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The Arts of the Alchemists
Very...thorough.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
224 pages
First published January 1, 1967
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August 21, 2024
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November 2, 2024
A more informative, comprehensively spiritual understanding of the alchemical practice throughout the pioneering period of chemistry. Although I do find the patterned mention that the author makes on the creation of Gold through alchemical process, almost an abiding and incessant annoyance, I believe it is a great method of keeping interest and curiosity towards this historic science (not that method is a great one...), but I find that it adds an immature blue's clues vibe.
By looking at the index at first glance, I first received the impression that the book was going to have a much more experimental/practical presentation all throughout about the different processes found through experimentation (calcination , sublimation, solification, albification, crystallization etc...), which was the reason why I grabbed the book, but it seems to be more accurately categorized as just another account of the historical figures (and characters) that molded the modern science of chemistry which is subdivided by artistically intended classifications. The book is full of relational accounts of contemporary alchemists on their quest to achieve the mystical "philosophers stone" (??).
Besides these relationship stories and descriptions of how these people influenced the science, the book seems to have a very pleasant consideration on how the occult alchemical symbolisms brought into the practice a certain type of self reflectiveness which, in my opinion, speaks of the alchemist as being a much more sophisticated personality than that which is usually given to it, a moral wizard of sorts. A recurring theme found in the book is that which describes the personality of the alchemist as a man/woman of humility and inner reflection, where a very interesting relationship between the substances in his practice and the elements of the inner soul have a symbolic relationship which teach improvement of the inner character. Often you will find that this book mentions and makes relation with the natural changes of substances and the inner change of soul.
Besides the spiritual-like paragraphs and sentences, there are also some sections that describe the alchemist as being a human attempting to connect with the higher faculties, and higher ideas of the mind through meditative receptivity. as described...
"He opened his very soul to the impact of half formulated ideas"
On his addictive quest towards mystery in the hopes of mental discovery through symbolisms and self reflections, the true alchemists seemed to have a selfless search for the mysteries of nature through the mixing and recompositing of matter by his instruments. One thing that I did find quite interesting which did go in line with this mystical and selfless image of the alchemist is that the book makes mention, the chemical knowledge gained was not initially for the purpose of seeking scientific approach, but that his/her search was much more mental and personal than scientific, which, as mentioned, the information collected was much more a byproduct of the traditions practiced. Interesting because chemistry as we know it was composed out of the many conclusions coming from the compilations of the many experiments performed by the alchemists, funny how it never was intended for this purpose.
Even though mentioned only briefly, I believe that this book also does a good job in making the reader aware of the psychological sides which alchemy effected in this type of scientist. In proper view, these mental conditions or mental states were, as well as being described by Freud as complexes that may have been devoid of spiritual sourcing, a result of a type of nature that described the alchemical experience reflected by these mental states as coming from very simple word associations. Presented simply in this book, Freud proposed an analysis which would contradict the occultist's spiritual consideration of the alchemist, and as a result reclassify the mystical experience under a psychoanalytically secular light.
I highly recommend this book as a descriptive of the who in the alchemist.
By looking at the index at first glance, I first received the impression that the book was going to have a much more experimental/practical presentation all throughout about the different processes found through experimentation (calcination , sublimation, solification, albification, crystallization etc...), which was the reason why I grabbed the book, but it seems to be more accurately categorized as just another account of the historical figures (and characters) that molded the modern science of chemistry which is subdivided by artistically intended classifications. The book is full of relational accounts of contemporary alchemists on their quest to achieve the mystical "philosophers stone" (??).
Besides these relationship stories and descriptions of how these people influenced the science, the book seems to have a very pleasant consideration on how the occult alchemical symbolisms brought into the practice a certain type of self reflectiveness which, in my opinion, speaks of the alchemist as being a much more sophisticated personality than that which is usually given to it, a moral wizard of sorts. A recurring theme found in the book is that which describes the personality of the alchemist as a man/woman of humility and inner reflection, where a very interesting relationship between the substances in his practice and the elements of the inner soul have a symbolic relationship which teach improvement of the inner character. Often you will find that this book mentions and makes relation with the natural changes of substances and the inner change of soul.
Besides the spiritual-like paragraphs and sentences, there are also some sections that describe the alchemist as being a human attempting to connect with the higher faculties, and higher ideas of the mind through meditative receptivity. as described...
"He opened his very soul to the impact of half formulated ideas"
On his addictive quest towards mystery in the hopes of mental discovery through symbolisms and self reflections, the true alchemists seemed to have a selfless search for the mysteries of nature through the mixing and recompositing of matter by his instruments. One thing that I did find quite interesting which did go in line with this mystical and selfless image of the alchemist is that the book makes mention, the chemical knowledge gained was not initially for the purpose of seeking scientific approach, but that his/her search was much more mental and personal than scientific, which, as mentioned, the information collected was much more a byproduct of the traditions practiced. Interesting because chemistry as we know it was composed out of the many conclusions coming from the compilations of the many experiments performed by the alchemists, funny how it never was intended for this purpose.
Even though mentioned only briefly, I believe that this book also does a good job in making the reader aware of the psychological sides which alchemy effected in this type of scientist. In proper view, these mental conditions or mental states were, as well as being described by Freud as complexes that may have been devoid of spiritual sourcing, a result of a type of nature that described the alchemical experience reflected by these mental states as coming from very simple word associations. Presented simply in this book, Freud proposed an analysis which would contradict the occultist's spiritual consideration of the alchemist, and as a result reclassify the mystical experience under a psychoanalytically secular light.
I highly recommend this book as a descriptive of the who in the alchemist.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews