Works of Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes)

S. N. Otherwise he wrote always as Eugenius Philalethes, and out of this fact there arises a very curious question of identity, involving a confusion of distinct or apparently distinct personalities, on which I hope to cast such light that it may perhaps be regarded as determined. In the year 1667—being two years after Vaughan, according to his history, had departed this life—there appeared at Amsterdam a work entitled INTROITUS APERTUS AD OCCLUSUM REGIS PALATIUM, edente Joanne Langio, the accredited author being Eirenæus Philalethes, described as anonymus philosophus, and by himself as natu Anglus, habitatione cosmopolita. It sprang at once into fame as a treatise of undeniable Hermetic authority and exceptional clearness on the Great Work of Alchemy.¹ So far, however, it would appear only that an English writer had chosen Latin as his medium, the continent as place of publication, and a pseudonym recalling that of Eugenius, in all which there is nothing which calls for notice. But an examination of the work and the circumstances under which it was issued arrest attention. In the first place, it came into the editor’s hands, not long prior to its publication, “from a most excellent knowing man of these matters,” not otherwise described, while as regards the author himself Langius says : “I know no more than he who is most ignorant,” not even whether he was still living. In the second place, he did not in his opinion possess a “true manuscript copy,” so that his edition appeared subject to all faults.²

For the next significant fact we must pass, however,

¹ It was reprinted in MUSÆUM HERMETICUM Reformatum et Amplificatum in 1677 ; in 1683 at Venice ; at Jena in 1699 ; in 1706 at Frankfurt ; and in 1754 a French translation appeared in BIBLIOTHÈQUE des Philosophes Alchimiques, vol. iv, together with EXPLICATION de ce Traité de Philalethe par lui-même, the authenticity of which is doubtful.

² The preface of Langius is of considerable interest and bibliographical consequence. He points out acutely that THE OPEN ENTRANCE is not only reminiscent of Sendivogius and his NEW LIGHT OF ALCHEMY in respect of perspicuity and candour but also in the matter of style. There is no doubt that Sendivogius—or Alexander Seton behind him—was the model of Eirenæus ; both also adopted the descriptive title of Cosmopolite.