Lives of Alchemystical Philosophers. By A. E. Waite. (George Redway.)—Mr.
Waite tells us that this volume is founded on a similar work published in 1815, which has become a bibliographical rarity. He then introduces us to the theory of " The Magnum Opus," in a short essay intended to instruct those unacquainted with alchemy. However, we do not think that the tyro will be much the wiser after its perusal. The lives of the philosophers themselves are interesting and curious reading ; the stories of Lully, Flame], Valentine, Trevisan, and Zachaire are full of glimpses of mediaeval times. To us, the most instructing and valuable of the lives is that of the prince of impostors, Joseph Balsamo, or Comte de Cagliostro, who died at the end of the last century. There is no need for Mr. Waite to apologise for giving so much space to Cagliostro as representing the " charlatan" side of alchemy ; he represents the typical alchemist and the real nature of the art, and appropriately finishes the biographies. The alchemists purposely enveloped their pretended art in the vague generalities of allegory and the most absurd symbolism ; indeed, it was by such nonsense that they retained their hold on the popular imagination. We quite agree with the writer of the " Canons " that these philosophers "never write more truly than when obscurely." To obviate any misunderstanding, we may mention that Mr. Waite is a firm believer in the metallic trans- mutations of the past.
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