Alchemistry dission too slow4/19/2023 In March 2016, the Chemical Heritage Foundation bought a 17th-century alchemy manuscript written by Newton. For instance, Isaac Newton, best known for his study of gravity and his laws of motion, also wrote more than a million words of alchemical notes throughout his lifetime, historians have estimated. Early investigators of natural processes centered their search on a mythical substance they knew as philosopher's stone, which was supposed to possess many valuable attributes such as the power to heal, to prolong life, and to change base metals into precious metal - such as gold." (This "philosopher's stone" was not a literal stone but instead a wax, liquid, or powder that held magical powers.)Īlchemy shows up in some odd places. To the alchemists, metals were not the unique substances that populate the Periodic Table, but instead the same thing in different stages of development or refinement on their way to spiritual perfection.Īs James Randi notes in his "Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural," "Beginning about the year 100 and reaching its flower in medieval times, alchemy was an art based partly upon experimentation and partly upon magic. When a base, or common, metal such as lead was found, it was thought to simply be a spiritually and physically immature form of higher metals such as gold. twitter at mel59lawrence.Alchemy was rooted in a complex spiritual worldview in which everything around us contains a sort of universal spirit, and metals were believed not only to be alive but also to grow inside the Earth. The Tudor era is an intriguing period, full of superstition, and the makings for interesting characters. The Bianca Goddard mysteries are meant to entertain and to engage readers who might not pick up period historicals as a first choice. My articles have been published by the national news blog, The Daily Beast. On the side, I wrote indexes for publishers and academics. Writing helped me escape my boredom and I became interested in Tudor history. For over 25 years I worked in hospitals and labs as a cytotechnologist. I grew up in Indiana and live and farm in Maine. All of the titles have reached the top 100 best-selling historical mysteries category on Amazon, with THE ALCHEMIST'S DAUGHTER reaching #1. VEDAST, THE ALCHEMIST OF LOST SOULS and THE LOST BOYS OF LONDON. The series consists of THE ALCHEMIST'S DAUGHTER, DEATH OF AN ALCHEMIST, DEATH AT ST. Bianca is the daughter of an infamous alchemist who uses her 'wits' and some alchemy to solve murders among the commoners. The Bianca Goddard Mysteries are set in Tudor London during the final years of King Henry VIII's reign. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum’s death is only the first in a series of murders-and Bianca’s quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself. But first she must solve the alchemist’s murder. When her husband John falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum’s journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But the next day his body is found and his journal is gone.īianca, the daughter of an alchemist, is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. ![]() In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London’s slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder.įor years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |