1.
1. CORE STUDIES IN ALCHEMY
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2.
1A PRIMARY TEXTS
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3. Hermetic art and science of alchemy (1714). Kessinger, 2003. 68p. ISBN: 9780766175730.
"Found in this volume are two smaller works by W. Wynn Westcott. Volume III of the Collectanea Hermetica entitled a Short Inquiry Concerning the Hermetic Art by a Lover of Philalethes is an essay regarding the art of bringing all imperfect metals to perfection. In The Science of Alchemy, Westcott presents the subject of alchemy from the point which affords the widest view". [*].
4. Masson, Cynthea. Queer copulations and the pursuit of divine conjunction in two Middle English alchemical poems. In: Intersections of sexuality and the divine in Medieval culture: the word made flesh, ed. Susannah Chewning. (Burling (VT): Ashgate, 2005), 37-47. [*].
5. Bacon, Roger. [Speculum alchemiae]. The mirror of alchemy, composed by the famous and learned Frier, Roger Bacon, sometimes Fellow of Martin College: and afterwards of Brasen-nose College in Oxenforde. Kessinger, 2004. 48p. ISBN: 9781417950430.
"1597. The Mirror of Alchemy is an alchemical classic written by Roger Bacon, (Doctor Mirabilis: Latin for Wonderful Teacher), English Franciscan philosopher and educational reformer was a major medieval proponent of experimental science and is thought of as one of the earliest advocates of the modern scientific method. He studied mathematics, astronomy, optics, alchemy, and languages. His Opus Majus contains treatments of mathematics and optics, alchemy and the manufacture of gunpowder, the positions and sizes of the celestial bodies, and anticipates later inventions such as microscopes, telescopes, spectacles, flying machines and steam ships". [*].
6. Boyle, Robert. An historical account of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir: a strange chymical narrative. London: , 1689. [*].
7. Boyle, Robert. An historical account of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir: a strange chymical narrative. 2nd ed. London: Printed for R. Montagu, at the Book-Ware-House in Great Wilde-Street, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields, 1739. vi, 18p. [* {Duveen 97}].
8. Boyle, Robert. The sceptical chymist: or Chymico-physical doubts and paradoxes, touching the experiments whereby vulgar spagyrists are wont to endeavour to evince their Salt, Sulphur and Mercury to be the true principles of things. To which in this edition are subjoyn'd divers experiments and notes about the producibleness of chymical principles. Oxford: Printed by Henry Hall from Ric. Davis and B. Took at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-Yard, 1680. 20, 440, 28, 268p. [* {Duveen 96}].
9. Cockren, Archibald. [Alchemy rediscovered and restored ]. Alchemy rediscovered and restored. Book Tree, 1998. ISBN: 9781585090280. Reprint of London: Rider, [1940] [*].
10. Norton, Thomas. The ordinal of alchemy. Kessinger, 2005. 112p. ISBN: 9781417916078. [*].
11. Masson, Cynthea. Intention to write, intention to teach: vernacular poetry and pedagogy in Thomas Norton's Ordinal of Alchemy. Florilegium 17 Dec 2000, 45-58. [*].
12. McCallum, Robert Ian. Tne Ripley Scroll. [http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/library/history/ripley/ripley1.php]. Access date: 7 Jun 2008.
First of 5 pages decsribing the Scroll held at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. [#ABEL2].
13. Bleiler, Everett F. Johann Valentin Andreae, fantasist and utopist. Sci Fict Studs 35(1 (104)) Feb 2008, 3-30.
"A category of fantastic fiction that has not received much critical attention is the alchemical fiction that flourished during the Renaissance and early Baroque periods in Europe. A literature of wide variety, ranging from pretended historical accounts rendered with some verisimilitude to total fantasies, some of it is proto science-fiction of a sort, since it fantasized the generally accepted science of the day, physical alchemy. One of the most interesting of these alchemical fictions is the short novel Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreütz Anno 1459 [A Chemical Wedding by Christian Rosencreütz] (1616) by Johann Valentin Andreae (1586-1654). An outgrowth of the contemporary Rosicrucian hoax, it describes the ritual decapitation and dissolution of triple monarchs who are reconstituted and revived by a traditional alchemical process. The narrative, which embodies elements from various cultural configurations of the day, centers on the experiences of the aged hermit Christian Rosencreütz, who attends the magical court and is witness of and participant in the successful alchemical operation. While much of the novel remains puzzling, it is most interesting in working alchemical ideas into fictional form. Andreae is generally considered one of the most important German authors of the seventeenth century. A pioneer in bringing Italian literary techiques into German literature, he is also the author of the eutopia Christianopolis (1619).. [#ABEL2].
14. Braunschweig, Hieronymous. The vertuose boke of the distyllacyon of all maner of herbes ... London: L. Andrew, 1527. [* {Duveen 106}].
15. Paracelsus. Alchemy: the third column of medicine. Kessinger, 2005. 48p. ISBN: 9781425350437.
"His medical philosophy astutely rendered with much more of interest on Sacred Astrology". [*].
16. Cwik, August J. Rosarium revisited. Spring (74) 2005. [*].
17. The Solidonius Manuscript; translated by Vincent Matley, with an introduction by Adam McLean. Glasgow: Adam McLean, 2008. 60p.
(Magnum Opus Hermetic sourceworks; 35). "The Solidonius series of eighteen watercolour emblems is an obscure alchemical work existing in at least sixteen manuscripts. It dates back to 1541, but the early version was rediscovered and reworked during the 18th century revival of interest in alchemical works in France. At the core of the emblem sequence is a strange meeting and merging of two figures. In other alchemical works, such as the Rosarium philosophorum, which is in fact contemporary with the early version of the Solidonius, this occurs through the figure of a hermaphrodite. Here we do have a meeting of male and female figures, but also a conjoining of two male figures. The idea being presented is the fusion of two polarised components. The work also incorporates the conventional sequence of alchemical colour changes. The text has been translated by Vincent Matley from the 18th century French version. It comments closely on the symbolism of the emblem sequence. The images have all been recreated in oil paintings by Adam McLean, which are facsimilies correcting the faded 18th century versions". [*].
18. Jabir ibn Hayyan. Geber's best writings on alchemy. Kessinger, 2003. 108p. ISBN: 9780766175761.
"Found in this book are four smaller essays by Geber, the famous Arabian Prince & Philosopher. Contents: His Book of Furnaces; Of The Investigation or Search of Perfection; His Book of the Invention of Verity or Perfection; and The Discovery of Secrets attributed to Geber with a rendering into English. Written in Old English". [*].
19.
1E WORKS ON ALCHEMY IN SPECIFIC COUNTRIES AND ABOUT INDIVIDUAL ADEPTS
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20. Haaning, Abel. The notion of the 'Light of Nature' in medieval and Renaissance thought - preliminary remarks. In: Readings in philosopht & science studies, eds. Vincent F. Hendricks and Jesper Ryberg. (Roskilde: Roskilde Univ, 2001), i, 9-25. [*].
21. Hanning, Askel. The philosophical nature of early Western alchemy: the formative period c. 1150-1350. In: Art & alchemy, ed. Jacob Wamberg. (Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen, 2006), 23-39. [#ABEL2].
22. Håkansson, Håkan. Seeing the word: John Dee and Renaissance occultism. Lunds Universitet, 2001. ISBN: 91-974153-0-8.
(Ugglan Minervaserien; 2). [*].
23. Gilly, Carlos. Between Paracelsus, Pelagius and Ganellous: Hermetism in John Dee. In: Magia, alchimia, scienza dal '400 al '700 : l'influsso di Ermete Trismegisto = magic, alchemy and science 15th-18th centuries : the influence of Hermes Trismegistus, eds. Carlos Gilly and Cis van Heertum. (Firenze: Centro Di, 2002), 286-294. [*].
24. Higgitt, Rebekah. Recreating Newton: Newtonian biography and the making of nineteenth-century history of science. London: Pickering & Chatto, 2007. 304p. ISBN: 978-1-85196-906-7.
Includes references to the treatment of his alchemy by biographers. "Higgitt examines Isaac Newton’s changing legacy during the nineteenth century. She focuses on 1820-70, a period that saw the creation of the specialized and secularized role of the ‘scientist’. At the same time, researchers gained better access to Newton’s archives. These were used both by those who wished to undermine the traditional, idealised depiction of scientific genius and those who felt obliged to defend Newtonian hagiography. Higgitt shows how debates about Newton’s character stimulated historical scholarship and led to the development of a new expertise in the history of science". [*].
25. Krull, Kathleen. Isaac Newton. New York: Viking, 2006. 126p. ISBN: 9780670059218.
Isaac Newton was not only briiliant, but secretive, vindictive and obsessive. Here is a portrait of the man, contradictions and all, than places him against the backdrop of seventeenth-century England, a time of plague, the Great Fire of London, and two revolutions. Contents: All alone -- The great escape -- A new world -- The apple -- Newton versus Hooke -- Newton versus Leibniz -- Newton versus Flamsteed -- The greatest science book in the world -- Newton versus Newton -- And what about alchemy? -- The crimson years -- His impact.. [*].
26. Medaille, John. Theology, alchemy, and "Newton's Dark Secret". [http://distributism.blogspot.com/2008/06/theolgy-alchemy-and-newtons-dark-secret.html]. Access date: 19 Jun 2008.
"These observations come to mind when watching the PBS science show, Nova, which did an excellent program on "Newton's Dark Secret." And what is this "dark secret" of the great genius, Issac Newton, the father of modern science? Simply this: the bulk of Issac Newton's writings and work were in theology and alchemy. From a modern standpoint, this is shocking, and the producers of the program were duly shocked. Newton is considered to be the man who single-handedly overturned all the superstitions of religion, alchemy, and astrology. So how could such a scientific genius (which he certainly was) become so mired in such "medieval" superstitions? The show went to great lengths to explain away the bulk of Newton's work". [#ABEL2].
27. Montgomery, John Warwick. The world-view of Johann Valentin Andreae. In: Das Erbedes Christian Rosenkreuz. Vorträger gehalten anlässlich des Amsterdamer Symposiums 18-20 November 1986. (Amsterdam: In de Pelikaan, 1988), 152-169. [*].
28. Marshall, Peter. The magic circle of Rudolf II: alchemy and astrolo