Notes – Faust

From the bottom of our hearts we ought to thank the modest men who held in their hands the magical Emerald Formula

“From the bottom of our hearts we ought to thank the modest men who held in their hands the magical Emerald Formula that makes a man master of the world, a formula which they took as much trouble to hide as they had taken to discover it. For however dazzling and bright the obverse of …

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A hollow stick – take heed, sirs, and beware!

In the Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales, the alchemist’s man tells the story of their road to ruin. False alchemists would conceal silver or gold in the tip of a hollow wand and seal it with wax. They would then use the wand to stir a crucible of hot material to be transmuted. …

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…by our pure and chaste country Jerusalem!

“…It is true that the theatres never now carry me away, nor do I now care to know the courses of the stars, nor hath my soul at any time consulted departed spirits; all sacrilegious oaths I abhor. O Lord my God, to whom I owe all humble and single-hearted service, with what subtlety of …

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The preparation of silver and gold.

“The preparation of silver and gold. Diocletian sought out and burned books about this. [It is said] that due to the Egyptians’ revolting behavior Diocletian treated them harshly and murderously. After seeking out the books written by the ancient [Egyptians] concerning the alchemy of gold and silver, he burned them so that the Egyptians would …

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Art about alchemy was popular among the middle class of northern Europe from the late 1600s through much of the 1800s

“Art about alchemy was popular among the middle class of northern Europe from the late 1600s through much of the 1800s, and part of that popularity was making fun of the alchemist. He is sometimes shown setting the house on fire. Often, he is poor. Worse still, he is wasting the family income on his …

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With the Reformation another spirit arose and legends took a different form.

“With the Reformation another spirit arose and legends took a different form. In the Protestant world the orthodox magic of the Roman Church lost its saving power and was regarded as no less diabolic than all other black art. He was irretrievably lost who had once given over his soul to magic and the devil …

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Thus, as science steadily continued to uncover and rationalize the clockwork of the universe

“Thus, as science steadily continued to uncover and rationalize the clockwork of the universe, founded on its own materialistic metaphysics, Alchemy was left deprived of its chemical and medical connections — but still incurably burdened by them. Reduced to an arcane philosophical system, poorly connected to the material world, it suffered the common fate of …

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There was a hissing sound and a slight effervescence

“There was a hissing sound and a slight effervescence, and after fifteen minutes, Helvetius found that the lead had been transformed into the finest gold, which on cooling, glittered and shone as gold indeed. A goldsmith to whom he took this declared it to be the purest gold that he had ever seen and offered …

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The Paracelsians were quick to offer an alchemical interpretation of Genesis

“The Paracelsians were quick to offer an alchemical interpretation of Genesis. Here they pictured the Creation as the work of a divine alchemist separating the beings and objects of the earth and the heavens from the unformed prima materia much as the alchemist may distill pure quintessence from a grosser form of matter.” Dictionary of …

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I made a projection of my divine powder

The pseudonymous sixteenth century alchemist Denis Zachaire (1510–1556) records his joy of discovery, but mostly the drain on his fortune and credulity in this gently satirical account of his own life as an alchemist. Alchemy was a way of coming closer to God, living forever, and getting rich, and like a lot of religion and …

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has each one of us signed with the blood of his human nature….

“…has each one of us signed with the blood of his human nature a compact with some such spiritual power, with the demonic element within him, with that spirit of negation, of cynicism, of cold unideal utilitarian worldly-wisdom which mocks at faith and love and every high and tender impulse…?” The Project Gutenberg eBook of …

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The alchemical panacea

As well as knowledge Faust might seek immortality

Potions can fulfill all of our alchemical and Faustian aspirations

The elixir of life also known as elixir of immortality

The search for secret/hidden/lost knowledge still goes on today…

Philosophers are sworn, aye, every one….

It is scarcely surprising that in the atmosphere of superstition….

From the bottom of our hearts we ought to thank the modest men who held in their hands the magical Emerald Formula

A hollow stick – take heed, sirs, and beware!

…by our pure and chaste country Jerusalem!

The preparation of silver and gold.

Art about alchemy was popular among the middle class of northern Europe from the late 1600s through much of the 1800s

With the Reformation another spirit arose and legends took a different form.

Thus, as science steadily continued to uncover and rationalize the clockwork of the universe

There was a hissing sound and a slight effervescence

The Paracelsians were quick to offer an alchemical interpretation of Genesis

I made a projection of my divine powder

has each one of us signed with the blood of his human nature….