Thomas Willard – författare

Published in 1999: This book is about Alchemy, Philosophy and Science during the 17th century written by the author originally published in 1650.

Published in 1999: This book is about Alchemy, Philosophy and Science during the 17th century written by the author originally published in 1650.

First published together in Latin in 1623, these two tracts, Enchyridion Physicae Restitutae and Arcanum were at once recognized to be among the clearest descriptions ever written of the hermetic cosmology and the alchemical work. They were translated into English by two leading occultists, John Everard and Elias Ashmole, and the translations are printed together here for the first time. The introduction provides the fullest biographical notice ever written about d'Espagnet, a retired public official who published the works under strict anonymity. It also traces the influence these works had on later generations of practical alchemists like Eirenaeus Philalethes and spiritual alchemists like Thomas Vaughan. The commentary traces the d'Espagnet's extensive references to classical philosophy and poetry as well as to earlier works in alchemy. The introduction discusses the life, publications, and critical reception of d'Espagnet, and suggests why the book became required reading for members of an English hermetic society. Following the text itself, a set of annotations indicates variants in the Latin original and a French translation that Everard may have seen, notes obvious mistakes in the text, suggests alternate readings, expands d'Espagnet's marginal notes into meaningful citations, and identifies further sources when possible. This edition will be of interest to scholars of alchemy, early modern science, French literature, and English literature. An index of names follows the annotations.

First published together in Latin in 1623, these two tracts, Enchyridion Physicae Restitutae and Arcanum were at once recognized to be among the clearest descriptions ever written of the hermetic cosmology and the alchemical work. They were translated into English by two leading occultists, John Everard and Elias Ashmole, and the translations are printed together here for the first time. The introduction provides the fullest biographical notice ever written about d''Espagnet, a retired public official who published the works under strict anonymity. It also traces the influence these works had on later generations of practical alchemists like Eirenaeus Philalethes and spiritual alchemists like Thomas Vaughan. The commentary traces the d''Espagnet''s extensive references to classical philosophy and poetry as well as to earlier works in alchemy. The introduction discusses the life, publications, and critical reception of d''Espagnet, and suggests why the book became required reading for members of an English hermetic society. Following the text itself, a set of annotations indicates variants in the Latin original and a French translation that Everard may have seen, notes obvious mistakes in the text, suggests alternate readings, expands d''Espagnet''s marginal notes into meaningful citations, and identifies further sources when possible. This edition will be of interest to scholars of alchemy, early modern science, French literature, and English literature. An index of names follows the annotations.

First published together in Latin in 1623, these two tracts, Enchyridion Physicae Restitutae and Arcanum were at once recognized to be among the clearest descriptions ever written of the hermetic cosmology and the alchemical work. They were translated into English by two leading occultists, John Everard and Elias Ashmole, and the translations are printed together here for the first time. The introduction provides the fullest biographical notice ever written about d''Espagnet, a retired public official who published the works under strict anonymity. It also traces the influence these works had on later generations of practical alchemists like Eirenaeus Philalethes and spiritual alchemists like Thomas Vaughan. The commentary traces the d''Espagnet''s extensive references to classical philosophy and poetry as well as to earlier works in alchemy. The introduction discusses the life, publications, and critical reception of d''Espagnet, and suggests why the book became required reading for members of an English hermetic society. Following the text itself, a set of annotations indicates variants in the Latin original and a French translation that Everard may have seen, notes obvious mistakes in the text, suggests alternate readings, expands d''Espagnet''s marginal notes into meaningful citations, and identifies further sources when possible. This edition will be of interest to scholars of alchemy, early modern science, French literature, and English literature. An index of names follows the annotations.

The first scholarly book on Thomas Vaughan (1621–1666) draws from recent studies in Western esotericism to place his famously difficult writings in their proper context. It shows that they develop themes from a distinctively Rosicrucian synthesis of alchemy, magic, and Christian cabala. Vaughan introduced Rosicrucian documents to English readers and placed them in older philosophical contexts during the breakdown of censorship that followed the English Revolution against the old order in politics and religion. Willard’s book will appeal to students of early modern ideas about religion, science, and society as they were seen by an intelligent and eloquent outsider.