Читать книгу Alchemy: Ancient and Modern - Being a Brief Account of the Alchemistic Doctrines, and their Relations, to Mysticism on the One Hand, and to Recent Discoveries in Physical Science on the Other Hand - H. Stanley Redgrove - Страница 19

§ 11. For the most part, the alchemists were chiefly engaged with the carrying out of the alchemistic theory on the physical plane, i.e., with the attempt to transmute the “base” metals into the “noble” ones; some for the love of knowledge, but alas! the vast majority for the love of mere wealth. But all who were worthy of the title of “alchemist” realised at times, more or less dimly, the possibility of the application of the same methods to man and the glorious result of the transmutation of man’s soul into spiritual gold. There were a few who had a clearer vision of this ideal, those who devoted their activities entirely, or almost so, to the attainment of this highest goal of alchemistic philosophy, and concerned themselves little if at all with the analogous problem on the physical plane. The theory that Alchemy originated in the attempt to demonstrate the applicability of the principles of Mysticism to the things of the physical realm brings into harmony the physical and transcendental theories of Alchemy and the various conflicting facts advanced in favour of each. It explains the existence of the above-mentioned, two very different types of alchemists. It explains the appeal to the works attributed to Hermes, and the presence in the writings of the alchemists of much that is clearly mystical. And finally, it is in agreement with such statements as we have quoted above from The Sophie Hydrolith and elsewhere, and the general religious tone of the alchemistic writings.