamps of the Ancients.
... . Chre.=[Hebrew: ChRH]=sun=he burned. Krs.=[Hebrew: KRSh]=sun=(Greek?-EO)Kupios= Cyrus. Ceres=was called Taedifera=torch bearing. Chrs., from this also comes Eros in Greek, material ...
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/westcott.html - 28k - 1999-08-08
Gender in Alchemy
... -- and is connected in the accompanying lable to related goddesses including Venus, Juno, Ceres and Diana, absorbing yet another millennia of philosophical and visual history, in an ...
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/gender.html - 22k - 1999-08-08
Subject: ACADEMY : New Book on spanish alchemy
From: Jose Rodríguez
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999
>Do you know of a web address for Ediciones Corona Borealis?
>I did an advanced search on five search engines, no luck.
>This sounds interesting. How would you summarize the author's
>perspective toward alchemy (as charlatanism, authentic, strictly
>academic, mystical analysis, etc.)?
Ediciones Corona Borealis has not got a web address because
it is a small publisher. Corona Borealis publish special texts
printing few copies. I bought this work in a bookshop in
Madrid, but they haven't got web address too!! You can try in
'Librería 2 de Enero'. If you don´t find the book write me to my
e-mail address because I can talk with Mar Rey about how
to localize her book out of Spain.
I comment that her perspective toward alchemy is 'strictly
academic', not a mystical or symbolical analysis. She does
not say that alchemy is a charlatanism or a real science, she is
'fair' and she only gives a lot of historical resources on
Spanish alchemy in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
Good look Catherine,
José Rodríguez
Subject: ACADEMY : Spanish books - a relatively new and free research tool
From: Hans H. Hammerschlag
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999
Dear Friends :
While researching some bibliographical references
this weekend, I came accross a website, that offers
an excellent and free service to search for current
spanish publications on a variety of subjects.
In order to acces this information you have to fill out
and online registration form, and from then on you can
access their data base with a password. Most interesting
of all, is that besides the respective bibliographical data,
it provides the approximate selling prices of each book,
and the names and contact addresses (including in most
cases emails and webpages) of the companies through
which such books may be obtained. Many of the companies
referenced, ship worlwide, such as PUVILL, IBERBOOK,
LIBRERO SA, etc.
I reviewed carefully their listings on Alchemy, and I feel
that some of you that study the field of Alchemy in Spain,
may find some useful references.
The address as follows :
http://www.leer.nisc.com
Best Regards,
Hans
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Hans H. Hammerschlag
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999
Regarding 20th century scholars of alchemy, I wonder
if either of you are aware of the existence of any
latin-american scholars or well known authors on the
subject of alchemy, and if so, who are they ???
Best regards,
Hans
Subject: ACADEMY : Spanish books - a relatively new and free research tool
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
Dear Hans,
I want to thank you very much for this reference- I was able to locate
a book I've been searching for assiduously for three years now.
Octavio Paz, the recently deceased Mexican essayist, frequently raised
the question of the hermetic influence in the Americas. As I continue
work on my thesis, if names come up, I will send them on to the forum.
Best wishes,
Catherine
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Adam McLean
Date: 19 Sep 1999
Hans wrote,
>Regarding 20th century scholars of alchemy, I wonder
>if either of you are aware of the existence of any
>latin-american scholars or well known authors on the
>subject of alchemy, and if so, who are they ???
Regrettably I cannot think of any major Latin-american
scholar of alchemy, though a few notable books have
emerged from South America. Think of
Jose Jorge de Carvalho. Mutus Liber. O livro mudo da
alquimia. Sao Paulo, 1995.
Thanks so much for the information on the Spanish books
search engine. I have used this to order a few books. I had
not realised there was so much recently published in Spanish,
outside the amazing publishing activities of Santiago Jubany.
Adam McLean
Hans
Subject: ACADEMY : Labiche, Theatre alchemie?
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999
From: Diane Hirst
Dear Discussion Group,
I am an art historian, publishing my work under Diane Zervas, and I would
like some help from the group on a specific question. Has anyone heard of
an alchemical text, possibly writen or edited by Labiche (first name
unknown), called Theatre (alchemie?), of which five volumes were in the
possession of the symbolist artist Gustave Moreau. There is no entry for
Labiche in the British Library, and I've been unsuccessful in finding a
reference elsewhere. I'd be grateful for any help you could provide. Does
anyone know if one can search the Bibliotheque Nationale on-line?
Thank you for any help or information.
Diane Zervas Hirst
Subject: ACADEMY : List of 20th century scholars of alchemy
From: Robert Vanloo
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999
Concerning alchemy in this century, it is interesting to know that
the following book has been published in France recently:
"Ces hommes qui ont fait l'alchimie du XXe siècle :
"Louis Cattiaux
"Emmanuel d'Hoogvorst
"Jose Gifreda
"Henri Cotton Alvart
"Henri La Croix-Haute
"Roger Caro
"Alphonse Jobert
"Pierre Dujols de Valois
"Fulcanelli et Eugène Canseliet
Suivi de Philalèthe "Source de la Philosophique chimique", traduction Henri
Cotton-Alvart.
Chez Geneviève Dubois éditions, 1999
8, rue d'Alsace
38000 Grenoble
Tél/fax : 33.4.76.47.36.06
Concerning the study of alchemy in Spain, it is worth mentionning the following
website of the review "La Puerta" :
http://www.ttecla.es/la puerta/
Robert Vanloo
Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemic Workshop in Lvov
From: Bartosz Protas
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999
I would like to contribute some information concerning alchemic
workshops in Europe. This thread was active a few months ago.
There is an alchemic workshop in the city of Lvov (Western Ukraine).
It is located in the cellar of a drugstore museum in the Old Market
Square.
Allegedly (according to the guide), both the drugstore and the
workshop were established by Michael Terlecki around the year
1735. The house itself stems from the 16th century.
Best of Wishes,
Bartek Protas
Subject: ACADEMY : Labiche, Theatre alchemie?
From: Stanislas Klossowski de Rola
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999
Eugene Labiche was a prolific nineteenth century master of the theatrical
genre known as farce. Calmann-Levy published a 10 vol. edition of his
complete theatrical works in 1888. He was also an academician. I am
quite unaware of any play with a reference to alchemy and I suspect
that if there is one its theme is probably humorous.
Being a household name in France (on par with Shaw is in England)
there are indeed a great of editions of his work that are available as
well as works in English comparing him to Feydeau (FOR INSTANCE
PRONKO LEONARD C. LABICHE AND GEORGES FEYDEAU.)
I am truly surprised that you could not find anytthing at the British
Library, i worked there for many years and rarely failed to find
anything.
Good luck.
Stanislas Klossowski de Rola
Subject: ACADEMY : Bibliotheque Nationale on-line
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
Diane Zervas Hirst asked:
>Does anyone know if one can search the Bibliotheque Nationale
on-line?
You may enter www.bnf.fr and choose "BN-opal-plus" in the top
corner which is the on-line catalogue.
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : Esoteric Reprints booksellers
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999
From: Studio de Nicolellis
I've just received from Kessinger Publishing, MT U.S.A.
(http://www.kessinger-publishing.com) some quite good and
really inexpensive reprints of alchemy books (Ashmole,
Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum and the very interesting Glaser,
The Complete Chemist -1677) . I ordered those books on Sunday,
and received them in Italy on Tuesday: I was astonished.
Alas, Kessinger Publishing has only English books; I'm
searching also for French books (for example, the Cours
de chimie by Nicolas Lemery, and the books by Dujols, etc.)
I would appreciate very much to know of any other reprint
booksellers, best if available on Internet...
Could anyone help me?
Giuseppe de Nicolellis
Subject: ACADEMY : Esoteric Reprints booksellers
From: Massimo Marra
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999
Dear Giuseppe,
in your recent posting you wrote:
>Alas, Kessinger Publishing has only English books; I'm
>searching also for French books (for example, the Cours
>de chimie by Nicolas Lemery, and the books by Dujols, etc.)
You can found a lot of french books on alchemy by searching
in Alapage
http://www.alapage.com/
You can found some catalogues of French publishers (Arché,
Dervy, La table D'Emeraude etc.) at:
http://212.37.193.163/alchimie/index.html
>I would appreciate very much to know of any other reprint
>booksellers, best if available on Internet...
You can find some very interesting publishers on the alchemy
web site, at:
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/publishr.html
Cordiali saluti.
Massimo Marra
Subject: ACADEMY : Esoteric Reprints booksellers
From: Robert Vanloo
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999
Concerning books on alchemy in French, etc. please go the web site
of the LIBRAIRIE LA TABLE d'EMERAUDE à Paris and consult
the on-line catalogues :
http://www.contrepoints.com/table-emeraude/accueil.html
Robert Vanloo
Subject: ACADEMY : Esoteric Reprints booksellers
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999
From: Christopher Warnock
While some booksellers, Todd Pratum, for example, denounce
Kessinger, primarily for promiscuously printing anything even
remotely related to the occult and producing poor quality books,
I have found them useful. After all they're keeping books in print.
Some discrimination is necessary with Kessinger, however.
Another useful reprint publisher is John Ballantrae,
http://www.globalserve.net/~ballantrae/.
Chris Warnock
Subject: ACADEMY : Esoteric Reprints booksellers
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999
From: Mike Dickman
You might also want to WRITE to J-C Bailly Editeur, Gutenberg
Reprints, 4 rue Savoie, Paris 75006... Bailly's facsimile reprints
are expensive, but of a very high quality indeed, and contain
some extraordinary titles of alchemy both speculative and
operative, as well as other related subjects.
m
Subject: ACADEMY : Colloquium on Eugène Canseliet
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999
From: Mike Dickman
There is a colloquium coming up at the Sorbonne (December 4th.
and 5th.) on Eugène Canseliet. Interested parties should send a
cheque for FF280 to Archimed Diffusion SARL, BP7, 95620
PARMAIN before October 30th. to book.
Archimed Diffusion are also offering a CD ROM, "Chronique d'une
enigme annoncee" on the Canseliet-Fulcanelli mystery (FF250)
(state whether Mac or PC), a dossier "Ces hommes qui ont fait
l'Alchimie du XXe siecle" (FF119), and a special edition of the
revue 'Atlantis', "Hommage a Canseliet" (FF75)...
m
Subject: ACADEMY : Modern books in French on alchemy
From: Adam McLean
Date: 27th September 1999
A few days ago I managed to obtain a copy of the compendium
of articles on alchemy edited by Antoine Faivre
Alchemie. Cahiers de l'Hermetisme, Editiones Dervy, Paris , 1996.
For those who are unaware of this book it has a truly
comprehensive list of modern (i.e. 20th century) books
in French on the subject of alchemy
Subject: ACADEMY : The alchemical library of Rudolph II
From: Adam McLean
Date: 27th September 1999
Susanna Akerman in her book 'Queen Christina of Sweden
and her Circle', and in a recent posting to this group, has
shown that Queen Christina acquired much of Rudolph's
alchemical manuscripts during the Swedish occupation of
Prague. These manuscripts were later divided into two main
tranches, one of which is now in Leiden and the other in
the Vatican.
Please excuse my ignorance, but has any scholar, on the basis
of such information, attempted to reconstuct Rudolph II library,
expecially the alchemical material? I feel sure someone must
have attempted this over the years, but such a publication has
not come to my attention. It would be interesting to see just what
alchemical material Rudolph had in his library.
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : Some small queries (1)
From: Eve Sinaiko
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999
I am new to this list. I am editing a small, popular book on
alchemy, and though it is aimed very much at the general
reader, I would like it to be accurate. I wonder if any of the
following small puzzles might be amenable to simple answers.
Many thanks and apologies for taking your time and
bandwidth. If appropriate, I can be reached offlist at
evesinaiko@aol.com
Eve Sinaiko
Queries:
1. Who was the Arab alchemist Hali? Is this just another
name for King Khalid (Calid)? Are either of them historical
figures, and if so, from what century?
Are there actual texts by them extant, or are they merely
present in other writers' dialogues? If there are text of their
own, are any titles known?
2. Same questions for Morienus. Some sources place him
in the 5th century, others in the 12th; still others suggest that
he was a fictive figure.
3. Are there preferred spellings of the names Arnaldus de
Villanova, Calid, Nicolas (Nicholas) Flamel?
Once again, many thanks for any information you are
able to provide.
Subject: ACADEMY : Colloquium on Eugène Canseliet
Date: 28 Sep 1999
From: Adam McLean
Regarding the colloquium in Paris on Eugène Canseliet,
I have now placed some details on the web site
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/canseliet_colloquium.html
Subject: ACADEMY : The alchemical library of Rudolph II
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999
From: Susanna Åkerman
Reading Petrus Cornelis Boeren's Codices Vossiani Chymici
(Leiden 1975) is useful in terms of determining which of the Leiden
manuscripts derives from Rudolph. (See the list at
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/almss30.html )
Of the 100+ manuscripts only two have dedication-poems directed
to Rudolph. These are Q11, which contains a number of manuscripts
beginning with Correctio Fatuorum and Clangor Buccinae, and
Q39, which contains texts on Merlin and some by George Ripley.
Boeren mentions that, according to an old catalogue, item Q31B
contains notes in Latin, Czech and German attributed to Rudolph.
They are on texts by Petrus Lopicus Xinovius. But can we be
certain of this attribution, Boeren asks?
Thus some of the material in the Vossius' collection comes
from Rudolph's personal library, but not all of them. Thirteen items
have exlibrises by Petrus Wok Rozemberg and one by his brother
Willhelm. Another item must have been looted by the Swedes at
Augsburg (before the Prague coup in 1648) and this is the text
Q56 in the hand of Karl Wideman, the collector of Rosicrucian tracts
and correspondent with Moriz of Hesse. There are also some items
that can be determined to have come from the loot of Olmouz (1642)
and Nikolsburg (1645) and from Erfurt (1632).
Without a clear dedication, exlibris or signature one thus cannot
say which of the manuscripts derived from Rudolph's own library.
Thus the two items Q11 and Q39 are the closest we can get to
the Emperor.
What Rudolph manuscripts remain today in Prague? Or
elsewhere?
Susanna Åkerman
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
From: Hans Hammerschlag
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999
Dear members :
I received today from a friend a curious reference to the
following internet web page address, to which I want
to call your attention :
http://www.liber-mirabilis.nu/frlv0005.html
As you may see if you visit that address, it is being
announced the publication of the FINIS GLORIAE MUNDI.
Is this a joke ?? Does anyone know anything about this ??
Who is Jacques d'ARES ??
Your comments and thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Best regards to all,
Hans
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
From: Hans Hammerschlag
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999
This is what I was talking about ...
Hans
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finis Gloriae Mundi
de Fulcanelli
A l'occasion du centenaire de la naissance de son disciple
Eugène CANSELIET, l'Alchimiste FULCANELLI publie, grâce
au précieux intermédiaire de Jacques d'ARES, la suite et fin de
ses oeuvres majeures :
LE MYSTERE DES CATHEDRALES et
LES DEMEURES PHILOSOPHALES
Pour la première fois dans l'Histoire, un Adepte livre les
secrets de la voie brève et donne une lecture alchimique de
l'avenir de l'humanité qui n'est en rien une prédiction
apocalyptique de l'an 2000.
UN AUTHENTIQUE EVENEMENT
LE MONUMENT DE LA PHILOSOPHIE HERMETIQUE
OCCIDENTALE POUR LE XXI° SIECLE !
FINIS GLORIAE MUNDI
le célèbre tableau de Juan de Valdés Léal
"Il n'est pas d'usage qu'un Adepte, après avoir traversé sa
propre transmutation, reprenne la plume et seules des raisons
impérieuses, mettant en jeu le destin de l'humanité entière, ont
pu nous convaincre de transgresser cette règle d'ordinaire
infrangible et de nous départir du manteau de silence dont
s'enveloppe celui qui passe par le brasier du Phénix."
Après une très longue période de silence, l'Adepte Fulcanelli
reprend donc la plume et livre son ultime manuscrit : Finis Gloriae Mundi.
Longtemps annoncé, retiré des mains d'Eugène Canseliet
pour des raisons que Fulcanelli explique aujourd'hui, ce texte
essentiel est porté à notre connaissance par l'intermédiaire de
Jacques d'Arès à qui l'Adepte confie :
"Ne vous interrogez pas trop sur les raisons qui motivèrent le
choix unanime de votre personne pour recevoir ce dépôt, elles
sont des plus simples : choisir l'un des héritiers dans l'art de notre
fidèle Canseliet n'eût pas manqué d'attiser de fâcheuses envies,
des rancoeurs et des doutes dommageables à leur labeur.
Nous connaissons et honorons votre intégrité et voyons en vous
l'héritier de Paul Le Cour et de Philéas Lebesgue qui surent
accueillir et encourager notre propre élève lorsqu'il se retrouva
seul en son laboratoire. Recevez donc en retour ce don de
confiance dont nous avons la certitude que vous saurez faire
bon usage."
Le troisième et dernier volume de l'oeuvre de Fulcanelli livre
le secret de la voie brève et c'est ce qui motiva essentiellement
son occultation :
"En effet, il nous parut alors que, si les signes étaient venus de
rendre public le modus operandi de la voie sèche, les temps
n'étaient, hélas ! pas encore mûrs pour dévoiler les arcanes de l'ars
brevis . Notre prudence fut largement confirmée par la survenue et
la croissance de cette plaie immonde que fut le nazisme."
Et Fulcanelli précise :
"Il est temps à la fois de dénoncer les oeuvres amers et de
révéler les éléments de la voie brève. Les artistes, ceux qui ne se
contentent pas de collectionner les ouvrages rares mais labourent
véritablement au creuset, reconnaîtront que, par-delà les sévères
mises en garde que nous sommes dans l'obligation de lancer, cet
ouvrage fut écrit en langue des oiseaux et que le contenu en est
entièrement philosophique. Ce ne sont pas les fils de science qui
manquent en cette fin de siècle, encore que les plus vaillants ne
soient pas ceux dont les commentaires traînent le plus dans les
revues spécialisées."
Outre l'aspect alchimique incontournable, Fulcanelli offre
quelques prédictions, in fine, sur l'avenir de notre humanité. Pas
de catastrophes ni de cataclysmes mais une lecture "philosophale"
des évéments sous forme de testament car :
"Nous voyons dans l'Histoire, des civilisations se perdre par
dessèchement et manque d'Esprit."
Fulcanelli l'affirme :
"Ce livre écrit dans l'urgence sera le dernier que signera
Fulcanelli. Puissions-nous après cela, ayant accompli le devoir
qui nous incombe, rentrer dans le Silence de l'adeptat et n'oeuvrer
que selon les voies que requiert cet état."
- Details techniques et sommaire de l'edition, presentation de
Jacques d'Ares :
- Souscription pour ce livre version papier :
La direction des collections des éditions LIBER MIRABILIS
a été confiée à Jean-Marc SAVARY
Président du CENTRE EUROPEEN DES MYTHES & LEGENDES
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
Adam McLean
Date: 29th Sep 1999
This morning I received this message in English about the
Finis Gloriae Mundi.
---------------------------
"It is not customary for an Adept, after having voyaged through his own
transmutation, to take up the pen once more; only urgent reasons, putting
into play the destiny of all humanity, could convince us to transgress this
ordinary infrangible rule and to throw off the mantle of silence which
cloaks he who has passed through the coals of the Phoenix."
After a long period of silence, the Adept Fulcanelli once more
takes up his pen and delivers his ultimate manuscript: Finis
Gloriæ Mundi.
Long-rumoured to exist, and removed from the possession of
Eugène Canseliet for reasons explained by Fulcanelli, this
essential text was brought to our attention by Jacques d'Ares to
whom the Adept confided:
"Do not ask yourself what reasons lie behind the unanimous
choice of your person to receive this trust, as they are the
simplest of reasons. To choose one of the heirs to the art of our
faithful Canseliet cannot avoid stirring up troublesome envy,
rancour, and doubts injurious to their labours. We know and
honour your integrity and see in you the true heir of Paul Le Cour
and of Philéas Lebesgue, who know to welcome and encourage our
own student as he finds himself alone in his laboratory. Thus receive
in return this gift of confidence which we are certain you will make
good use of".
The third and last volume of the work of Fulcanelli explains the
secret of the short way and it is this which essentially motivated
his occultation:
"In effect, it seems to us that, if the signs had come to publicise the
modus operandi of the dry way, the times were not, alas, yet ripe
to unveil the secrets of the ars brevis. Our prudence was strongly
confirmed by the unexpected arrival and growth of the foul scourge
of Nazism".
And Fulcanelli specifies:
"It is time now to denounce malevolent works and to reveal the
elements of the short way. Those artists who are not content to
simply collect rare tomes but labour diligently at their crucible will
recognise that, beyond the severe warnings we must issue, this
work was written in the language of the birds and its content is
entirely philosophical. It is not only the sons of science who are
lacking at this end of the century, no more than the most valiant are
necessarily those who follow the commentaries in specialised
journals".
Beyond the unavoidable alchemical aspect, Fulcanelli offers
several predictions, particularly on the future of our human society.
Neither catastrophies nor cataclysms, but a "philosophical"
reading of events in the form of a testament for:
"We see in the history of civilisations that they lose themselves by
dessication and a lack of Spirit".
Fulcanelli affirms:
"This book written in urgency will be the last signed Fulcanelli. Let
us, after this, having accomplished the task which lies heavily upon
us, return into the Silence of the Adeptat and only work according to
the methods required by this state".
Included in the book:
PREFACE OF JACQUES D'ARES
INTRODUCTION
FINIS GLORIÆ MUNDI
THE REVERSAL OF THE POLES
THE ALCHEMICAL SECRET
ERRANT WAYS CONCERNING THE SWETDES SAGES
THE EMERALD TABLE
THE RESISTANCES OF MATTER
NI MAS NI MENOS
MULTIPLICATION
From Jacques d'Ares' Preface:
An attentive reading of the manuscript Finis Gloriæ Mundi has
convinced me that it is truly the adept Fulcanelli. First, we find in the
text certain incontestable considerations on the evolution of our
civilisations which amply justify the title of the work.
Next, according to the method already used in previous works,
valuable instruction as to the modus operandi are given, veiled
by design as necessary, to "uncover the secrets of the ars brevis"--
something which has never been done--for those who attempt to
approach the Adeptat. A thousand details, contained on almost
every page, confirm the individuality of thought which is found
throughout the three works of the Master.
It so happened that Fulcanelli trusted his last work to me in the
same year of the century in which his disciple Eugène Canseliet
was born. This does not seem to me to have happened by
chance. Thus it seems, certain persons taking pleasure in
minimising, it is the least that we could say about the work of
Canseliet...
Taking into account the preceding, I was quickly convinced of
the necessity to publish this third and final volet of the tryptich,
convinced of its relevance.
In addition, the trilogy forms a perfectly coherent whole and,
according to Eugène Canseliet, "stands in the didactic work as
the most extraordinary alchemical trilogy".
Jacques d'ARES
One Book... Two Editions!
FRENCH EDITION
under the direction of Jean-Marc Savary
* Format in 4to
* High quality white paper
* Hand-sewn covers and archival glues which ensure durability
* Meticulously printed and designed in the great tradition of books of alchemy
Price: 250 FF
FRENCH ART EDITION
under the direction of Jean-Marc Savary
* Printing limited to twelve numbered editions
* Format in 4to
* Deluxe paper
* Bound by hand in pure distressed leather
* Traditional hand-gilded pages in 22 carat gold
* Leather headband
* Bindings sewn by hand
* Personally inscribed by Jacques d'Ares and Jean-Marc Savary
Price: 4500 FF
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
Gillick Marcella
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999
Dear Hans,
Could you (or anybody) please tell me what exactly is contained
in the balance, or any other explanations of the significance of
this image - it is very fuzzy and unclear. Also the artist. This is very
important to me.
Very many thanks in advance,
Marcella
Subject: ACADEMY : Mappae clavicula
From: Adam McLean
Date: 29th Sep 1999
A few months ago we discussed the 'Mappae Clavicula' as
one of the early texts relevant to European alchemy. Today I
came across a little footnote in William Eamon's 'Science and
the Secrets of Nature'. Here he points to a hypothesis of Anne
Wilson that this was originally titled 'Baphae clavicula' but an
early scribe misread the 'B' as an 'M'. 'Baphae clavicula'
translates as "the key to tinting" which is entirely in line with
the subject matter of the 'Mappae clavicula', that is dyeing,
colouring, and tincting.
Adam McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
From: Laly Warkentien
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999
I thought some of us could use the direct address to the
English version of the page in which details and introduction
by Jacques d'Ares on the "Finis Gloriae Mundi", supposedly
written by Fulcanelli, is found. I believe most of us who consider
books by Fulcanelli to be treasures of knowledge, are skeptical
as to the veracity of such a claim, but nevertheless, interested by
the possibility.
http://www.liber-mirabilis.nu/uklv0005.html
Laly Warkentien
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
From: Hans Hammerschlag
Date: 30th September 1999
Marcella :
As always it is a great pleasure to hear from you.
I have tried to see the picture more carefully through an image
processing software but still quite fuzzy. Of course it is clearly
seen on the left side the head of a goat and a lamb, as well as
a heart. With the underwriting NIMAS. On the right side of
the balance, a closed book, it seems a mortar, a sacred heart
(Jesus), and underwriting NIMENOS.
With regards to the expression NI MAS NI MENOS, which
is also the name of one of the chapters of the announced book,
it literally translates as NEITHER MORE NOR LESS. It is an
idiomatic expression pointing to the concreteness of a fact. For
example ... if you ask : "Is this truly Fulcanelli's book ?", and
someone would reply (hopefully someone who would know),
NI MAS NI MENOS, he would mean to say, IT IS PRECISELY
THAT, NEITHER MORE NOR LESS.
Subject: ACADEMY : Colloquium on Eugène Canseliet
From: Hans Hammerschlag
Date: 30th September 1999
With regards to the Congress on Canseliet to be held near
Paris on December, among the participants are:
Jacques d' Ares
M. Severin Batfroi
Michel Binda
Henri Bodard
Geneviève Dubois
Robert Delvarre
Richard Khaitzine
Paolo Lucarelli
François Trojani
Johan Dreue
PROGRAM
Jacques d'Ares : «About Paul Le Cour and Philéas Lebesgue»
Jacques d'Ares, previous President of the ATLANTIS association
est un témoin privilégié qui nous fera part de quarante-neuf ans
de souvenirs personnels et éditoriaux.
M. Séverin Batfroi : «Aspects de l'oeuvre littéraire» :
caractéristiques, originalité et évolution au fil du temps. Le tout
pour parvenir à cette question : peut-on dans ce cas précis parler
d'oeuvre littéraire à part entière ? essai de définition d'un parcours
original au sein d'une oeuvre qui ne se construit que dans ses
rapports avec d'autres textes dont elle est la marge ou le
commentaire sans fin.
Michel Binda : «NEMO ACCIPIT ... ou l'éthique alchimique
après Canseliet»
Considérant l'Alchimie comme un monde en formation et non
l'image d'une Réalité pré- donnée, indépendante de ses interprètes,
on s'interroge après la disparition de son prin cipal héraut sur
l'attitude alchimique, sur le lien - de parole, de conscience et
d'action qui peut exister entre ses dispositions et notre difficile
quotidienneté.
M. Henri Bodard : «Alchimiques définitions et cabale phonétique» :
de la gaye Science ou du bon usage du calembour, une introduction
à la langue des Oiseaux si bien défendue par E.Canseliet. Cabale
phonétique - Principe - Remède - Réintégration - échanges fluidiques.
Mme Geneviève Dubois :«E. Canseliet et le milieu alchimique du
début du siècle en France»
Une évocation d'autres adeptes ayant évolué de pair avec Eugène
Canseliet : une intéressante confrontation sur une voie qui se
décline aussi au pluriel.
M. Robert Delvarre : «Réception d'une enseignement. Situation de
l'alchimie au XXème siècle»
Difficulté du témoignage : action et impact de l'oeuvre d' E.Canseliet.
Présentation d'une partie du travail effectué en conséquence de l'
enseignement reçu. Le conférencier a bénéficié de la proximité
du Maitre de Savignies et témoignera de l'élaboration du Grand
Oeuvre.
M. Richard Khaitzine : «Ombres et lumières autour d'une intrigue
littéraire»
A propos de lacunes et d'un silence dérangeant : pourquoi E.
Canseliet n' évoqua t'il pas la fondation du cabaret «le Chat Noir»
évoqué pourtant par Fulcanelli ainsi que la présence surprenante
de sa signature - l'yppocampe - au sein des toiles de Steinlein et
de Toulouse Lautrec? Des questions auquel le conférencier
tentera d'apporter de nouveaux éclaircissements.
M. Paolo Lucarelli : «La genèse du Monde et le Grand Oeuvre»
Toutes les traditions reconnaissent à la base de la Création un
événement dramatique que nous pouvons appeler «erreur
ontologique». Ce qui a causé que l'Univers entier est affecté par
une «Maladie Universelle» dont l'Alchimie se propose la cure
radicale par la «Médecine Universelle», but effectif du Grand Oeuvre.
M. François Trojani : «Témoignages et propos sur des aspects
inédits d' E.Canseliet» :
évocation des contacts avec différents alchimistes : Bernard
Husson et André Savoret.
M. Johan Dreue : «de Canceliet à Cancelliari : sous le sceau du
secret»
L'histoire d'un songe qui fût déterminant dans la genèse de
l'oeuvre d'E. Canseliet. L'énigme de Palombara et autres songes :
quand le rêve devient réalité. Une confrontation avec d'autres
rêveurs éveillés des plus surprenantes !
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
From: Hans Hammerschlag
Date: 30th September 1999
Dear Members of this Academic forum :
First of all a clarification on my part is in order ...
When I said :
>Is this a joke ?? Does anyone know anything about this ??
>Who is Jacques d'ARES ??
I now feel that my inadaquate usage of the English language
led me to express myself in a manner that may have seemed
disrespectful with respect to the announcement that has been
issued with regards to the publication of the FINIS GLORIAE
MUNDI as supposedly authorized by Fulcanelli himself. This
was not my intention, for which I apologize in advance if anyone
took it in that sense. On the other hand, I agree with the comments
made by Laly Warkentien when it was said :
> I believe most of us who consider books by Fulcanelli to be
> treasures of knowledge, are skeptical as to the veracity of such
> a claim, but nevertheless, interested by the possibility.
I feel that it is always healthy to be skeptical, without taking
skepticism to the extreme that we are blinded from following
the path towards the opening of new doors towards knowledge.
Therefore, I am as well skeptical, while interested ...
On the other hand I questioned who is Jacques d'Ares ?
Well ... since I posted the question, I have been able to review
some data with regards to the Congress on Canseliet to be held near
Paris on December, where there will be participating :
Jacques d' Ares
M. Severin Batfroi
Michel Binda
Henri Bodard
Geneviève Dubois
Robert Delvarre
Richard Khaitzine
Paolo Lucarelli
François Trojani
Johan Dreue
Some of them direct disciples of Canseliet, for which I take (assume)
they are also in a manner backing up the publication, given the evident
coincidence of the issuance of the publication at the time of the
Congress. Besides that, some of them are also directly involved on
the internet page CONTREPOINTS that deals with alchemy in a very
serious manner, which gives a good feeling in that sense to the claim.
On the other hand, being a simple man, as I am, it caughts my attention
the fact of the great emphasis being made on the physical QUALITY of
the publication ... which it seems to me, even though as attractive as it
may be, is the least important concern, when it comes to a publication
of this magnitude, if what it is announced with respect to its origin and
content is true. If a revelation is received from an ADEPT, in my humble
and ignorant opinion, the least of the concerns would be if it is handsewn,
gold leafed, or whatever, but the message that it contains ... specially
in the midst of a "crucial" moment in the history of humanity, as it is
presented.
Evidently, it would be interesting to read the book and if possible to
be at the Congress ... but the net result of all this, and the resulting
balance, is still yet to be seen.
Hans
--------------
Program of conference in separate e-mail - A McLean
Subject: ACADEMY : Finis Gloriae Mundi
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson
> With regards to the expression NI MAS NI MENOS, which
> is also the name of one of the chapters of the
> announced book, it literally translates as NEITHER MORE
> NOR LESS. It is an idiomatic expression pointing to the
> concreteness of a fact.
Dear Hans
This is a Spanish expression. Do you know how or who
wrote it? I am largely unfamiliar with this work- I
have but have spent minimal time with Fulcanelli, the
Dwellings of the Philosophers. Curious.
Thank you,
Catherine Fox-Anderson