⚠Mirrored text from the reverse side of the page.

THE

TWELVE KEYS

PHILOSOPHY

BROTHER BASIL VALENTINE,

RELIGIOUS OF THE ORDER

of Saint Benedict.

Basil Valentine is a legendary figure in alchemy. Though traditionally identified as a 15th-century Benedictine monk, modern scholars believe the name was a pseudonym for various authors writing around 1600. His name combines the Greek word for "King" (Basileus) and the Latin for "Strength" (Valere).

Treating of the true Metallic

Medicine.

original: "Traictant de la vraye Medecine Metalique." In alchemical philosophy, "Metallic Medicine" refers to the Elixir or Philosopher’s Stone, which was believed to "heal" base metals by transforming them into perfect gold, as well as providing health to the human body.

Plus the Azoth, or the means of making

the hidden Gold of the Philosophers.

The term "Azoth" represents the "Universal Medicine" or the "Universal Solvent." Alchemists often derived the word from the first and last letters of the Latin (A-Z), Greek (Alpha-Omega), and Hebrew (Aleph-Tav) alphabets, symbolizing the beginning and end of all creation.

FRENCH TRANSLATION.

A decorative woodcut ornament featuring a symmetrical floral design, typical of 17th-century Parisian printing.

AT PARIS,

At the house of PIERRE MOËT, Sworn

Bookseller, near the Saint-Michel Bridge,

at the Sign of Saint Alexis.

A "Sworn Bookseller" (Libraire Juré) was a member of the book trade guild who had taken an oath of loyalty to the University of Paris or the King. Before street numbers were common, "The Sign of Saint Alexis" acted as a visual address for his shop.

1660.

original: "M. DC. LX." The Roman numerals translate to 1660, the year this edition was published.