First published in 1652, this compilation of English alchemical literature was collected and annotated by Elias Ashmole. The book made available many works that had previously existed only in privately held manuscripts, and features alchemical verse from Thomas Norton, George Ripley, Geoffrey Chaucer, John Dastin, Abraham Andrews, Thomas Charnock, William Bloomefield, Edward Kelley, John Dee, Thomas Robinson, William Backhouse, John Gower, John Lydgate, W. Redman, as well as several unknown authors. Individual plates from the volume are digitized here, with additional item-level description available for select plates.
Quote of the Day
“About Quick-Silver Merucy - Fools who deform its kind from its Metallick disposition or dissolution, and by dissolving its radical moisture, corrupt it, and disproportion Quick-silver from its first Mineral quality, which needs nothing but purity and simple de∣coction. For example, they who defile it with Salts, Vitriols, and aluminous things, destroy it, and change it into some other thing, than is the nature of Quick-silver:”
Bernard Trevisan
The Answer of Bernardus Trevisanus, to the Epistle of Thomas of Bononia
Alchemical Books
Audio Books
Total visits