The lives of the adepts in alchemystical philosophy

He withstood six or seven fusions but in the eighth passed into scoriæ dross or slag leftover after melting metal; now in the very same chapter whence this weak argument is taken, Albert acknowledges the possibility of metallic transmutation, provided the artist knows how to imitate nature.

Less ignorant in natural curiosities than his contemporaries, they reported him a magician, the common appellation of more than ordinary attainments, in the gross ignorance of the 13th century: even long after his death, this reputation attended his memory. We find that the Great Chronicle of Belgium, published in 1480, records him original: "magnus in magia, major in philosophiâ, maximus in theologia" great in magic, greater in philosophy, and greatest in theology.

There is one story of his magical abilities extant in the history of the University of Paris.

It is related that William Count of Holland was prevailed on by this great Philosopher, to honour his house at Cologne, by a visit, and allow him to entertain this prince with a supper. Albert had tables laid in the convent garden, although the season was winter, and at that time extremely rigorous; the earth was covered with snow, and the courtiers who accompanied William, murmured at the imprudence of Albert, who exposed the prince to the severity of the weather; suddenly the snow disappeared, and they felt not only the softness of spring, but even the parterre an ornamental flower garden was filled with the most odoriferous flowers, the birds as in summer flew about or sung their most delightful notes, and the trees appeared in blossom. Their surprise at this metamorphose of nature, was considerably heightened, when after the repast, all the softness of the air, the flowers, the singing of birds, the delightful spring ceased; every thing disappeared in a moment, and the cold wind began to blow with the same rigour as before.

By a fatality, sometimes attending excessive application, of which the history of the learned, furnish too many examples, Albert about three years before his death, was deprived of his memory, and totally forgot every thing he knew, with the exception of the essential duties of religion, in which he persevered always, until the end of the year 1280, when he died at Cologne, aged 87 years.

See History of the University of Paris Histoire l'Universite de Paris 1255, 3 volume, page 213. Quetif and Echard, Library of the Dominicans Quetif et Echardus Bibliotheca Dominicanorum, volume 1. Albert's Book on Minerals, book 3, chapter 9 Albert Mineralium, lib. 3, cap. 9, and Ptolemy of Lucca in Ecclesiastical History, book 2, chapter 17 Tolameus in Historia Ecclesiast, lib. 2, cap. 17.

---

THOMAS AQUINAS.

ALBERT the Great had in Saint Thomas a pupil, to whom he would discover every thing he held most secret; perhaps he loved him because he found in him a great depth of piety, joined to an extreme maturity of intellect that merited all his instructions.

His docility was as great as his birth, which he derived from the Counts of Aquinas, one of the first houses of Naples.

He died in March 1274, at fifty years of age, just as he was summoned to the General Council at Lyons. He carefully avoided, in all his works of theology, the appearance of alchemy, persuaded of the dishonour it would bring to his name, with those who hold the least tendency towards it, as the height of human folly.

There are some alchemical treatises ascribed to him, which he did not write; but there are others that cannot be doubted. That of the Nature of Minerals, is not worthy of so great a philosopher; nor the Comment on the Turba The Turba Philosophorum, or Assembly of the Sages, is one of the oldest Latin alchemical texts. But his Treasure of Alchemy original: "Thesaurus Alchimiae", addressed to Brother Regnauld, his companion and friend, is genuine. He cites Albert in this book, as his master in all things, especially in Hermetic philosophy. He addressed other books to Regnauld, on some curious sciences, amongst which is a treatise on Judicial Astrology.

Saint Thomas wrote with neatness and precision. His leading character is secrecy; to preserve this important operation inviolable from unworthy men, none other but the children of light, who live as in the presence of God, being fit for the knowledge, or charge of so great a mystery.

He recommends the salvation of souls, and Christian duties of prayer and preaching, rather than an application to a science that can only procure some temporal advantages.

In his works of Theology, he says,

"It is not lawful to sell as good gold, that which is made by Alchemy."

And yet, when he speaks of philosophy, he testifies,

"that the aim of the alchemist is to change imperfect metal into that which is perfect;"

and,

"that it is possible."

These are contradictions, unless he refers to the law of jurisprudence the legal system of the time, in which there is no admission of the fact, that perfect gold can be made by art.

He was named the Angelical Doctor a title given to him for his purity and his writings on the nature of angels, for his religious works in Theological Casuistry the application of moral principles to specific cases of conscience, and the scholastic learning of these times.

See Treasure of Alchemy chapters 1, 2, 8; 22, question 77. article 2, book 4, at the beginning of his work on Meteorology Thesaur. Alchim. cap. 1, 2, 8; 22, quest. 77. article 2, lib. 4, meteorum initio.