The Greatest Alchemist?

[deviadah]

Alchemy is hard work, so let's have some fun!

Enter the poll and let us decide who is the greastest alchemist!

I've limited the list to real alchemists!

Well for me it is hard to make this choice since they are all cool in their own way (and then of course there are many not listed here - it was hard to pick 10 names to start with so give me a break), but I shall vote for Paracelsus. Although I'd like to vote for Count de Saint Germain, but with pains in my heart I cut him from the list...

[LadyHydralisk]

Well I'm a fan of Hermes myself, but Isaac Newton, I liked his style......


This "The Life of Apollonius" you posted over at abrahadabra is incredible, by the way.

[deviadah]

Well I'm a fan of Hermes myself, but Isaac Newton, I liked his style...

Yeah I know... but one can only have 10 choices and there are so many, so I stuck with people who have real dicks!

There should be more female alchemists, but during the years the guys in the above list were active it was not much of an option. Even a man could get burned for putting his finger in anything esoteric. Women couldn't even have a black cat...

This "The Life of Apollonius" you posted over at abrahadabra is incredible, by the way.

I re-post it here so you can take part...

Apollonius of Tyana

[LadyHydralisk]

lol...

People who had real dicks?! What do you mean?

Thanks for the repost....I feel so banished....

[deviadah]

I only meant that Hermes, and such similar characters, aren't real flesh and blood people (per se)!

As I said before, behave and you can stay here as long as you like!



I am sure you can contribute much (and you already have)!

Looks like Newton is winning, by the way!

[LadyHydralisk]

I always behave...I just live by the laws of nature, who is inescapable....like gravity...

There's a million internet forums....lol

[deviadah]

I always behave...I just live by the laws of nature, who is inescapable....like gravity...

There's a million internet forums....lol

Just remember I don't give any warning!

[LadyHydralisk]

neither do I...that's what makes it so damned funny.

[Barandos the Red]

Hmm, I'm inclined to vote for the Monarch of Arcana, Paracelsus

[deviadah]

Hmm, I'm inclined to vote for the Monarch of Arcana, Paracelsus

That is what I voted for too...

Looks like there is a tie between Newton and Paracelsus as of this moment...

[Gunderic Mollusk]

Tis a shame that Tycho Brahe's more famed for his astronomical achievements than his alchemical. I'm a bit fond of the walrus-mustached, copper-nosed fellow. But, Sir Newton comes closest, I feel.

[deviadah]

I was going to include him, but the poll is limited to 10 and he had to go along with many others...

I opted for the more famous alchemists to get more action in the poll!

[deviadah]

Come on folks... we've had Newton and Paracelsus tied for weeks.

[antonchanning]

There should be more female alchemists, but during the years the guys in the above list were active it was not much of an option. Even a man could get burned for putting his finger in anything esoteric. Women couldn't even have a black cat...

Um, I'm pretty sure Pernelle Flamel was a contempory of Nicholas Flamel. Can't remember where I read that but...

Hard to make a judgement about who is the greatest, its all too subjective. So I chose the one whose work has probably been the biggest influence on me from those presented. Boehme. Although Dee comes a close second on that score since the Monas Hieroglyphica was a big influence on my own book. I would have voted for Newton just to make sure Paracelsus didn't win (what kind of advert for alchemy is a fat celibate physician that died young? ), but I'd have been lying because although I know Newton was an accomplished alchemist, I have not yet read his work on that score.

[deviadah]

Um, I'm pretty sure Pernelle Flamel was a contempory of Nicholas Flamel. Can't remember where I read that but...

Yeah... that is true...

But this election is not to be taken too seriously (but I think you understood that anyway)!

Nice to see Boehme gettin' a vote!

[carabric]

Wow...no love for Fulcanelli. I voted for him because, though it's all in my head, I feel I connect with him on a personal level, he brought far more understanding of the Cabala then anyone previous. He just felt more alive and real then many alchemist before him. Whereas with some alchemist the most you can really gleam of personality would be on par with those writing a cook book. Paracelsus was a very close second, especially in attitude, and if Philalethes were on the list it would be a close call as well...I must say Newton is a bit of a shock, especially considering much of his writing on the topic has only recently come out and in very limited amounts. Although his work in physics is very noble, I don't feel he actually attained anything significant in the art...but this is just my opinion.

[spectre]

I voted Nicolas Flamel since his story is the most inspiring one and seems to have gone the whole nine yards.

Second for me would be Paracelsus since he wrote so extensively and really revitalised alchemy. I consider his work to be a magnum opus.

I don't know enough about some alchemists such as Robert Fludd and Fulcanelli to judge yet but I'm starting to read something about Fulcanelli and he seems very interesting.

For me personally the worst would be John Dee and his partner since they seem like simple dabblers in alchemy compared to the others on the list, since they tried to gain alchemy secrets through ceremonial magick instead of real work. Not sure about Cornelius Agrippa; Agrippa was maybe an alchemist but didn't seem to practice it much and didn't write any alchemical "magnum opus".

I think Isaac Newton and Roger Bacon were good alchemists but not in the same sense as Paracelsus, Nicolas Flamel or Fulcanelli. Newton and Bacon weren't "strict alchemists" but men of science and I doubt you can learn as much about the Art from them although they're inspiring.

[carabric]

Yes...I'm glad someone else sees through the John Dee mess. He's always rang through as more of a performer to me, something of a showman. But I do feel Edward Kelly actually completed the work after their separation. A good litmus test for me, although it doesn't always prove true, is to ask how often in the text do the philosophers name drop one another. Very often I believe it's them almost saying "this is the persons writing I learned this aspect of alchemy from."- but I could be wrong. In any event Roger Bacon is definitely name dropped often, and his Tract on the Tincture and oil of Antimony is a great gem.

[BeautifulEvil]

It's a close call between Paracelsus, Flamel, and Fulcanelli.

I'm going to have to go with Paracelsus on this, since he was really one of the earlier pioneers and his work in medicine was indeed quite great.

[Israel]

Hmmm.... I went with Newton - mainly for the way he went about researching Alchemy. He put alot of emphesis on Universal affects (aka Astronomy/astrology) - which is why he was so well known as a scientist.

I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of Dee myself.

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