Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

by H.P. Blavatsky translated by Thomas Williams
From " La Re ue Theosophi!ue" Reprinte" from "Theosophical Siftings" Volume 4 The Theosophical #u$lishing Society, %nglan"

N&T'C% ( The Article )Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century " *as *ritten as a piece of *holesome a" ice to those self+constitute" ),asters" of ,agic, etc-, *hich are of such mushroom gro*th in #aris an" other parts of France-

T.% language of archaic chemistry or Alchemy has al*ays $een, li/e that of the earlier religions, sym$olical0e ha e sho*n in the Secret Doctrine that e erything in this *orl" of effects has three attri$utes or the triple synthesis of the se en principles- 'n or"er to state this more clearly, let us say that e erything *hich e1ists in the *orl" aroun" us is ma"e up of three principles an" four aspects 2ust as *e ha e sho*n to $e the case *ith manAs man is a comple1 unity consisting of a $o"y, a rational soul an" an immortal spirit so each o$2ect in nature possesses an o$2ecti e e1terior, a ital soul, an" a "i ine spar/ *hich is purely spiritual an" su$2ecti eThe first of this threefol" proposition cannot $e "enie", the secon" cannot logically $e o$2ecte" to, for if *e a"mit that metals, certain *oo"s, minerals an" "rugs possess inherent po*ers to pro"uce effects on li ing organisms, then official science practically a"mits its truth- As for the thir", of the presence of an a$solute !uintessence in each atom, materialism, *hich "eals only *ith the anima mundi, "enies it utterly,uch goo" may it "eri e from this agnostic attitu"e- 0e for our part, fin"ing in materialism an un"ou$te" proof of the e1istence of moral an" spiritual $lin"ness, ma/e no account of the "enial an", lea ing the $lin" to lea" the $lin", procee" *ith our su$2ectThus as *ith natural o$2ects, so e ery science has its three fun"amental principles an" may $e applie" through all three or $y the use of only one of them-

#age 3

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

4efore Alchemy e1iste" as a science its !uintessence alone acte" in nature5s correlations 6as in"ee" it still "oes7 an" in all its planes0hen there appeare" on earth men en"o*e" *ith a superior intelligence they allo*e" this supreme po*er to ha e full an" uncontrolle" action an" from it they learnt their first lessons- All that they ha" to "o *as to imitate it- 4ut in or"er to repro"uce the same effects $y an effort of in"i i"ual *ill, they *ere o$lige" to "e elop in their human constitution a po*er calle" 8riyasa/ti in occult phraseologyThis faculty is creati e, an" is so simply $ecause it is the agent on an o$2ecti e plane of the first creati e principle- 't resem$les a lightning con"uctor in that it con"ucts an" gi es a "efinite "irection to the creati e !uintessence *hich other*ise, if le" $lin"ly into the lo*er planes, /ills9 [Page 4 $ut *hich $rought "o*n through the channel of the human intellect creates accor"ing to a pre"etermine" planFrom this Alchemy *as $orn9 an" magnetic magic, an" many other $ranches of the tree of occult science0hen in the course of ages nations gre* up so intensely saturate" *ith egotism an" anity as to $e con ince" of their complete superiority to all others li ing in the present, or *ho ha" li e" in the past9 *hen the "e elopment of 8riyasa/ti $ecame more "ifficult an" the "i ine faculty ha" almost "isappeare" from the earth, then they forgot little $y little the *is"om of their ancestors- They e en *ent further an" re2ecte" altogether the tra"ition of their ante"ilu ian parents, "enying *ith contempt the presence of a spirit an" of a soul in this the most ancient of all sciences- &f the three great attri$utes of nature they only accepte" the e1istence of matter or rather its illusory aspect, for of real matter or substance e en the materialists themsel es confess a complete ignorance9 an" truly they are right, nor ha e they e en the aguest conception of *hat it isThus there gre* up the science of mo"ern chemistryChange is the constant effect of cyclic e olution- The perfect circle $ecomes &ne, a triangle a !uaternary an" a !uinary- The creati e principle issue" from the rootless root of a$solute e1istence, *hich has neither $eginning nor en", an" of *hich the sym$ol is the serpent or perpetuum mobile s*allo*ing its tail in or"er to reach its hea" has $ecome the A:oth of the alchemists of the mi""le ages- The circle $ecomes a triangle, emanating the one from the other as ,iner a from the hea" of ;upiter- The circle hypothecates the a$solute9 the right line issuing from it represents a metaphysical synthesis an" the left a physical one- 0hen ,other Nature shall ha e ma"e of her $o"y a line 2oining these t*o, then *ill come the moment of a*a/ening for the Cosmic Acti ity- <ntil then #urush, the spirit, is separate" from #ra/riti ( material nature still une ol e"- 'ts legs e1ist only in a state of potentiality, an" cannot mo e nor has it arms *here*ith to *or/ on the o$2ecti e forms of things su$lunary- 0anting in limits, #urush cannot $egin to $uil" until it has mounte" into the nec/ of #ra/riti the $lin", *hen the triangle *ill $ecome the microcosmic star- 4efore reaching this stage they must $oth pass through the !uaternary state an" that of the cross *hich concei es, this is the cross of earthly mystics, *ho ma/e a great "isplay of this their $eflo*ere" sym$ol, namely= the cross "i i"e" into four parts, *hich may $e rea" Taro, Ator, an" Rota, Tora- The irgin, or a"amic earth su$stance *hich *as the .oly Spirit of the ol" Alchemists of the Rosy Cross, has no* $een change" $y the 8a$$alists, those flun/eys to mo"ern science, into Na> C&? 8ali #age @

Theosophical Siftings
6A7 an" C> .B & or Alcohol-

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

AhC Star of the morning, "aughter of the "a*n, ho* fallen from thine [Page ! high estate ( poor AlchemyAll on this ancient planet, thrice "ecei e", is "oome" to tire an", sli"ing into o$li ion, to $e "estroye"9 an" yet that *hich once *as, is an" shall $e for e er, e en to the en" of time- 0or"s change an" the meaning un"erlying them $ecomes !uic/ly "isfigure"- 4ut the i"eas *hich are their root an" parent shall en"ure- The ass5 s/in in *hich nature5s !ueen *rappe" herself in or"er to "ecei e fools as in the story of #errault ( for the "isciple of the ol" philosophers *ill al*ays recognise the truth, no matter un"er *hat gar$, an" *ill a"ore it, this ass5 s/in *e must $elie e is more congenial to the tastes of mo"em philosophy an" materialistic alchemists, *ho sacrifice the li ing soul for the empty form, than Royal Nature na/e" an" una"orne"- An" thus it is that the s/in only falls $efore #rince Charming, *ho recognises in the ring sent the marriage $etrothalTo all those courtiers *ho ho er roun" Dame Nature *hile cutting at her material en elope, she has nothing to present $ut her outer s/in- 't is for this reason that they console themsel es $y gi ing ne* names to ol" things, ol" in"ee" as the *orl" itself, "eclaring lou"ly the *hile that they ha e "isco ere" something ne*- The necromancy of ,oses has in this *ay $ecome mo"ern Spiritualism9 an" the Science of the ol" initiates of the temple, the magnetism of the gymnosophists of 'n"ia9 the healing mesmerism of Aesculapius "the Sa iour", is only recei e" no* on con"ition that it is calle" hypnotism, in other *or"s 4lac/ ,agic un"er its proper title,o"em materialists *oul" ha e us $elie e that Alchemy or the transmutation of $ase metals into gol" an" sil er has from the earliest ages $een nothing more than charlatanism- Accor"ing to them it is not a science $ut a superstition, an" therefore all those *ho $elie e, or preten" to $elie e in it, are either "upes or impostors- &ur encyclope"ias are full of a$usi e epithets le elle" at Alchemists an" &ccultistsNo*, gentlemen of the French Aca"Emie, this may $e all ery *ell, $ut if you are so sure of yoursel es, let us ha e at least some clear an" irrefuta$le proof of the a$solute, impossi$ility of the transmutations of metals- Tell us ho* it is that a metallic $ase is foun" e en in al/alies- 0e /no* certain scientists, men of recognise" a$ility e en, *ho thin/ that the i"ea of re"ucing the elements to their first state an" e en to their primor"ial essence 6see for instance ,r- Croo/es in his meta+elements7 not so stupi" as it seeme" at first sight- Fentlemen, these elements *hen once you ha e a"mitte" that they all e1iste" in the $eginning in one igneous mass, from *hich you say the earth5s crust has $een forme", these may $e re"uce" again an" $rought through a series of transmutations to $e once more that *hich they originally *ere- The !uestion is to fin" a sol ent sufficiently strong to effect in a fe* "ays or e en years that *hich nature has ta/en ages to perform- Chemistry [Page " an", a$o e all, ,r- Croo/s has sufficiently pro e" that there e1ists a relationship $et*een metals so mar/e" as to in"icate not only a common source $ut an i"entical genesisThen, Fentlemen, ' *oul" as/ you *ho laugh at alchemy an" alchemists *ith a mirth $re" of a consciousness of superior *is"om, ho* it is that one of your first chemists, ,- 4erthol", author of La Synthse, "eeply rea" in alchemical lore, is una$le to "eny to alchemists a most profound knowledge of matter.

#age G

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

An" again, ho* is it that ,- Che reul, that enera$le sage, *hose great age, no less than his li ing to the last in the full possession of all his faculties, has mo e" to *on"er our present generation, *hich, *ith its o er+*eening self+sufficiency, is so "ifficult to penetrate or rouse9 ho* comes it, *e say, that he *ho ma"e so many practical an" useful "isco eries for mo"ern in"ustry, shoul" ha e possesse" so many *or/s on alchemy's it not possi$le that the /ey to his longe ity may $e foun" in one of these ery *or/s, *hich accor"ing to you is $ut a collection of superstitions as useless as they are ri"iculousThe fact remains that this great savant, the father of mo"ern chemistry, too/ the trou$le to $e!ueath after his "eath, to the li$rary of the ,useum, the numerous *or/s he possesse" on this "false science", an" here in this act of his *e ha e an unmista/a$le re elation of the estimation in *hich he hel" them- Nor ha e *e yet hear" that those luminaries of science attache" to this sanctuary ha e thro*n these $oo/s on alchemy into the *aste paper $as/et as useless ru$$ish full of fantastic re eries engen"ere" $y the sic/ imagination of a "isease" $rain4esi"es, our *ise men forget t*o things ( in the first place ne er ha ing foun" the /ey to these hermetic $oo/s, they ha e no right to "eci"e *hether this jargon preaches truth or falsehoo"9 an" secon"ly, that *is"om *as certainly not $orn for the first time *ith them, nor must it necessarily "isappear from the *orl" on their "emise%ach science, *e repeat, has its three aspects9 all *ill grant that there must $e t*o, the o$2ecti e an" the su$2ecti e- <n"er the first hea" *e may put the alchemical transmutations *ith or *ithout the po*"er of pro2ection9 un"er the secon" *e place all speculations concerning the nature of the min"- <n"er the thir" is hi""en a high an" spiritual meaning- No* since the sym$ols of the t*o first are i"entical in "esign an" possess moreo er, as ' ha e trie" to pro e in the Secret Doctrine, se en interpretations arying *ith their application to either of the three natural /ing"oms the physical, the psychic, or the purely spiritual, it *ill $e easily un"erstoo" that only great initiates are a$le to correctly interpret the 2argon of hermetic philosophers- An" then again, since there e1ist more false than true hermetic *ritings, e en those of .ermes himself may $e foun" "istorte"- [Page # 0ho "oes not /no* for e1ample, that a certain series of formulas may $e correctly applie" to the sol ing of concrete pro$lems of technical alchemy *hile these same on $eing employe" to ren"er an i"ea $elonging to the psychological plane *ill possess an entirely "ifferent meaning A &ur late $rother 8enneth ,ac/en:ie e1presses this *ell *hen he says, spea/ing of .ermetic Societies= " For the practical alchemist *hose o$2ect *as the pro"uction of gol" $y the use of la*s $elonging especially to his o*n peculiar art, the e olution of a mystic philosophy *as of secon"ary importance, for his *or/ coul" $e carrie" on *ithout any "irect reference to a system of theosophy9 *hilst the Sage *ho ha" raise" himself to a superior plane of metaphysical contemplation re2ecte" naturally the simply material part of his stu"ies, fin"ing it $eneath his aspirations-" 6Royal Masonic yclopaedia7 Thus it $ecomes e i"ent that sym$ols ta/en as gui"es to the transmutation of metals, $ecome of small alue to those metho"s *hich *e no* call chemical- There is yet another !uestion *e *oul" li/e to as/= ( 0ho of our great men *oul" "are to treat as impostors such men as #aracelsus, Van .elmont, Roger 4acon, 4oerha en an" many other illustrious alchemistsA

#age 4

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

0hile French Aca"emicians moc/ at the 8a$$ala as *ell as at alchemy 6though at the same time ta/ing from this latter their inspirations an" their many "isco eries7 the 8a$$alists an" occultists of %urope $egin sub rosa to prosecute the Secret sciences of the %ast- 'n fact the *is"om of the &rient "oes not e1ist for our *ise men of the 0est9 it "ie" *ith the ,agi- Ne ertheless, alchemy, *hich if *e search "iligently *e shall fin" as the foun"ation of e ery occult science ( comes to them from the far %astSome preten" that it is only the posthumous e olution of the magic of the Chal"eans- 0e shall try to pro e that this latter is only the heir, first to an ante"ilu ian alchemy, an" then to an alchemy of the %gyptians- &laus 4orrichius, an authority on this !uestion, tells us to search for its origin in the remotest anti!uityTo *hat epoch may *e ascri$e the origin of alchemy A No mo"ern *riter is a$le to tell us e1actly- Some gi e us A"am as its first a"ept9 others place it to the account of an in"iscretion of "the sons of Fo", *ho seeing that the "aughters of man *ere $eautiful, too/ them for their *i es"- ,oses an" Solomon are later a"epts in the science, for they *ere prece"e" $y A$raham, *ho *as in turn ante"ate" in the Science of Sciences $y .ermes- 's it not A icenna *ho says that the Smarag"ine Ta$le ( the ol"est e1isting treatise on Alchemy ( *as foun" on the $o"y of .ermes $urie" centuries ago at .e$ron $y Sarah the *ife of A$rahamA 4ut .ermes ne er *as the name of a man, $ut a generic title, 2ust as in former times *e ha e the Neo+#latonist, an" in the present the Theosophist0hat in fact is /no*n a$out .ermes Trismegistus, or .ermes three times the greatest A Less than *e /no* of A$raham, his *ife Sarah an" his [Page $ concu$ine Agar, *hich St- #aul "eclares to $e an allegory- % en in the time of #lato, .ermes *as alrea"y i"entifie" *ith the Thoth of the %gyptians- 4ut this *or" Thoth "oes not mean only "intelligence"9 it means also "assem$ly" or school- 'n truth Thoth .ermes is simply the personification of the oice of the priestly caste of %gypt9 that is to say of the Fran" .ierophants- An" if this is the case can *e tell at *hat epoch of prehistoric times this hierarchy of initiate" priests $egan to flourish in the lan" of Chemi- An" e en if this *ere possi$le *e shoul" still $e far from ha ing arri e" at a complete solution of our pro$lem- For ancient China, no less than ancient %gypt, claims to $e the lan" of the al/ahest an" of physical an" transcen"ental alchemy9 an" China may ery pro$a$ly $e right- A missionary, an ol" resi"ent of #e/in, 0illiam A- #- ,artin, calls it the "cra"le of alchemy"- Cra"le is har"ly the right *or" perhaps, $ut it is certain that the celestial empire has the right to class herself amongst the ery ol"est schools of occult Science- 'n any case alchemy has penetrate" into %urope from China as *e shall pro e'n the meantime our rea"er has a choice of solutions, for another pious missionary, .oo", assures us solemnly that alchemy *as $orn in the gar"en "plante" in .a"en on the si"e to*ar"s the east"- 'f *e may $elie e him, it is the offspring of Satan *ho tempte" % e in the shape of a Serpent9 $ut the goo" man forgot to follo* up his assertion to its legitimate conclusion as is pro e" e en $y the name of the scienceFor the .e$re* *or" for Serpent is Nahah, plural Nahashim- No* it is from this last sylla$le shim that the *or"s chemistry an" alchemy are "eri e"- 's this not clear as "ay an" esta$lishe" in agreement *ith the se erest rules of philologyA Let us no* pass to our proofsThe first authorities in archaic sciences ( 0illiam Fo"*in amongst others ( ha e sho*n us on incontesta$le e i"ence that, though alchemy *as culti ate" $y nearly all the nations of anti!uity long #age H

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

$efore our era, the Free/s only $egan to stu"y it after the $eginning of the Christian era an" that it only $ecame popularise" ery much later- &f course $y this is meant only the lay Free/s, not of course the 'nitiates- For the a"epts of the .ellenic temples of ,agna Frecia /ne* it from the "ays of the ArgonautsThe %uropean origin of alchemy "ates therefore from this time, as is *ell illustrate" $y the allegorical story of the Fol"en FleeceThus *e nee" only rea" that *hich Sui"as says in his le1icon *ith this reference to this e1pe"ition of ;ason, too *ell /no*n to re!uire telling here, IJKL, Deras, the Fol"en Fleece *hich ;ason an" the Argonauts, after a oyage on the 4lac/ Sea in Colchis, too/ *ith the ai" of ,e"ea, "aughter of A%etes, of A%a- !nly instead of taking that which the poets pretended they took" it was a treatise written on a skin MJKNLOP which e#plained how gold could be made [Page % by chemical means- Contemporaries calle" this s/in of a ram the Fol"en Fleece, most pro$a$ly $ecause of the great alue attaching to the instructions on it"This e1planation is clearer an" much more pro$a$le than the eru"ite agaries of our mo"ern mythologists 6 [,, "e Fu$ernatis 6Mythol. $ool-, 34@Q7 fin"s that $ecause )in Sanscrit the ram is calle" mesha9 or meha, he *ho spills or *ho pours out, so the gol"en fleece of the Free/s shoul" $e )the mist,------raining "o*n *ater)9 an" ,r- Sch*art: compares the fleece of a ram to a stormy night an" tells us that the ram spea/ing is the oice *hich seems to issue from an electric clou"- 0e imagine these learne" men are rather too full of apours themsel es to $e e er ta/en seriously $y stu"ents- An" yet ,#- Decharme, the author of Mythologie de la %rce anti&ue seems to share their opinions ( R.-#-4-S for *e must remem$er that the Colchis of the Free/s is the mo"ern ,eretie of the 4lac/ Sea9 that the Rion, the $ig ri er *hich crosses the country, is the #hasis of the ancients, *hich e en to this "ay contains traces of gol"9 an" that the tra"itions of the in"igenous races *ho li e on the shores of the 4lac/ Sea, such as the ,ingreliens, the A$ha:iens an" the ,eretiens are all full of this ol" legen" of the gol"en fleece- Their ancestors say they ha e all $een "ma/ers of gol"", that is to say they possesse" the secret of transmutation *hich in mo"ern times *e call alchemy'n any case it is certain that the Free/s *ere ignorant of the hermetic science up to the time of the Neo+ #latonists 6to*ar"s the en" of the fourth an" fifth centuries7 *ith the e1ception of the initiate", an" that they /ne* nothing of the real alchemy of the ancient %gyptians *hose secrets *ere certainly not re eale" to the pu$lic at large- 'n the thir" century *e fin" the %mperor Diocletian pu$lishing his famous e"ict an" or"ering a careful search to $e ma"e in %gypt for $oo/s treating of the fa$rication of gol", *hich *ere collecte" together an" ma"e into a pu$lic auto+"a+fE- 0- Fo"*in tells us that after this there "i" not remain one single *or/ on alchemy a$o e groun" in the /ing"om of the #haraohs an" for the space of t*o centuries it *as ne er spo/en of- .e might ha e a""e" that there remaine" un"ergroun" still a large num$er of such *or/s *ritten on papyrus an" $urie" *ith the mummies ten times millenarianThe *hole secret lies in the po*er to recognise a treatise on alchemy in *hat appears to $e only a fairy tale, such as *e ha e in that of the gol"en fleece or in the romances of the earlier #haraohs- 4ut it *as not the secret *is"om hi""en in the allegories of the papyri *hich intro"uce" alchemy into %urope or the hermetic sciences- .istory tells us that alchemy *as culti ate" in China more than si1teen centuries $efore our era an" that it ha" ne er $een more flourishing than "uring the first centuries of ChristianityAn" it is to*ar"s the en" of the fourth century, *hen the %ast opene" its ports to the commerce of the Latin races that alchemy once again penetrate" into %urope- 4y:antium an" Ale1an"ria, the t*o principal centres of this commerce, *ere !uic/ly inun"ate" *ith *or/s on the transmutation- [Page &'

#age B

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

Let us compare the Chinese system *ith that *hich is calle" .ermetic Science3- The t*ofol" o$2ect *hich $oth schools aim at is i"entical9 the ma/ing of gol" an" the re2u enating an" prolonging of human life $y means of the menstruum universale an" lapis philosophorum- The thir" o$2ect or true meaning of the "transmutation" has $een completely neglecte" $y hristian a"epts9 for $eing satisfie" *ith their $elief in the immortality of the soul, the a"herents of the ol"er alchemists ha e ne er properly un"erstoo" this !uestion- No*, partly through negligence, partly through ha$it, it has $een completely struc/ out of the summum bonum sought for $y the alchemists of Christian countriesNe ertheless it is only this last of the three o$2ects *hich interests the real &riental alchemists- All initiate" a"epts "espising gol" an" ha ing a profoun" in"ifference for life, care" ery little a$out the first t*o@- 4oth these schools recognise the e1istence of t*o eli1irs= the great an" the small one- The use of the secon" on the physical plane transmutes metals an" restores youth- The Freat %li1ir, *hich *as only sym$olically an eli1ir, conferre" the greatest $oon of all= the immortality of consciousness in the Spirit, the Nir ana *hich in the se!uence of e olution prece"es #aranir ana or a$solute union *ith the &ne %ssenceG- The principles *hich form the $asis of the t*o systems are also i"entical, that is to say= the compoun" nature of metals an" their emanation from one common seminal germ- The letter tsing in the Chinese alpha$et *hich stan"s for germ, an" t'ai" "matri1", *hich is foun" so constantly in Chinese *or/s on alchemy, are the ancestors of the same *or"s *hich *e meet *ith so fre!uently in the alchemical treatise of the .ermetists4- ,ercury an" lea", mercury an" sulphur are e!ually in use in the %ast an" in the 0est, an" a""ing to these many others *e fin" that $oth schools accepte" them un"er a triple meaning, the last or thir" of these $eing that *hich %uropean alchemists "o not un"erstan"H- The alchemists of $oth countries accept e!ually the "octrine of a cycle of transmutation "uring *hich the precious metals, pass $ac/ to their $asic elementsB- 4oth schools of alchemy are closely allie" to astrology an" magicQ- An" finally they $oth ma/e use of a fantastic phraseology, a fact *hich is notice" $y the author of Stu"ies of Alchemy in China [ Studies of (lchemy in hina, $y Re - 0- A- #- ,artin of #e/in *ho fin"s that the language of *estern alchemists, *hile so entirely "ifferent from that of all other *estern sciences, imitates perfectly the metaphorical 2argon of eastern nations, pro ing that alchemy in %urope ha" its origin in the far %astNor shoul" any pre2u"ices $e entertaine" against alchemy $ecause *e [Page && say that it is closely connecte" *ith astrology an" magic- The *or" magic is an ol" #ersian term *hich means "/no*le"ge", an" em$race" the /no*le"ge of all sciences, $oth physical an" metaphysical, stu"ie" in those "ays- The #age Q

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

*ise an" priestly classes of the Chal"eans taught magic, from *hich came magism an" gnosticism- 0as not A$raham calle" a haldean- An" *as it not ;oseph, a pious ;e*, *ho, spea/ing of the patriarch, sai" that he taught mathematics, or the esoteric science, in %gypt, inclu"ing the science of the stars, a professor of magism $eing necessarily an astrologer4ut it *oul" $e a great mista/e to confuse the alchemy of the mi""le ages *ith that of ante"ilu ian timesAs it is un"erstoo" in the present "ay it has three principal agents= the philosopher5s stone use" in the transmutation of metals9 the alkahest or the uni ersal sol ent9 an" the eli#ir vitae possessing the property of in"efinitely prolonging human life- 4ut neither the real philosophers nor the 'nitiates occupie" themsel es *ith the last t*o- The three alchemical agents, li/e the Trinity, one and indivisible, ha e $ecome three "istinct agents solely through falling un"er the influence of human egotism- 0hile the sarcer"otal caste, grasping an" am$itious, anthropomorphise" the Spiritual &ne $y "i i"ing it into three persons, the false mystics separate" the Di ine Force from a uni ersal 8riyasa/ti an" turne" it into three agents'n his Magie )aturelle 4aptista #orta tells us this clearly= "' "o not promise you mountains of gol" nor the philosopher5s stone, nor e en that gol"en li!uor *hich ren"ers immortal him *ho "rin/s it------ All that is only isionary9 for the *orl" $eing muta$le an" su$2ect to change all that it pro"uces must $e "estroye""Fe$er, the great Ara$ian alchemist, is e en more e1plicit- .e seems, in"ee", to ha e *ritten "o*n the follo*ing *or"s *ith a prophetic forecast of the future= )'f *e ha e hi""en aught from thee, thou son of science, $e not surprise"9 for *e ha e not hi""en it especially from thee, $ut ha e ma"e use of a language *hich *ill hi"e the truth from the *ic/e" in or"er that men *ho are un2ust an" igno$le may not un"erstan" it- 4ut thou, son of Truth, see/ an" thou *ilt fin" the gift, the most precious of all- *ou" sons of folly" impiety" and profane works" cease endeavouring to penetrate the secrets of this science+ for they will destroy you and will hurl you into the most profound misery,. Let us see *hat other *riters ha e to say on the !uestion- .a ing $egun to thin/ that alchemy *as after all solely a philosophy entirely metaphysical instea" of a physical science 6in *hich they erre"7, they "eclare" that the e1traor"inary transmutation of $ase metals into gol" *as merely a figurati e e1pression for the transformation of man, freeing him of his here"itary e ils an" of his infirmities in or"er that he might attain to a "egree of regeneration *hich *oul" ele ate him into a "i ine 4eing- [ -ermetic .hilosophy $y A- 0il"er [Page &( This in fact is the synthesis of transcen"ental alchemy an" is its principal o$2ect9 $ut this "oes not for all that represent e ery en" *hich this science has in ie*- Aristotle, *hen he sai" in Ale1an"ria that "the philosopher5s stone *as not a stone at all, that it is in each man, e ery*here, at all times, an" is calle" the final aim of all philosophers"Aristotle *as mista/en in his first proposition though right *ith regar" to the secon"- &n the physical /ing"om, the secret of the Al/ahest pro"uces an ingre"ient *hich is calle" the philosopher5s stone9 $ut for those *ho care not for perisha$le gol" the al/ahest, as #rofessor 0il"er tells us, is only the allgeist, the "i ine spirit, *hich "issol es gross matter in or"er that the unsanctifie" elements may $e "estroye"------- The eli#ir vitae therefore is only the *aters of life *hich, as Fo"*in says, "is a uni ersal #age T

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

me"icine possessing the po*er to re2u enate man an" to prolong life in"efinitely"Dr- 8opp, in Fermany, pu$lishe" a -istory of hemistry forty years ago- Spea/ing of alchemy, loo/e" at especially as the forerunner of mo"ern chemistry, the Ferman "octor ma/es use of a ery significant e1pression such as the #ythagoraean an" the #latonist *ill un"erstan" at once, "'f", says he, )for the *or" 0orl" *e su$stitute the microcosm represente" $y man, then it $ecomes easy to interpret"'renaeus #hilalethes "eclares that "the philosopher5s stone represents the *hole uni erse 6or macrocosm7 an" possesses all the irtues of the great system collecte" an" compresse" into the lesser system- This last has a magnetic po*er *hich "ra*s to it that *hich affinitises *ith it in the uni erse- 't is the celestial irtue *hich sprea"s throughout creation, $ut *hich is epitomise" in a miniature a$ri"gment of itself 6as man7"Listen to *hat Alipile says in one of his translate" *or/s= ).e *ho /no*s the microcosm cannot long remain ignorant of the macrocosm- This is *hy the %gyptians, those :ealous in estigators of nature, so often sai"="Man" know thy Self"- 4ut their "isciples, more restricte" in their po*ers of appreciation, too/ this a"age as $eing allegorical an" in their ignorance inscri$e" it in their temples- 4ut ' "eclare to you, *hoe er you may $e, *ho "esires to plunge into the "epths of Nature, that if that *hich you see/ you "o not fin" *ithin yourself you *ill ne er fin" it *ithout.e *ho aspires to a first place in the ran/s of Nature5s stu"ents *ill ne er fin" a aster or $etter su$2ect of stu"y than he himself presentsTherefore follo*ing in this the e1ample of the %gyptians an" in agreement *ith the Truth *hich has $een sho*n to me $y e1perience, ' repeat these ery *or"s of the %gyptians *ith a lou" oice an" from the ery $ottom of my soul, )&h man, /no* thyself, for the treasure of treasures is entom$e" *ithin you"'renaeus #hilalethes, cosmopolitan, an %nglish alchemist an" .ermetic philosopher, *rote in 3BH9 allu"ing to the persecution to *hich philosophy [Page &) *as su$2ecte"= ( ",any of those *ho are strangers to the art thin/ that to possess it they must "o such an" such a thing9 li/e many others *e thought so too9 $ut ha ing $ecome more careful an" less am$itious of the three re*ar"s 6offere" $y alchemy7, on account- of the great peril *e run *e ha e chosen the only infalli$le one an" the most hi""en----" An" in truth the alchemists *ere *ise so to "o- For li ing in an age *hen for a slight "ifference of opinion on religious !uestions men an" *omen *ere treate" as heretics, place" un"er a $an an" proscri$e"9 an" *hen science *as stigmatise" as sorcery, then it *as !uite natural, as #rofessor A- 0il"er says, "that men *ho culti ate i"eas *hich are out of the general line of thought shoul" in ent a sym$olical language an" means of communication amongst themsel es *hich shoul" conceal their i"entity from those thirsting for their $loo""The author remin"s us of the .in"u allegory of 8rishna or"ering his a"opte" mother to loo/ into his #age 9

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

mouth- She "i" an" sa* there the entire uni erse- This agrees e1actly *ith the 8a$$alistic teaching *hich hol"s that the microcosm is $ut the faithful reflection of the microcosm ( a photographic copy to him *ho un"erstan"s- This is *hy Cornelius Agrippa, perhaps the most generally /no*n of all the alchemists, says= "'t is a create" thing, the o$2ect of astonishment $oth to hea en an" earth- 't is a compoun" of the animal, egeta$le an" mineral /ing"oms9 it is foun" e ery*here, though recognise" $y fe*, an" is calle" $y its real name $y no one9 for it is $urie" un"er num$ers, signs, an" enigmas *ithout the help of *hich neither alchemy nor natural magic coul" reach perfection"The allusion $ecomes e en clearer if *e rea" a certain passage in the /nchiridion of (lchemists 63BQ@7= ( "Therefore ' *ill ren"er isi$le to you in this "iscourse the natural con"ition of the philosopher5s stone *rappe" in its triple garment, this stone of richness an" of charity, *hich hol"s all secrets an" *hich is a "i ine mystery the li/e of *hich Nature in her su$limity has not in all the *orl"- &$ser e *ell *hat ' tell you an" remem$er that it has a triple co ering, namely= the 4o"y, the Soul, an" the Spirit"'n other *or"s this stone contains= the secret of the transmutation of metals, that of the eli1ir of long life an" of conscious immortalityThis last secret *as the one *hich the ol" philosophers chose to unra el, lea ing to the lesser lights of mo"ern times the pleasure of *earing themsel es out in the attempt to sol e the t*o first- 't is the "0or"" or the "infalli$le nameU, of *hich ,oses sai" that there *as no nee" to see/ it in "istant places "for the 0or" is close to you9 it is in, your mouth an" in your heart"#hilalethes, the %nglish alchemist, says the same thing in other terms- "&ur *ritings *ill $e li/e a "ou$le e"ge" /nife for the *orl" at large, some [Page &4 *ill use them to he* out *or/s of art, others *ill only cut their fingers *ith them- Ne ertheless it is not *e *ho are to $lame, since *e *arn most seriously all those *ho attempt the tas/ that they are un"erta/ing to master the most ele ate" philosophy in NatureAn" this is so *hether *e *rite *ell or $a"ly- For though *e *rite in %nglish, these *ritings *ill $e Free/ to some *ho *ill, ne ertheless, persist in $elie ing that they ha e *ell un"erstoo" us, *hile in reality they "istort in the most per erse manner that *hich *e teach9 for can it $e suppose" that those *ho are naturally fools shoul" $ecome *ise simply $y rea"ing $oo/s *hich testify to their o*n naturesA " %spagnet *arne" his rea"ers in the same *ay- .e prays the lo ers of Nature to rea" little, an" then only those of *hom the eracity an" intelligence is a$o e suspicion- Let the rea"er sei:e !uic/ly a meaning *hich the author may pro$a$ly only "ar/ly hint at9 for, he a""s, truth li es in o$scurity9 6.ermetic7 philosophers "ecei e most *hen they appear to *rite most clearly, an" e er "i ulge more secrets, the more o$scurely they *rite- The truth cannot $e gi en to the pu$lic9 e en less in these "ays than in those "ays *hen the Apostles *ere a" ise" not to cast pearls $efore s*ine- All these fragments *hich *e ha e 2ust cite" are, *e hol", so many proofs of that *hich *e ha e a" ance"- &utsi"e of the schools of A"epts, almost unapproacha$le for *estern stu"ents, there "oes not e1ist in the *hole *orl" ( an" #age 3V

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

more especially in %urope, one single *or/ on &ccultism, an" a$o e all on Alchemy, *hich is *ritten in clear an" precise language, or *hich offers to the pu$lic a system or a metho" *hich coul" $e follo*e" as in the physical sciences- All treatises, *hich come from an 'nitiate or from an A"ept, ancient or mo"ern, una$le to re eal all, limit themsel es to thro*ing light on certain pro$lems *hich are allo*e" to $e "isclose" to those *orthy of /no*ing, *hile remaining at the same time hi""en from those *ho are un*orthy of recei ing the truth, for fear they shoul" ma/e a selfish use of their /no*le"geTherefore, he *ho, complaining of the o$scurity of *riters of the eastern school, shoul" confront them *ith those of either the mi""le ages or of mo"ern times *hich seem to $e more clearly *ritten, *oul" pro e only t*o things= first, he "ecei es his rea"ers in "ecei ing himself9 secon"ly, he *oul" a" ertise mo"ern charlatanism, /no*ing all the time that he is "ecei ing the pu$lic- 't is ery easy to fin" semi+ mo"ern *or/s *hich are *ritten *ith precision an" metho", $ut gi ing only the personal i"eas of the *riter on the su$2ect, that is to say, of alue only to those *ho /no* a$solutely nothing of the true occult science- 0e are $eginning to ma/e much of %liphas LE i, *ho alone /ne* pro$a$ly more than all our *ise men of the %urope of 3TT9 put together- 4ut, *hen once the half+"o:en $oo/s of the A$$e Louis Constant ha e $een rea", re+rea" an" learnt $y [Page &! heart, ho* far are *e a" ance" in practical &ccultism, or e en in the un"erstan"ing of the theories of the 8a$$alaA .is style is poetical an" !uite charming- .is para"o1es, an" nearly e ery phrase in each of his olumes is one, are thoroughly French in character- 4ut e en if *e learn them so as to repeat them $y heart from the $eginning to the en", *hat pray has he really taught us A Nothing, a$solutely nothing ( e1cept perhaps, the French language-" 0e /no* se eral of the pupils of this great magician of mo"ern times, %nglish, French an" Ferman, all men of learning, of iron *ills, an" many of *hom ha e sacrifice" *hole years to these stu"ies- &ne of his "isciples ma"e him a life annuity *hich he pai" him for up*ar"s of ten years, $esi"es paying him 3VV francs for e ery letter *hen he *as o$lige" to $e a*ay- This person at the en" of ten years /ne* less of magic an" of the 8a$$ala than a chela of ten years5 stan"ing of an 'n"ian astrologer0e ha e in the li$rary at A"yar his letters on magic in se eral olumes of manuscripts, *ritten in French an" translate" into %nglish, an" *e "efy the a"mirers of %liphas LE i to sho* us one single in"i i"ual *ho *oul" ha e $ecome an &ccultist e en in theory, $y follo*ing the teaching of the French magician0hy is this since he e i"ently got his secrets from an 'nitiateA Simply $ecause he ne er possessed the right to initiate others- Those *ho /no* something of occultism *ill un"erstan" *hat *e mean $y this9 those *ho are only preten"ers *ill contra"ict us, an" pro$a$ly hate us all the more for ha ing tol" such har" truthsThe secret sciences, or rather the /ey *hich alone e1plains the mystery of the 2argon in *hich they are e1presse", cannot $e "e elope"9 li/e the Sphin1 *ho "ies the moment the enigma of its $eing is guesse" $y an &e"ipus, they are only occult as long as they remain un/no*n to the uninitiate"- Then again they cannot $e $ought or sol"- A Rosicrucian "becomes, he is not ma"e" says an ol" a"age of the .ermetic philosophers, to *hich the &ccultists a"", "The science of the go"s is mastere" $y iolence9 con!uere" it may $e, $ut it ne er is to $e ha" for the mere as/ing"- This is e1actly *hat the author of the Acts of the Apostles inten"e" to con ey *hen he *rote the ans*er of #eter to Simon ,agus= ",ay thy gol" perish *ith thee since thou hast thought that the gifts of Fo" may $e $ought *ith money"- &ccult *is"om shoul" ne er $e use" either to ma/e money, or for the attainment of any egotistical en"s, or e en to minister to personal pri"e#age 33

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

Let us go further an" say at once that ( e1cept in an e1ceptional case *here gol" might $e the means of sa ing a *hole nation, e en the act itself of transmutation *hen the only moti e is the ac!uisition of riches, $ecomes $lac/ magic- So that neither the secrets of magic nor of occultism, nor of [Page &" alchemy, can e er $e re eale" "uring the e1istence of our race, *hich *orships the gol"en calf *ith an e er increasing fren:yTherefore, of *hat alue can those *or/s $e *hich promise to gi e us the /ey of initiation for either one or the other of these t*o sciences, *hich are in fact only one0e un"erstan" perfectly such A"epts as #aracelsus an" Roger 4acon- The first *as one of the great har$ingers of mo"ern chemistry9 the secon" that of physics- Roger 4acon in his "Treatise on the a"mira$le Forces of Art an" of Nature" sho*s this clearly- 0e fin" in it a foresha"o*ing of all the sciences of our "ay- .e spea/s in it of po*"er for cannons, an" pre"icts the use of steam as a moti e po*er- The hy"raulic press, the "i ing $ell, an" the /alei"oscope, are all "escri$e"9 he prophesies the in ention of flying machines, constructe" in such a*ay that he *ho is seate" in the mi""le of this mechanical contri ance, in *hich *e easily recognise a type of the mo"ern $alloon, has only to turn a mechanism to set in motion artificial *ings *hich $egin to $eat the air in imitation of those of a $ir"- Then he "efen"s his $rother alchemists against the accusation of using a secret cryptography- "The reason for the secrecy *hich is maintaine" $y the 0ise of all countries is the general contempt an" in"ifference sho*n for the profoun"er truths of /no*le"ge, the generality of people $eing una$le to use those things *hich are of the highest goo"- % en those amongst them *ho "o ha e an i"ea *hich pro es relate" to something of real utility, o*e it generally to chance an" their goo" fortune9 so that failing to appreciate its full meaning they fall into scientific errors to the great "etriment an" ruin, not only of the fe*, $ut often of the many"- All of *hich pro es that he *ho "i ulges our secrets is *orse than foolish, unless he eils that *hich he "iscloses to the multitu"e, an" "isguises it so cle erly that e en the *ise un"erstan" *ith "ifficulty- There are those amongst us *ho hi"e their secrets un"er a certain *ay of *riting, as for e1ample using only consonants so that he *ho rea"s this style of *riting can only "ecipher the true meaning *hen they /no* the meaning of the *or"s 6the hermetic 2argon7- This /in" 6of cryptography7 *as in use amongst the ;e*s, the Chal"eans, the Syrians, the Ara$s, an" e en the Free/s, an" largely a"opte" in former times, especially $y the ;e*s- This is pro e" $y the .e$re* manuscripts of the Ne* Testament, the $oo/s of ,oses or the #entateuch ren"ere" ten times more fantastic $y the intro"uction of massoretic points- 4ut as *ith the 4i$le, *hich has $een ma"e to say e erything re!uire" of it e1cept that *hich it really "i" say, than/s to ,asserah an" the fathers of the Church, so it *as also *ith /a$$alistic an" alchemical $oo/s- The /ey of $oth ha ing $een lost centuries ago in %urope, the 8a$$ala 6the good 8a$$ala of the ,ar!uis "e ,ir ille, accor"ing to the e1+ra$$i, the Che alier Drach, the pious an" [Page &# most Catholic .e$re* scholar7 ser es no* as a *itness confirmatory of $oth the Ne* an" the &l" Testaments- Accor"ing to mo"ern /a$$alists, the Wohar is a $oo/ of mo"ern prophecies, especially relating to the atholic dogmas of the Latin hurch, an" is the fun"amental stone of the Fospel9 *hich in"ee" might $e true if it *ere a"mitte" that $oth in the Fospels an" in the 4i$le, each name is sym$olical an" each story allegorical9 2ust as *as the case *ith all sacre" *ritings prece"ing the Christian canon4efore closing this article, *hich has alrea"y $ecome too long, 'et us ma/e a rapi" resume of *hat *e ha e sai"' "o not /no* if our arguments an" copious e1tracts *ill ha e any effect on the generality of our rea"ers#age 3@

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

4ut ' am sure, at all e ents, that *hat *e ha e sai" *ill ha e the same effect on /a$$alists an" mo"ern Masters as the *a ing of a re" rag in front of a $ull9 $ut *e ha e long cease" to fear the sharpest hornsThese Masters o*e all their science to the "ea" letter of the 8a$$ala9 an" to the fantatistic interpretation place" on it $y some fe* mystics of the present an" the last century, on *hich "'nitiates" of li$raries an" museums ha e in their turn ma"e ariations, so that they are $oun" to "efen" them, tooth an" nail#eople *ill see only the raging fire of contest, an" he *ho raises the greatest conflagration *ill remain the ictor- Ne ertheless ( Magna est veritas et praevalebit. '- 't has $een asserte" that alchemy penetrate" into %urope from China, an" that falling into profane han"s, alchemy 6li/e astrology7 is no longer the pure an" "i ine science of the schools of Thoth+.ermes of the first %gyptian Dynasties@- 't is also certain that the Wohar of *hich $oth %urope an" other Christian countries possess fragments is not the same as the Wohar of Simon 4en ;ochai, $ut a compilation of ol" *ritings an" tra"itions collecte" $y ,oses "e Leon of Cor"o a in the thirteenth century, *ho, accor"ing to ,osheim, has follo*e" in many cases the interpretations *hich *ere gi en him $y Christian Fnostics of Chal"ea an" Syria *here he *ent to see/ them- The real, ol" Wohar is only foun" *hole in the Chal"ean 4oo/ of Num$ers, of *hich there only no* e1ist t*o or three incomplete copies, *hich are in the possession of initiate" ra$$is&ne of these li e" in #olan", in strict seclusion, an" he "estroye" his copy $efore "ying in 3T3Q9 as for the other, the *isest ra$$i of #alestine, he emigrate" from ;affa some fe* years agoG- &f the real hermetic $oo/s there only remains a fragment /no*n as the "Smarag"ine Ta$le", of *hich *e shall presently spea/- All the *or/s compile" on the $oo/s of Thoth ha e $een "estroye" an" $urnt in %gypt $y the or"er of Diocletian in the thir" century of our era- All the others, inclu"ing #yman"er, are in their present form merely recollections, more or less ague an" erroneous of "ifferent Free/ or e en Latin authors, [Page &$ *ho often "i" not hesitate to palm them off as genuine hermetic fragments- An" e en if $y chance these e1ist they *oul" $e as incomprehensi$le to the ),asters" of to"ay as the $oo/s of the alchemists of the mi""le ages- 'n proof of this *e ha e !uote" their o*n thoroughly sincere confessions- 0e ha e sho*n the reasons they gi e for this 6a7 their mysteries *ere too sacre" to $e profane" $y the ignorant, $eing *ritten "o*n an" e1plaine" only for the use of a fe* initiates9 an" they are also too "angerous to $e truste" in the han"s of those *ho might mista/e their use9 6$7 in the mi""le ages the precautions ta/en *ere ten times as great9 for other*ise they stoo" a goo" chance of $eing roaste" ali e to the great glory of Fo" an" of .is ChurchThe /ey to the 2argon of the alchemists an" of the real meaning of the sym$ols an" allegories of the 8a$$ala only are no* to $e foun" in the %ast- Ne er ha ing $een re"isco ere" in %urope, *hat no* ser es as the gui"ing star to our mo"ern /a$$alists so that they shall recognise the truths in the *ritings of the alchemists an" in the small num$er of treatises *hich, *ritten $y real initiates, are still to $e foun" in our national li$raries A 0e conclu"e, therefore, that in re2ecting ai" from the only !uarter from *hence in this our century they may e1pect to fin" the 8ey to the ol" esotericisms an" to the 0is"om religion, they, *hether /a$$alists, #age 3G

Theosophical Siftings

Alchemy in the Nineteenth Century

Vol 4, No 9

elect of Fo" or mo"ern #rophets, thro* to the *in"s their only chance of stu"ying primiti e truths an" profiting $y themAt all e ents *e may $e assure" that it is not the %astern School *hich loses $y the "efault0e ha e permitte" oursel es to say that many French /a$$alists ha e often e1presse" the opinion that the %astern school coul" ne er $e *orth much, no matter ho* it may pri"e itself on possessing secrets un/no*n to %uropeans because it admits women into its ranks. To this *e might ans*er $y repeating the fa$le tol" $y $rother ;os- N- Nutt, Fran" ,aster of the ,asonic lo"ges of the <nite" States for *omen, to sho* *hat *omen *oul" "o if they *ere not shac/le" $y males ( *hether as men or as go"A lion passing close $y a monument representing an athletic an" po*erful figure of a man tearing the 2a*s of a lion sai"= )'f the scene *hich this represents ha" $een e1ecute" $y a lion the t*o figures *oul" ha e change" places"- The same remar/ hol"s goo" for 0oman- 'f only she *ere allo*e" to represent the phases of human life she *oul" "istri$ute the parts in re erse or"er- She it *as *ho first too/ ,an to the Tree of 8no*le"ge, an" ma"e him /no* Foo" an" % il9 an" if she ha" $een let alone an" allo*e" to "o that *hich she *ishe", she *oul" ha e le" him to the Tree of Life an" thus ren"ere" him immortal-

#age 34