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
Having left his retreat, he determined to travel to Rome, to exhort
his Holiness to establish in Europe several monasteries, where monks
should be occupied in acquiring and teaching languages, in order to
spread everywhere the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to labour for the
conversion of the infidels. But Honorius IV., from whose piety he
had everything to hope, died as soon as Lully reached Rome, and he
therefore returned to Paris, where he explained publicly his General
or Universal Art for the acquisition of all sciences. From Paris he
went to Mont Pelin, where he also taught and wrote; thence to Genoa,
where he translated his _Art Inventif_ into Arabic. From Genoa he
again proceeded to Rome, but seeing that it was impossible to attain
his ends on account of the obstacles which presented themselves in the
Sacred Court, he returned to Genoa, intending to start for Africa, and
personally labour in the conversion of the infidels. He made terms
with the owner of a vessel, shipped his books on board, with the other
necessities of his journey, but, when he was himself on the point
of embarking, a vision of all the dangers he was about to encounter
so worked upon his mind, that he was deprived even of the power of
walking, and was obliged to renounce his intention. His effects were
consequently returned to him, and with these he re-entered Genoa in
the midst of a crowd of vagabonds, who derided his weakness. Whether
consequent on this raillery, or through shame at his cowardice, he
became dangerously ill.[K] On the Vigil of Pentecost, 1291, he was
carried to the Convent of Friars Preachers, and received the care which
his condition required. He received the last sacraments, and dictated
his last will and testament; nevertheless, he was destined to recover,
and had scarcely regained his strength when, to repair his previous
fault, he embarked upon the first vessel bound for Tunis. During the
voyage he composed his “General Tabulation of the Sciences.”
Immediately on his arrival at Tunis, he held conferences with those who
were most erudite in the law of Mahomet. He proved, at least to his own
satisfaction, that they were in error and darkness, and that truth was
on the side of Jesus Christ. He was accused before the King of Tunis
of seducing the people, was arrested, cast into prison, and ultimately
condemned to death. But a learned Arabian priest, overcome by his
arguments, obtained his pardon on condition of his instant departure.
He left the town amidst the insults and opprobrium of the populace,
prohibited to return, on pain of certain death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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