The secrets of alchemy
by Lawrence Principe · first published 2012
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"In The Secrets of Alchemy, Lawrence M. Principe, one of the world's leading authorities on the subject, brings alchemy out of the shadows and restores it to its important place in human history and culture. By surveying what alchemy was and how it began, developed, and overlapped with a range of ideas and pursuits, Principe illuminates the practice. He vividly depicts the place of alchemy during its heyday in early modern Europe, and then explores how alchemy has fit into wider views of the cosmos and humanity, touching on its enduring place in literature, fine art, theater, and religion as w
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For anyone interested in the history of alchemy, I recommend "The Secrets of Alchemy" by Lawrence M. Principe. Great insight into the actual history of the subject without getting caught up in hidden-mystery bs. https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Alchemy-Lawrence-M-Principe/d...
on “Twenty-First-Century Alchemists (2016)” ↗This is one of a few recent histories of alchemy. If you are interested in the technical aspect, I strongly recommend "The Secrets of Alchemy" by Lawrence M. Principe. He is a chemist as well as historian, and has gained insight through replicating ancient techniques.
on “The Experimental Fire: Inventing English Alchemy, 1300–1700” ↗> I recently read The Secrets of Alchemy by Lawrence Principe, which I loved, especially because he tries to replicate ancient alchemical recipes in his own lab. And sometimes he succeeds! For instance, he attempts to make the “sulfur of antimony”…
on “Research in psychology: are we learning anything?” ↗excellent exploration of this idea in the wonderful history book “The Secrets of Alchemy”. the author actually followed some alchemical recipes which were thought to be nonsense. yet under the right conditions (using iron implements, bad control of temperatures, impure materials) they produced…
on “An amphibian fungus has become “the most deadly pathogen known”” ↗As Lawrence Principe points out in his Secrets Of Alchemy, Alchemy was in fact the precursor to our modern notion of 'Chemistry'. The alchemists had theoretical foundations for their work which were inspired by and often incorporated 'unscientific' notions of…
on “The oddness of Isaac Newton” ↗