A suggestive inquiry into the hermetic mystery : with a dissertation on the more celebrated of the alchemical philosophers : being an attempt towards the recovery of the ancient experiment of nature PDF
Preview A suggestive inquiry into the hermetic mystery : with a dissertation on the more celebrated of the alchemical philosophers : being an attempt towards the recovery of the ancient experiment of nature
>a^ 7 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Research Library, The Getty Research Institute http://www.archive.org/details/suggestiveinquirOOatwo SUGGESTIVE INQUIRY INTO THE HERMETIC MYSTERY AND ALCHEMY. Itermn ad hominem rationemque redeamns, ex quo divino dono homo animal dictum est ratiojwle, minus enim miranda, etsimii-anda sunt, qvcB de liomine sunt dicta; sed omnium mirahilivm vincit ad- mirationetn, quod homo Divinam potuit invevii-e Naturam, eamque — efficere. Mercurii Trismegisti, Asclepius, cap. xiii. — A SUGGESTIVE INQUIRY INTO THE HERMETIC MYSTERY WITH A DISSERl ATION ON THE Movt Celeljiatftr of tl)e 9llci)emiral ^ftilosopftersi BEING AN ATTEMPT TOWAEDS THE EECOVEEY OP THE / ANCIENT EXPERIMENT OF NATURE. Iterum ad honiiuem rationemque redeamus,ex quo divino dono homo animal dictumestrationale,minus enira miranda,etsimirandasunt,quso dehominesunt dicta; sed omnium mirabilium viucit admirationem,quod homo Dirinam potuit invenireNaturam,earaqueeilicere. MercuriiTrismegisti,Asck'pius,cap.xiii. LONDON TEELAWNEY SAUNDEES CHARING CROSS. MDCCCTj. LONDON; STEVENS AND CO., PRINTERS, BRLL VAKl), TEMPLE BAR. THE PREFACE. ~C1R0M remote Antiquity, and through suc- -^ cessive intervals in the higher spheres of mind, the tradition of an Art has circulated ; but so dark and enigmatical as to evade vulgar apprehension entirely and baffle the most acute. There is doubtless some temerity in making choice of an obsolete subject, and circumstances have conspired to render Alchemy above every other liable to mistrust the transmutation of ; metallic species has seemed impossible, and the pretensions of this science in general are at va- riance with inductive probability and observed fact. But many things have in like manner been considered impossible which increasing know- ledge has proved true, and others which still to common sense appear fictitious were believed in former times, when faith was more enlightened and the sphere of vision open to surpassing effects. Daily observation even now warns us against setting limits to nature as experiments ; multipl}^ probabilities enlarge in practical life. VI THE PREFACE. and, like a swelling flood, obliterate the old land- marks, as they sweep along rapidly to fulfil their destined course. Thus truth progresses openly in spite of scep- ticism, when her advocates bear witness to- gether, and over the mists of error and false interests establish her domain. Few, however, have a spontaneous disposition to study, and many have not acquired the aptitude so that ; we frequently observe, where labour of thought is a condition, the greatest benefits are slighted and prejudicially deferred. The notion of a mystery is above all things obnoxious to modern taste as who will now believe either that there ; has been any truth of importance known which is not publicly declared, or worth knowing that he cannot understand ? Everypretension of the kind has been repudiated, therefore, with all such investigations as are not immediately profitable and appreciable by common sense. In former times even when philosophy flou- ; rished in Greece, Egypt, and in Europe, during the earlier ages of Christianity, when no pains were spared to improve the understanding and educate the rational faculties to their utmost limit of energy and refinement even then the ; study of the Hermetic Science was confined to a very few and though their names still live : most famous in the history of philosophy, and
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