Lives of alchemystical philosophers: To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophyWaite, Arthur Edward
Philosophy
Lives of alchemystical philosophers: To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy
Waite, Arthur Edward
Alchemists -- Biography; Alchemy -- Bibliography; Alchemy -- History
Convinced, says one of his biographers, that the Spirit of God had not
inspired him with the Celestial Science to let it rest idle, and that
he would be betraying his vocation if his light were hidden under a
bushel, he resolved to journey to Paris and there publish the eternal
truths which had been revealed to him. Others have supposed that in
undertaking this journey he was simply seeking instruction in the Latin
tongue at one of the centres of learning. Several of his treatises on
Philosophy, Theology, Medicine, and Astronomy are, however, referred
to this period, as well as some works on alchemy, but this point will
receive adequate consideration hereafter.
Still imbued with his evangelistic and missionary zeal, he engaged a
young Arab as his valet, that he might perfect himself in colloquial
Arabic; but he, discovering that his master intended to demolish the
divine principles of the Koran, and preach against the holy law of
Mahomet, piously resolved to assassinate him, and one day plunged a
dagger into his breast. He sought to repeat the blow, but Raymond
Lully, wounded and bleeding as he was, contrived to disarm him, perhaps
with the assistance of a holy and opportune anchorite, who is advanced
at this critical moment by one of the biographers. The young Arab was
imprisoned with the reluctant consent of his over magnanimous master,
who does not appear to have proceeded further against him; but the
unhappy Mohammedan enthusiast was so overwhelmed with vexation at the
failure of his heroic design to destroy, at all costs, the implacable
foe of the prophet, that he strangled himself in his dungeon in a
paroxysm of impotent fury.
It was after this episode, and after the recovery of Raymond Lully
from the violence of his valet, that, according to another historian,
he retired to Mount Randa, and that then, and then only, he received
from the Father of Lights that new illumination with which others have
accredited him at a much earlier period. This was probably a second
visit paid to his Balearic solitude; he tarried there seven months,
“always absorbed in prayer, and conversing, as it seemed to him,
continually with angels, whose consolations he received--consolations,”
says the pious writer, “which the soul can indeed realise, but which
the lips cannot worthily describe.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account