The third classic interpreted by this author is the Coelum Terrae, The Magician's Heavenly Chaos, of the Welshman, Thomas Vaughan, brother of' the poet Henry Vaughan. Published in 1650, this alchemical treatise is highly philosophical, untinged by physical and metallurgical connotations. From Coelum Terrae Mr. Regardie shows how the alchemists sought to render the inward spirit independent in consciousness of the physical frame. In this way the spirit by its own innate divine power is able to control the physical frame. The author advances the idea that the building up of the concept of the Philosopher's Stone is consciously reorganizing the material of life in such a way that the spirit is shown forth supreme.
"The Philosopher's Stone" is a book which make an appeal to the small group interested in hermetic philosophy. One may well question whether the spiritual emphasis given by Mr, Regardie is dominant in alchemy, or whether in its wider and truer significance alchemy stands for the chemistry of the middle ages.
There is 'a hopeful ending for the reader who has found some difficulty in following the argument throughout the book:
..., all adepts and saints of all time already exist deep within us, then by Teflection upon their lives and their Words we make manifest what hitherto had "been concealed. We evoke them from within. and come consequently that which we. have evoked. The transmutation is effected for all to. see. The Philosopher's Stone of divine understanding and knowledge will then have been concocted.—r.w.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.