07-29-2025, 03:53 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-08-2026, 08:55 AM by Paul Ferguson.)
On Wikisource
Translation of the Latin original Tractatus duo egregii, de lapide philosophorum, una cum theatro astronomiæ terrestri (1676)
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...ward_Kelly
The Alchemical Writings of Edward Kelly (https://www.google.com/search?q=the+alch...ward+kelly&kgmid=/g/1142mrftv) is a seminal collection of Renaissance occult literature translated, edited, and published in English by the prominent scholarly mystic Arthur Edward Waite in 1893. The volume compiles the major Latin treatises originally attributed to the famous 16th-century English occultist, alchemist, and scryer Edward Kelly (1555–1597), who is best known for his collaborative scrying sessions with Dr. John Dee. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Waite’s English edition was translated from a comprehensive 1676 Hamburg edition originally titled Tractatus duo egregii, de lapide philosophorum, una cum theatro astronomiæ terrestri. [2]
Core Contents & Treatises
The compilation synthesizes Late Renaissance alchemy, cosmology, and Hermetic philosophy into several core texts: [1, 4]
* Biographical Preface: A detailed introduction written by [A.E. Waite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Edward_Waite) that analyzes Kelly's colorful life, his relationship with Dee, and the symbolic background of his works. [5, 6]
* The Stone of the Philosophers (De Lapide Philosophorum): A theoretical treatise exploring the creation and nature of the Philosopher's Stone. It argues that the "first matter" of metals is quicksilver (Mercury) digested by inner heat and sulfur, presenting transmutation as an analog for spiritual regeneration. [4, 5, 6, 7]
* The Theatre of Terrestrial Astronomy (Theatrum Astronomiae Terrestris): A highly symbolic and geometric text that maps celestial archetypes and astrological principles onto earthly, metallic elements. [2, 4]
* The Humid Way (The Humid Way, or a Discourse upon the Vegetable Menstruum of Saturn): A short discourse dealing with early chemical extractions, solvents, and the practical laboratory aspects of the "wet path" in alchemy. [1, 6]
* Selected Letter Fragments: A collection of correspondence containing specific experimental observations and notes on metallurgy. [1, 8]
Philosophical and Historical Impact:
The collection bridges early modern experimental chemistry and deep esoteric theology. In Kelly’s philosophy, lower metals like lead, copper, and iron are viewed simply as "immature" or "imperfect" versions of gold (the mature male) and silver (the perfect female). Rather than pure proto-science, the texts treat the physical manipulation of matter as a divine architecture. [4, 7]
For modern research, Waite's compilation remains one of the most accessible entry points into the enigmatic Hermetic corpus of the Elizabethan era.
[1] [https://archive.org](https://archive.org/details/b24857300)
[2] [https://en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...ward_Kelly)
[3] [https://www.amazon.co.uk](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemical-Writ...1497984599)
[4] [https://www.academia.edu](https://www.academia.edu/144346942/The_A...ic_figures)
[5] [https://en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...al_Preface)
[6] [https://www.abebooks.com](https://www.abebooks.com/Alchemical-Writ...6954254/bd)
[7] [https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/lumin...itings.pdf)
[8] [https://www.abebooks.com](https://www.abebooks.com/Alchemical-Writ...5846301/bd)
Translation of the Latin original Tractatus duo egregii, de lapide philosophorum, una cum theatro astronomiæ terrestri (1676)
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...ward_Kelly
The Alchemical Writings of Edward Kelly (https://www.google.com/search?q=the+alch...ward+kelly&kgmid=/g/1142mrftv) is a seminal collection of Renaissance occult literature translated, edited, and published in English by the prominent scholarly mystic Arthur Edward Waite in 1893. The volume compiles the major Latin treatises originally attributed to the famous 16th-century English occultist, alchemist, and scryer Edward Kelly (1555–1597), who is best known for his collaborative scrying sessions with Dr. John Dee. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Waite’s English edition was translated from a comprehensive 1676 Hamburg edition originally titled Tractatus duo egregii, de lapide philosophorum, una cum theatro astronomiæ terrestri. [2]
Core Contents & Treatises
The compilation synthesizes Late Renaissance alchemy, cosmology, and Hermetic philosophy into several core texts: [1, 4]
* Biographical Preface: A detailed introduction written by [A.E. Waite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Edward_Waite) that analyzes Kelly's colorful life, his relationship with Dee, and the symbolic background of his works. [5, 6]
* The Stone of the Philosophers (De Lapide Philosophorum): A theoretical treatise exploring the creation and nature of the Philosopher's Stone. It argues that the "first matter" of metals is quicksilver (Mercury) digested by inner heat and sulfur, presenting transmutation as an analog for spiritual regeneration. [4, 5, 6, 7]
* The Theatre of Terrestrial Astronomy (Theatrum Astronomiae Terrestris): A highly symbolic and geometric text that maps celestial archetypes and astrological principles onto earthly, metallic elements. [2, 4]
* The Humid Way (The Humid Way, or a Discourse upon the Vegetable Menstruum of Saturn): A short discourse dealing with early chemical extractions, solvents, and the practical laboratory aspects of the "wet path" in alchemy. [1, 6]
* Selected Letter Fragments: A collection of correspondence containing specific experimental observations and notes on metallurgy. [1, 8]
Philosophical and Historical Impact:
The collection bridges early modern experimental chemistry and deep esoteric theology. In Kelly’s philosophy, lower metals like lead, copper, and iron are viewed simply as "immature" or "imperfect" versions of gold (the mature male) and silver (the perfect female). Rather than pure proto-science, the texts treat the physical manipulation of matter as a divine architecture. [4, 7]
For modern research, Waite's compilation remains one of the most accessible entry points into the enigmatic Hermetic corpus of the Elizabethan era.
[1] [https://archive.org](https://archive.org/details/b24857300)
[2] [https://en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...ward_Kelly)
[3] [https://www.amazon.co.uk](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemical-Writ...1497984599)
[4] [https://www.academia.edu](https://www.academia.edu/144346942/The_A...ic_figures)
[5] [https://en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alche...al_Preface)
[6] [https://www.abebooks.com](https://www.abebooks.com/Alchemical-Writ...6954254/bd)
[7] [https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/lumin...itings.pdf)
[8] [https://www.abebooks.com](https://www.abebooks.com/Alchemical-Writ...5846301/bd)