Alchemical Poetry

Alchemical poetry, 1575-1700: from previously unpublished manuscripts I edited by Robert M. Schuler. - (English Renaissance hermeticism; vol. 5) (Garland reference library of the humanities ; vol. 1087) New York, London: Garland, 1995

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8240-7599-4 (alk. paper) 1. English poetry-Early modern, 1500-1700. 2. Alchemy-Poetry. 3. Didactic poetry, English. 4. French poetry-To 1500--Translations into English. 5. Latin poetry, Medieval and modem-Translations into English. I. Schuler, Robert M. II. Series. III. Series: English Renaissance hermeticism ; 5.

CONTENTS

PART ONE: ELIZABETHAN VERSIFYING ALCHEMISTS

• Edward Cradock

I. A Treatise Touching the Philosopher's Stone (ca. 1575)

• Simon Forman

II. Of the Division of the Chaos (ca. 1595) III. Compositor ad Lectorum (1597)

PART TWO: THREE VERSE TRANSLATIONS FROM MIDDLE FRENCH BY WILLIAM BACKHOUSE (1644)

• Jean de La Fontaine

IV. The Pleasant Founteine of Knowledge (1413)

• Pseudo-Jean de Meun

V. The Complaint of Nature against the Erronious Alchymist (ca. 1500) VI. The Alchimyst's Answere to Nature (ca. 1500)

PART THREE: INTERREGNUM "EPIC": CHYMICAL MEDICINE AND SPIRITUAL ALCHEMY

• Bassett Jones

VII. Liihochymicus (ca. 1650) The Whole Woorke's Emblem To the Industrious & Worthy Authour The Preface The First Chapter The Second Chapter The Third Chapter The Fowerth Chapter The Fift Chapter The Sixt Chapter The Author's Corollarie An Index

PART FOUR: SIX ANONYMOUS VERSE TRANSLATIONS (ca. 1700)

• Mary the Prophetess

VIII. Epigram from her Practica

• Dionysius Zacharias

IX. The Practice of the Divine Work (1567)

• Bernardus Trevisanus

X. The Practise of the Philosophick Stone (15th century?)

• Aristeus Pater

XI. The Words of Father Aristeus to his Son (ca. 1600)

• Michael Sendivogius

XII. The Philosophicall ./Enigma (ca. 1610) XIII. A Dialogue of the Allchymist and Sulphur (ca. 1610)

PART FIVE: HERMETIC MYSTICISM AND AUGUSTAN SATIRE

• "Torrescissa"

XIV. Hermetick Raptures (ca. 1700)