Page 8 - Compound of Compounds

transmutations of alchemists, nevertheless held within his philosophy that alchemical
transformation was a possibility.

In this work Albertus presented his famous eight precepts for alchemists.
These also appeared in his Libellus de alchimia in a slightly modified form.

1. Be secretive, reserved and silent.
2. Work in a remote private house.
3. Choose your working hours prudently.
4. Be patient, watchful, and tenacious.
5. Work on a fixed plan.
6. Use only glass or glazed earthenware crucibles.
7. You must be rich enough to pay for your experiments.
8. Have nothing to do with princes and nobles, as you will have a great deal of
annoyance if you do not succeed, and if you are successful you will never escape
from them.

There are many works on alchemy attributed to Albertus some of which are found
in manuscripts dated to the fourteenth century, just after his death. Pearl Kibre in her
article ‘Alchemical writings ascribed to Albertus Magnus’ in Speculum, XVII, 1942,
identifies 30 works on alchemy found in over 160 early manuscripts. Among the main
titles are :-

1. Libellus de alchimia or Semita recta – The little book on alchemy also known
as the ‘Straight path’ or way)
2. Compendium de ortu et metallorum materia – Compendium on the origin and
matter of the metals.
3. Concordantia philosophorum in lapide – Concordance of the philosophers on
the stone.
4. Liber octo capitulorum de lapide philosophorum – The book of eight
chapters on the philosophers’ stone.
5. Compositum de compositis – The compound of compounds.

Some of these were printed in Zetzner’s Theatrum Chemicum, in the seventeenth
century.

Albertus Magnus did not merely investigate alchemy from a theoretical and
philosophical stance, but it appears that he visited mines, metal foundries and

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