Alchemy; The Turba Philosophorum; Or, Assembly of the Sages, Called Also the Book of Truth in the Art and the Third Pythagorical Synod;

by Arthur Edward Waite (Editor)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ... well, O Parmenides, but thou hast not demonstrated the disposition of the smoke to posterity, nor how the same is whitened! The Twelfth Dictum. Lucas saith: I will speak at this time, following the steps of the ancients. Know, therefore, all ye seekers after Wisdom, that this treatise is not from the beginning of the ruling !* Take quicksilver, ! which is from the male, and coagulate according to custom. Observe that I am speaking to you in accordance with custom, because it has been already coagulated. Here, therefore, is not the beginning of the ruling, but I prescribe this method, namely, that you shall take the quicksilver from the male, and shall either impose upon iron, tin, or governed copper, and it will be whitened.* * A further insight into the artificial character of the book is afforded at this point. The meaning which is designed to be conveyed is, that in common with many other alchemical works, the instruction begins in the middle of the process--for the more complete confusion of the uninitiated. f It should be noted in this connection that the attribution of the seven metals to the seven planets is not found in the Turba. Thus, quicksilver is never spoken of as Mercury, nor gold as Sol, &c. White Magnesia is made in the same way, and the male is converted with it. But forasmuch as there is a certain affinity between the magnet and the iron, therefore our nature rejoices.t Take, then, the vapour which the Ancients commanded you to take, and cook the same with its own body until tin is produced. Wash away its blackness according to custom, and cleanse and roast at an equable fire until it be whitened. But every body is whitened with governed quicksilver, for Nature converts Nature. Take, therefore, Magnesia, Water of Alum, ...

Genres: Occult, Alchemy, Philosophy, Mysticism, Religion

38 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1891

About the author

Arthur Edward Waite was a scholarly mystic who wrote extensively on occult and esoteric matters, and was the co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. As his biographer, R.A. Gilbert described him, "Waite's name has survived because he was the first to attempt a systematic study of the history of western occultism viewed as a spiritual tradition rather than as aspects of proto-science or as the pathology of religion."

Reviews

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.alchemywebsite.com/turba....

[Alex Kartelias · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting alchemical work. It's origin being in the Islamic world, it's admirable that the Muslim writer choose an Ancient Greek setting for his work- to see Socrates talking about coagulation is sure different. And yet, this text is the model for what would later be the source of hundred alchemical works, once this text was translated into Latin. The entire alchemical process is explained through these dialogues which are not so unsimilar to Plato's dialogues. It's amazing that the author of this work warns how the grand work is hidden from the masses and how the process has been described under many names in numerous books. To think that what was- and still is- the norm in European alchemy was felt much earlier in the Islamic world is intriguing. But the prime message of this text is as sublimely follows: "Nature rejoices Nature, Nature overcomes Nature and Nature contains Nature".

[Elli Toney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Turba Philosophorum, also known as Assembly of the Philosophers, is one of the oldest European alchemy texts, translated from Arabic. It is considered to have been written c. 900 A.D. Introduction and Notes, by A.E. Waite.

"Know that the earth is a hill and not a plain, for which reason the Sun does not ascend over all the zones of the earth in a single hour; but if it were flat, the sun would rise in a moment over the whole earth."

Some interesting takeaways, but mostly just really steeped in alchemical process and allegory. I was expecting a little more notation from Waite as usual for his translations, but he didn't really contribute much to this one.