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aim was not purely alchemistic. Paracelsus's central theory was that of the analogy
between man, the microcosm, and the world or macrocosm. He regarded all the actions
that go on in the human body as of a chemical nature, and he thought that illness was the
result of a disproportion in the body between the quantities of the three great principles --
sulphur, mercury, and salt -- which he regarded as constituting all things; for example, he
considered an excess of sulphur as the cause of fever, since sulphur was the fiery
principle, &c. The basis of the iatro-chemical doctrines, namely, that the healthy human
body is a particular combination of
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chemical substances: illness the result of some change in this combination, and hence
curable only by chemical medicines, expresses a certain truth, and is undoubtedly a great
improvement upon the ideas of the ancients. But in the elaboration of his medical
doctrines Paracelsus fell a prey to exaggeration and the fantastic, and many of his
theories appear to be highly ridiculous. This extravagance is also very pronounced in the
alchemistic works attributed to him; for example, the belief in the artificial creation of
minute living creatures resembling men (called "homunculi") -- a belief of the utmost
absurdity, if we are to understand it literally. On the other hand, his writings do contain
much true teaching of a mystical nature; his doctrine of the correspondence of man with
the universe considered as a whole, for example, certainly being radically true, though
fantastically stated and developed by Paracelsus himself.
48. Iatro-Chemistry.
Between the pupils of Paracelsus and the older school of medicine, as might well be
supposed, a battle royal was waged for a considerable time, which ultimately concluded,
if not with a full vindication of Paracelsus's teaching, yet with the acceptance of the
fundamental iatro-chemical doctrines. Henceforward it is necessary to distinguish
between the chemists and the alchemists -- to distinguish those who pursued chemical
studies with the object of discovering and preparing useful medicines, and later those
who pursued such studies for their own sake, from those whose object was the
transmutation of the "base" metals into gold, whether from purely selfish motives, or with
the desire to
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ALCHEMY
51
demonstrate on the physical plane the validity of the doctrines of Mysticism. However,
during the following century or two we find, very often, the chemist and the alchemist
united in one and the same person. Men such as Glauber and Boyle, whose names will
ever be remembered by chemists, did not doubt the possibility of performing the magnum
opus. In the present chapter, however, we shall confine our attention for the most part to
those men who may be regarded, for one reason or another, particularly as alchemists.
And the alchemists of the period we are now considering present a very great diversity.
On the one hand, we have men of much chemical knowledge and skill such as Libavius
and van Helmont, on the other hand we have those who stand equally as high as
exponents of mystic wisdom -- men such as Jacob Boehme and, to a less extent, Thomas
Vaughan. We have those, who, although they did not enrich the science of Chemistry
with any new discoveries, were, nevertheless, regarded as masters of the Hermetic Art;
and, finally, we have alchemists of the Edward Kelley and "Cagliostro" type, whose main
object was their own enrichment at their neighbours' expense. Before, however,
proceeding to an account of the lives and teachings of these men, there is one curious
matter -- perhaps the most remarkable of all historical curiosities -- that calls for some
brief consideration. We refer to the "far-famed" Rosicrucian Society.
49. The Rosicrucian Society.
The exoteric history of the Rosicrucian Society commences with the year 1614. In that
year there was published at Cassel in Germany a pamphlet entitled The Discovery of the
Fraternity of the Meritorious Order of the Rosy Cross, addressed to
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the Learned in General and the Governors of Europe. After a discussion of the
momentous question of the general reformation of the world, which was to be
accomplished through the medium of a secret confederacy of the wisest and most
philanthropic men, the pamphlet proceeds to inform its readers that such an association is
in existence, founded over one hundred years ago by the famous C.R.C., grand initiate in
the mysteries of Alchemy, whose history (which is clearly of a fabulous or symbolical
nature) is given. The book concludes by inviting the wise men of the time to join the
Fraternity, directing those who wished to do so to indicate their desire by the publication
of printed letters, which should come into the hands of the Brotherhood. As might well be
expected, the pamphlet was the cause of considerable interest and excitement, but
although many letters were printed, apparently none of them were vouchsafed a reply.
The following year a further pamphlet appeared, The Confession of the Rosicrucian
Fraternity, addressed to the Learned in Europe, and in 1616, The Chymical Nuptials of
Christian Rosencreutz. This latter book is a remarkable allegorical romance, describing
how an old man, a lifelong student of the alchemistic Art, was present at the
accomplishment of the magnum opus in the year 1459. An enormous amount of
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