Of Natural and Supernatural Things (eBook)

Basilius Valentinus, a name shrouded in the mystery of the past, is often associated with the enigmatic world of alchemy and early chemistry. While concrete biographical details are sparse and debated, Valentinus is traditionally considered to be a 15th-century canon of the Benedictine order at the monastery of Saint Peter in Erfurt, Germany, though some suggest he may be a pseudonym adopted by a group of alchemical philosophers or an invented figure of alchemical lore. Valentinus is most famously known for his treatise 'Of Natural and Supernatural Things' (De Natura Rerum), a work emblematic of the alchemical tradition that straddles the boundary between science and mysticism. In his writings, Valentinus exhibits a deep engagement with the transformation of substances, aiming to uncover the secrets of nature and the philosopher's stone — a legendary substance said to possess the power to transmute base metals into gold and grant immortality. His work has been viewed as embodying the opus of alchemy, replete with emblematic symbolism and complex allegory. The historical Basilius Valentinus, if he did indeed exist, remains an enigma, yet his purported writings have wielded considerable influence on the development of alchemy and the esoteric traditions that followed, contributing to the corpus of literature that would pave the way for modern chemistry.