The Secrets of AlchemyUniversity of Chicago Press, 10 déc. 2012 - 296 pages "This elegant, readable book…covers the history of alchemy from its shadowy origins in Hellenistic Egypt to its scholarly recovery in the 20th century” (Anthony Grafton, Science). In The Secrets of Alchemy, science historian and practicing chemist Lawrence M. Principe dispels commonly held misconceptions about alchemy and sheds light on what it was, how it began, and how it influenced a range of other ideas and pursuits. Principe demonstrates the importance of alchemy during its heyday in early modern Europe, and explores its enduring place in literature, fine art, theater, and religion as well as its recent acceptance as a serious subject of study for historians of science. Principe also introduces readers to some of the most fascinating alchemists, such as Zosimos and Basil Valentine, whose lives dot alchemy’s long reign from the third century and to the present day. Through his discussion of alchemists and their times, Principe pieces together clues from obscure texts to reveal alchemy’s secrets, and uses them to recreate many of the most famous recipes in his lab, including those for the “glass of antimony” and “philosophers’ tree.” |
Table des matières
| 1 | |
| 9 | |
Arabic alKīmiyaø | 27 |
Medieval Latin Alchemia | 51 |
Alchemy from the Eighteenth Century to the Present | 83 |
Practicing Chymistry in the Early Modern Period | 107 |
6 Unveiling the Secrets | 137 |
7 The Wider Worlds of Chymistry | 173 |
Epilogue | 207 |
Acknowledgments | 211 |
Notes | 213 |
Bibliography | 251 |
| 273 | |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Expressions et termes fréquents
alchemical texts alchemists alchemy alchemy’s alchimique alkahest allegorical Ambix ancient antimony Arabic Aristotle Arnald of Villanova authors base metals Basil Valentine called chapter Chemical Heritage Foundation Christian chrysopoeia chymical chymistry chymists claims context corpus crucial culture Decknamen distillation divine E. J. Holmyard earlier edition elixir emblems example fire Geber George Starkey gold Greco-Egyptian Greek Halleux Helmont Hermes human Ibid ideas images interpretation Islamic Jābir Jabirian John of Rupescissa Julius Ruska knowledge l'alchimie laboratory Latin Leiden literature London material Matton meaning medicine medieval Mercury and Sulfur metallic transmutation Michael Maier mineral nature Newman original Paracelsian Paracelsus Paris Philosophical Mercury philosophorum practical practitioners prepared produce readers recipe reprint Robert Boyle Rosarium Rosarium philosophorum secret seventeenth century silver Starkey Starkey's stibnite Stone substances Sulfur Theatrum chemicum theory things tion translation transmutation University of Wisconsin-Madison University Press Valentine's word writings wrote Zosimos Zosimos's