It seems strange that only three fellows turned up, perhaps everyone wasn't notified in time. I suspect that

these three were alchemists themselves and the whole thing was arranged. They either helped him fake his

death, or else made him drink the poison.

For a little bit of fun speculation, let us remember in Romeo and Juliet (written by Francis Bacon, a

Rosicrucian) when Juliet drinks a potion that will make her appear dead for "two and forty hours". This

potion is given to Juliet by a Franciscan Friar: Friar Laurence. Roger Bacon (no known relation to Francis

Bacon) was a Franciscan Friar and well-known alchemist. Friar Laurence is presented as somewhat of a

philosopher, who studies Nature. He is an alchemist, as we can see from the first of his lines:

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The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,

Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light,

And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels

From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels:

Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye,

The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry,

I must up-fill this osier cage of ours

With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers.

The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb;

What is her burying grave that is her womb,

And from her womb children of divers kind

We sucking on her natural bosom find,

Many for many virtues excellent,

None but for some and yet all different.

O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies

In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities:

Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene 3, by Shakespeare, 1597 AD

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I could therefore speculate that Friar Laurence is a character based on Roger Bacon, whose books Francis

Bacon surely read, as they are well-known to alchemists, and even I quoted extensively from Roger Bacon

in this book.

Now the Rosicrucians, as we know from "The New Atlantis" (written by Francis Bacon) were studying the

effect of poisons a good 200 years before James Price's death. And with the character of Friar Laurence

being an alchemist and the whole story written by an alchemist, it is possible that the potion mentioned may

well have existed. This could have been what James Price drunk, as I doubt that the alchemists would

actually kill one of their own, especially when the damage is already done and no one believed it anyway.

Romeo and Juliet is full of alchemical symbolism, as are many of the "Shakespeare" plays.

44. Fulcanelli

Fulcanelli was the last recorded alchemist, he lived in France during the early 20th century. Fulcanelli's true

identity is disputed. There is plenty of information and wild theories concerning Fulcanelli on the Internet,

so I will cover him only briefly.

Fulcanelli wrote two books: "The Mystery of the Cathedrals" (1922) and "Dwellings of the Philosophers"

(1929). Both books are primarily concerned with alchemical symbolism in architecture. The latter book also

includes some interesting thoughts regarding chemistry.

Fulcanelli did not obtain the Stone until 1932, after writing his two books, which is important to consider as

he makes some statements which seemingly contradict the older alchemists. The most notable being that he

claims the fermentation process makes the Stone only capable of transmuting metals, which I covered in the

Contradictions chapter. Other contradictions include Fulcanelli claiming that "the pretended Brotherhood of

the Rose Cross never had any social existence", which is neither logical, and nor does he offer any

evidence to support his claim against that which has evidence.

The reason Fulcanelli deserves a special mention, instead of just being another obscure alchemist, is because

his books show a more modern and scientific take on alchemy. Additionally his existence shows that

alchemy was still alive and well up until very recently.

If I'm honest, I think that Fulcanelli did not help anyone by publishing his books. They are full of the type of

symbolism that you must already know in order to understand, and I personally feel this type of thing is

only a hindrance. You can only understand his symbolism if you already understand his symbolism, which

makes it all redundant. Such endless symbolism serves to unnecessarily complicate the truth, bringing

people away from the guidance of Nature and towards the vain products of imagination and excitement for

shadows.

45. Where Did They Go?

Where did the alchemists go? Are they still wandering around somewhere? What happened to the

Rosicrucians?

The first consideration is that many of the alchemists are likely dead now. Just because they can live forever

does not mean that they would want to. Eventually life gets boring. I don't think many lived more than a

couple of hundred years. In the end they would have done everything, seen so much, and would be tired of

petty human pursuits. I imagine there would be no one to talk to. It would be like living as an adult in a

world of toddlers.

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St Dunstan's work, De Occulta Philosophia E: G: I: A, calls it the food of Angels, the heavenly Viaticum, the Bread of

Life, and it is undoubtedly next under God, the true Alchochodon or giver of years, and he does not so much admire

the question whether any man can die that uses it, as to think why the possessors of it should desire to live, who have

these manifestations of Glory and eternity represented to their fleshly eyes.

The Crowning of Nature, by Anonymous, 16th - 17th Cen. (?)

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