from Levi's The Magical RitualEliphas Levi describes the preparation of a magical sword in substance as follows: The steel blade should be forged in the hour of Mars, with new tools. The pommel should be of hollow silver containing quicksilver, and the symbols of Mercury and the moon and the signatures of Gabriel and Samael should be engraved upon it. The hilt should be encased with tin, with the symbol of Jupiter and the signature of Michael engraved upon it. A copper triangle should extend from the hilt along the blade a short distance on each side: These should bear the symbols of Mercury and Venus. Five Sephiroth should be engraved upon the handle, as shown. The blade itself should have the word "Malchut" upon one side and "Quis ut Deus" upon the other. The sword should be consecrated on Sunday. MPH
From The Complete Book of Magic Science (unpublished)The above figure is a complete and faithful representation of a magic circle as designed by mediaeval conjurers for the invocation of spirits. The magician accompanied by his assistant takes his place at the point formed by the crossing of the central lines marked MAGISTER. The words about the circle are the names of the invisible intelligences, and the small crosses mark points at which certain prayers and invocations are recited. The small circle outside is prepared for the spirit to be invoked, and while in use has the signature of the desired intelligence traced within the triangle. MPH
From Levi's Transcendental MagicThe pentagram is the figure of the microcosm—the magical formula of man. It is the one rising out of the four—the human soul rising from the bondage of the animal nature. It is the true light—the "Star of the morning." It marks the location of five mysterious centers of force, the awakening of which is the supreme secret of white magic. MPH
From The Complete Book of Magic Science"The aforesaid Bond of Spirits, together with the seal and character of the planetary angel, must be written on virgin parchment and laid before the Spirit [for signature] when he appears; at that time the invocant must not lose confidence but be patient, firm, bold, and persevering, and take care that he asks nor requires nothing of the Spirit but with a view to the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow creatures. Having obtained his desires of the Spirit, the invocant may license him to depart." MPH
From a mediaeval Book of Spirits (unpublished)The seven large circles are the pentacles of the planets, while the two small circles under each contain the seal and the character of the controlling intelligence of the planet. MPH
From Paracelsus' Auslegung von 30 Magischen FigurenThe Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Persians often mistook the salamanders for gods, because of their radiant splendor and great power. The Greeks, following the example of earlier nations, deified the fire spirits and in their honor kept incense and altar fires burning perpetually. MPH
From Gjellerup's Den AEldre Eddas GudesangeThe type of gnome most frequently seen is the brownie, or elf, a mischievous and grotesque little creature from twelve to eighteen inches high, usually dressed in green or russet brown. Most of them appear as very aged, often with long white beards, and their figures are inclined to rotundity. They can be seen scampering out of holes in the stumps of trees and sometimes they vanish by actually dissolving into the tree itself. MPH
From Lycosthenes' Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum ChroniconProbably the most famous of the undines were the mythological mermaids, with which early mariners peopled the Seven Seas. Belief in the existence of these creatures, the upper half of their bodies human in form and the lower half fishlike, may have been inspired by flocks of penguins seen at a great distance, or possibly seals. In mediaeval descriptions of the mermaids, it was also stated that their hair was green like seaweed and that they wore wreaths twisted from the blossoms of subaqueous plants and sea anemones. MPH
From sketch by Howard WookeyThe sylphs were volatile, changeable entities, passing to and fro with the rapidity of lightning. They work through the gases and ethers of the earth and are kindly disposed toward human beings. They are nearly always represented as winged, sometimes as tiny cherubs and at other times as delicate fairies. MPH
from Lycosthenes’ Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum ChroniconThe phoenix is the most celebrated of all the symbolic creatures fabricated by the ancient Mysteries for the purpose of concealing the great truths of esoteric philosophy. Though modern scholars of natural history declare the existence of the phoenix to be purely mythical, Pliny describes the capture of one of these birds and its exhibition in the Roman Forum during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. MPH
from Musaeum Hermeticum Reformatum et AmplificatumThis title page is an example of Hermetic and alchemical symbolism. The seven-pointed star of the sacred metals is so arranged that one black point is downward, thus symbolizing Saturn, the Destroyer. Beginning in the space immediately to the left of the black point, a reading clockwise discloses the cryptic word VITRIOL formed by the capital letters of the seven Latin words in the outer circle. MPH
from von Helmont's Ausgang der Artznen-KunstAt the beginning of the 17th century, von Helmont, the Belgian alchemist, while experimenting with the root of A---, touched it to the tip of his tongue, without swallowing any of the substance. He himself describes the result in the following manner:
"Immediately my head seemed tied tightly with a string, and soon after there happened to me a singular circumstance such as I had never before experienced. I observed with astonishment that I no longer felt and thought with the head, but with the region of the stomach, as if consciousness had now taken up its seat in the stomach. Terrified by this unusual phenomenon, I asked myself and inquired into myself carefully; but I only became the more convinced that my power of perception was become greater and more comprehensive. This intellectual clearness was associated with great pleasure. I did not sleep, nor did I dream; I was perfectly sober; and my health was perfect. I had occasionally had ecstasies, but these had nothing in common with this condition of the stomach, in which it thought and felt, and almost excluded all cooperation of the head. In the meantime my friends were troubled with the fear that I might go mad. But my faith to God and my submission to His will, soon dissipated this fear. This state continued for two hours, after which I had some dizziness. I afterwards frequently tasted of the A---, but I never again could reproduce these same sensations."
From Culpeper’s Semeiotica UranicaThis famous physician, herbalist, and astrologer spent the greater part of his useful life ranging the hills and forests of England and cataloguing literally hundreds of medicinal herbs. Condemning the unnatural methods of contemporaneous medicos, Culpeper wrote: "This not being pleasing, and less profitable to me, I consulted with my two brothers, DR. REASON and DR. EXPERIENCE, and took a voyage to visit my mother NATURE, by whose advice, together with the help of Dr. DILIGENCE, I at last obtained my desire; and being warned by MR. HONESTY, a stranger in our days, to publish it to the world, I have done it." (From the Introduction to the 1835 Edition of The Complete Herbal.)
from De Monte-Snyders’ Metamorphosis PlanetarumDe Monte-Snyders declares that each of the above characters forms one syllable of a word having seven syllables, the word itself representing the materia prima, or first substance of the universe. As all substance is composed of seven powers combined according to certain cosmic laws, a great mystery is concealed within the sevenfold constitution of God, man, and the universe. Of the above seven characters, De Monte-Snyders writes: "Whoever wants to know the true name and character of the materia prima shall know that out of the combination of the above figures syllables are produced, and out of these the verbum significativum." MPH
This plate, engraved by de Bry, is the most famous of the diagrams illustrating the philosophic principles of Robert Fludd.
from Fludd’s Collectio Operum
From the Turbae PhilosophorumThe Turbae Philosophorum is one of the earliest known documents on alchemy in the Latin tongue. Its exact origin is unknown. It is sometimes referred to as The Third Pythagorical Synod. As its name implies, it is an assembly of the sages and sets forth the alchemical viewpoints of many of the early Greek philosophers. The symbol reproduced here is from a rare edition published in Germany in 1750, and represents by a hermaphroditic figure the accomplishment of the magnum opus. The active and passive principles of Nature were often depicted by male and female figures, and when these two principles were harmoniously conjoined in any one nature or body it was customary to symbolize this state of perfect equilibrium by the composite figure above shown. MPH
from Musaeum Hermeticum Reformatum et AmplificatumThe outer circle contains the figures of the zodiac; the second, their signs and that part of the human body which they rule; the third, the months of the year, with brief notes concerning temperaments, etc. The fourth circle contains the elements accompanied by their appropriate symbols, and the following seven circles mark the orbits of the planets; also the planetary angels, the seven major members of the Universal Man, and the seven metals, each division appearing under its appropriate element according to the elemental names in the fourth circle. In the twelfth circle appear the words: "There are Three Principles, Three Worlds, Three Ages, and Three Kingdoms." In the thirteenth circle appear the names of the twelve arts and sciences which are considered essential to spiritual growth. In the fourteenth circle is the word Nature. The fifteenth circle contains the following words: "It is the great honour of faithful souls, that from their very birth an angel is appointed to preserve and keep each of them." (See first English translation, London, 1893.) MPH
from The Complete Writings of Paracelsus of HohenheimIn his Biographia Antiqua, Francis Barrett appends to the name of Paracelsus the following titles of distinction: "The Prince of Physicians and Philosophers by Fire; Grand Paradoxical Physician; The Trismegistus of Switzerland; First Reformer of Chymical Philosophy; Adept in Alchymy, Cabala, and Magic; Nature’s Faithful Secretary; Master of the Elixir of Life and The Philosopher’s Stone," and the "Great Monarch of Chymical Secrets."
from Jovius’ Vitae Illustrium VirorumAlbert de Groot was born about 1206 and died at the age of 74. It has been said of him that he was "magnus in magia, major in philosophia, maximus in theologia." He was a member of the Dominican order and the mentor of St. Thomas Aquinas in alchemy and philosophy; and Bishop of Regensburg. He was beatified in 1622. Albertus was an Aristotelian philosopher, an astrologer, and a profound student of medicine and physics. During his youth, he was considered of deficient mentality, but his sincere service and devotion were rewarded by a vision in which the Virgin Mary appeared to him and bestowed upon him great philosophical and intellectual powers. Having become master of the magical sciences, Albertus began the construction of a curious automaton, which he invested with the powers of speech and thought. The Android, as it was called, was composed of metals and unknown substances chosen according to the stars and endowed with spiritual qualities by magical formulae and invocations, and the labor upon it consumed over thirty years. St. Thomas Aquinas, thinking the device to be a diabolical mechanism, destroyed it, thus frustrating the labor of a lifetime. In spite of this act, Albertus Magnus left to St. Thomas Aquinas his alchemical formulae, including (according to legend) the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone.
On one occasion Albertus Magnus invited William II, Count of Holland and King of the Romans, to a garden party in midwinter. The ground was covered with snow, but Albertus had prepared a sumptuous banquet in the open grounds of his monastery at Cologne. The guests were amazed at the imprudence of the philosopher, but as they sat down to eat Albertus uttered a few words, the snow disappeared, the garden was filled with flowers and singing birds, and the air was warm with the breezes of summer. As soon as the feast was over, the snow returned, much to the amazement of the assembled nobles. (For details, see The Lives of Alchemystical Philosophers.) MP
From Musaeum Hermeticum Reformatum et AmplificatumJohn Cremer, the mythical Abbot of Westminster, is an interesting personality in the alchemical imbroglio of the 14th century. As it is now reasonably certain that no abbot by such a name ever occupied the See of Westminster, the question naturally arises, "Who was the person concealing his identity under the pseudonym of John Cremer?" Fictitious characters such as John Cremer illustrate two important practices of mediaeval alchemists; (1) many persons of high political or religious rank were secretly engaged in Hermetic chemical research but, fearing persecution and ridicule, published their findings under various pseudonyms; (2) for thousands of years it was the practice of those initiates who possessed the true key to the great Hermetic arcanum to perpetuate their wisdom by creating imaginary persons, involving them in episodes of contemporaneous history and thus establishing these non-existent beings as prominent members of society—in some cases even fabricating complete genealogies to attain that end.
The names by which these fictitious characters were known revealed nothing to the uninformed. To the initiated, however, they signified that the personality to which they were assigned had no existence other than a symbolic one. These initiated chroniclers carefully concealed their arcanum in the lives, thoughts, words, and acts ascribed to these imaginary persons and thus safely transmitted through the ages the deepest secrets of occultism as writings which to the unconversant were nothing more than biographies. MPH
Erasmus of Rotterdam
Championed the freedom of the will, as a crucial point in his De libero arbitrio diatribe sive collatio (1524)
"To exist is to change, to change is to mature,to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."
- Henri-Louis Bergson