Sources: nature, reason, experience, and tradition

Four sources of alchemical learning: nature, reason, experience, and tradition

‘Let nature, reason, experience and reading be the guide, staff, spectacles, and lantern for anyone who devoted himself to chemistry.’ Emblem XLII from Michael Maier's Atalanta fugiens, 1617.
 
This image, from one of the most famous of all books of alchemical emblems, depicts the alchemist following in the footsteps of Nature. The commentary which accompanies it explains that, in order to make progress in the art, four things are necessary: the footprints of nature must be the guide; reason must act as a walking stick, steadying one’s steps; experience is the spectacles, sharpening one’s sight; and reading the many writings passed down by alchemical tradition provides the lantern, which illuminates the dark path.
 
The emphasis on nature and experience distinguishes alchemical learning from much of the natural philosophy of the schools. The emphasis on reason and learning differentiates alchemical tradition from artisanal forms of engagement with nature. The injunction to study the obscure works of the alchemical tradition differentiates much alchemical work from the experimental natural philosophy which emerged in the course of the seventeenth century.
 
Further resources: High resolution imagesof this entire book are provided by the Science History Institute.

Commentary. Howard Hotson (April 2019)

Atalanta fugiens by Michael Maier was first published in 1617 at Frankfurt at the press of Johann Theodor de Bry. 'This alchemical emblem book included 50 engraved emblems with an associated 'fugue' or musical canon. In a sense this book with its integration of image, text and sound was one of the first attempts at multimedia.... The music was originally devised as Latin verses sung in three parts.' A video by Adam McLean provides an instrumental version.