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European Alchemy: Some Traditional Beliefs

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European Alchemy: Some Traditional Beliefs Bull.lnd.llIsl.l-li.\·I.Med. Vol. XXIX - 1999 pp 63 (070 EUROPEAN ALCHEMY: SOME TRADITIONAL BELIEFS VLADIMIR KARPENKO* ABSTRACT Three important doctrines of European alchemy are discussed: the Emerald Table of Hermes, the idea of transmutation, and the Elixir of Life. The analysis of these problems is focused on the 16th century, the epoch of the high flourish of alchemy in Renaissance Europe. As typical examples two works are chosen: the treatises of Jean-Pierre Fabre (1588-1658) and Alexander von Suchten (? 1520 - ? 1590). The arguments of these authors illustrate the ways how alchemists tried to defend their position in face of repeated failures. Just the 16th century stood in the sign of dramatic development of crafts, but, simulataneously, of growing interest in alchemy. The invention of the printing press by German speaking author. This fact Johannes Gensfleisch (he is known as documents lively interest in alchemy Guttenberg,? 1400 - 1468) in 1436 was on especially in the Central Europe, where crucial changes that occurred on the German language prevailed. The aim of European continent, because it dramatically th is paper is to touch a few points of increased the spread of information. There European alchemy of the 16th century. was no more necessary to rewrite tediously Two sources will be used for this old manuscripts, but, instead, many copies discussion, both written by physicians who of books were produced in a short time. were alchemists. The author of the first The first prints were predominantly of a one was Frenchman Pierre-Jean Fabre religious content, but very early alchemical (1588-1658); in this paper, however, the works followed (I). This technical later German edition of his book (2) is used innovation thus contributed, among other with comments by the German alchemist influences, to growing interest in alchemy. Conrad Horlacher (16? - 17?). The other This development became apparent in the one was written by German Alexander von subsequent century, and found its highest Suchten (? 1520-? 1590) (3). A few flourish in the Rudolfian era, the reign of examples from these books will illustrate the Austrain Emperor Rudolf II (1576 - the approach of alchemists to some key 161 I). Latin was the language preferred points of their science. in the books of that time, but books in The Emerald Table of Hermes: German represented only slightly less This nebulous text accompanied proportion of all alchemical books printed alchemy for centuries being considered an in this century. They were either translated essence of the whole knowledge this from other languages or written by a science achieved. We will not discuss the • Associate Professor, Dept.of'Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Albertov 2030 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic. 6-1 Bull.tnd.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol.XXIX - 1999 full text, the English translation of which The Emerald Table remained was published repeatedly (see for example influential over centuries, and, as said Holmyard (4). The attention will be paid above, its interpretation varied. We can add to one sentence that was extraordinarily now the version proposed by Fabre (7). important, because it reflected the world When discussing "seed of metals"out of of ideas of alchemists: which all metals were supposed to grow, "Thai which iS above iS like 10 WhaT iS he referred to Hermes "the VeRY great beloW. and thaT Which is beloW iS like to expert of nature" as to the supreme Which iS above, 10 accomplish the miracles authority. Then, the Emerald Table ofon« thing. " attributed to Hermes was an unshakable Th is rather vague formulation is now authority to Fabre. He used just the accepted as the reflection of alchemical sentence cited from the Table to support belief in unity of macro - and microcosm. the alleged existence of seeds of metals. In other words, our world was considered According to Fabre, all living creatures, be a reflection ofthe whole Universe, but this it animals or plants, produce seeds to sentence allowed for more interpretations. multiply themselves. These creatures are Thus, the alchern ist' s laboratory cou Id be on the surface of earth, in other words a microcosm per se, where processes were "above." On the other hand, however, the reflected and performed that occurred as Emerald Table says that "What is above is natural in macrocosm. In the first place it like to what is helow. .... Likewise, to be in was "ripening" of metals, from their base accord with the statement of the Table, lorm to gold, a process supposed to occur there must thus exist seeds of matter that is spontaneously in nature -macrocosm. But below the earth's surface. Metals, like as microcosm even human being was living creatures, must grow from seeds, too. sometimes considered, reflecting by his Fabre's argumentation is a further example soil: existence <IS <I living being the life of how the Emerald Table could be used to macrocosm. support ora key idea of alchemy. It was in Hortulanus (5), one of the early time when, in spite of centuries-long commentators, explained the cited sentence efforts, no seeds of metals were revealed. as follows (6): "And this is the Same as Fabre, like many of his contemporaries, saytns; that the stone is divided into TWo looked for support in the old text that principal paris bV the magisteRY. info a allowed for various explanations. Yet it superioR part thai ascends above and into was the text that we can denote almost as (/1I11I!cr{()/, pun II·fIlCh remains belowfixed sacred to alchern ists. and cleaR Transmutation: l lortulanus further explained that the In Fabre's time a Ic h e m y already inferior part is earth. the superior part is proceeded through centuries of failures - the spirit. It is their union that makes nobody made gold by transmutation of miracles. The analysis of his comment is base metals (except fraudulent alchemists, not easy. From the point of view of the of course). By that time we can find more laboratory activity, it reflected the volatile often chapters in alchemical works that deal (spirit), and nonvolatile (earth) substances exclusively with the question whether observed during experiments. transmutation is a possible process. Or, European Alchemy - Karpenko 65 more correctly - alchemists believed in its wrote (13) : possibility, but in these chapters arguments "We SaY and maintain that TWo Species were collected in favor of this claim. of natural things which diffeR radicallY and Sometimes they were alleged eyewitnesses essentially cannot be changed and of successful transmutations, as for conveRTed one into the otheR by the Art example Testimonia by Helvetius, or van (alchemy), aS for example man and the Helmont (8). In other cases there appeared horse. But these six bodies (metals) can another kind of argumentation based on be mutually converted ..;" observation explained so that it speaks for This formulation, however, limited transmutation. significantly the argumentation for the The problem of transmutation deserves benefit of transmutation, and in European broader discussion that would be beyond Renaissance the process of transmutation scope of this short contribution. Strictly is defined within substantially broader speaking, scientists of the past should be limits. Fabre's comment on this problem divided in two groups: the first formed can be used as a typical example (14) : believers in transmutation, the second "And what I am Working about group were their opponents. What further ... what all humans found in concerns the latter group, it should be themselves every day already 1000 years remembered that already lbn Sina (980- ago / and will find forever: That is to say 1037) was convinced that alchemists can the change of all foods and all humidities only imitate precious metals, but cannot belonging among drinks / either fully into make them artificially from base metals (9). red human blood! or, partlY, in breast- They were, nevertheless, just chemical feeding mothers ... in snow-white sweet and metallurgical observations that, milk. Is not from this (example) of almost interpreted on the then existing level of endless change of so many foods and so knowledge, could have made false numerous drinks / also apparent (the impression that base metal changed into change) of metals into other beings precious one. There are more examples of (metallic) / Ye, the orginial art and color this confusion: cupellation (10), whitening of the Red and white Stone producing gold of copper by compounds of arsenic (II), and silveR?" -or a quite simple deposition of metallic Fabre was not the only alchemist who copper on an iron surface from the solution explained natural metabolic processes as of cupric ions (12). These three examples transmutations and he even compared the belong among typical arguments color of blood and milk with the red and alchemists used to support the possibility white elixirs. Important is the fact that to of tranmutation. Fabre any change of matter was Yet, transmutation was discussed also transmutation and, therefore, he could from other standpoint. The question was attain much firmer position in open which kind of process can be argumentation against his opponents. Just considered a transmutation. This was not because he extended the' idea of unimportant, because the question stood, transmutation on living matter he could whether it is only a metal that can be conclude that, if transmutation works in a transmuted. ln the 13th century, Al-Iraqui living matter, it should be the same with 66 Bull. Ind.lnst. Hist.Med. Vol..XXIX - 1999 metals. We should not forget that in Chinese and European alchemy becomes alchemical speculations metals bore apparent - Chinese alchern ists tried to attain attributes of life - they could be killed and immortality as their ultimate goal, or subsequently reborn, they had body, soul, prolongation of life at least.
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