Alchemical Writings (Stone of Philosophers)

that it treated of the transmutation The alchemical process of changing base metals, like lead or copper, into precious metals such as gold or silver. of metals. He made inquiries as to the history of this bibliographical rarity, and learned that its discovery was due to one of those outbursts of religious fanaticism Refers to the iconoclasm of the English Reformation, where church monuments were often destroyed by those seeking to purge "popish" or superstitious elements. which were common enough in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The sepulchre of a departed bishop interred in a neighbouring church had been violated, the zeal of the Protestant being not unmixed with the desire of obtaining hidden treasures. However, the sacrilegious act was only rewarded by the alchemical manuscript which the despoilers could not read, and by two small ivory caskets, containing respectively a red and a white powder In the alchemical tradition, the "Red Work" (rubedo) and "White Work" (albedo) refer to the final stages of creating the Philosopher’s Stone, used to create gold and silver respectively., which in their eyes were equally useless. The receptacle of the red powder was shattered in their fury, and much of its contents were lost. What remained of it, together with the second casket and the accompanying document, they readily disposed of to the innkeeper, who seems to have had a hand in the discreditable transaction, in exchange for a flagon of wine. The