Handbook of Restored Physics and the Secret Work of Hermetic Philosophy

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A circular emblem or bookplate is pasted onto a paper page. The central motif sits within a blue oval. This oval is crowned by a green Ouroboros, which is a serpent swallowing its own tail. Above the serpent is a golden sun emitting rays of light. Inside the oval, a white pelican is shown in a pose known as her piety. She pecks her own breast to feed three chicks with her blood. The pelican stands within a silver crescent moon. This moon rests upon a white cube. The front face of the cube is decorated with four red roses. The words "HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY" surround the central oval in embossed white capital letters.

Hermetic Philosophy: A spiritual and scientific tradition based on the teachings attributed to the mythical figure Hermes Trismegistus. It focuses on the relationship between the human soul and the cosmos.

Ouroboros: An ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. It represents the infinite cycle of nature, eternal return, and the unity of all things.

Pelican in her piety: A traditional Christian and alchemical symbol of self-sacrifice. In alchemy, it represents the stage of "multiplication" or the liquid that nourishes the "philosopher's stone."

Alchemical symbols: Specialized icons used by early chemists to represent substances, processes, and spiritual transformations.

Rosicrucianism: A secret philosophical society of the early 17th century. Its members sought to reform society through the study of alchemy, mysticism, and the secrets of the natural world.