Alchemy

More than 7 or perhaps as many as 10 years ago I perused a book in Saratoga (New York) on alchemy. I can't remember why I didn't just buy it that night, but I didn't. Then perhaps a year later whilst at the ATA Conference in Albany, a participant shared her copy. As we were so close to Saratoga, I dashed over to the bookstore only to find they no longer carried the book.

Unfortunately it went out of print, then the price escalated and I put off buying it. Then last week I did a search and found the book at Powells for a reasonable price. It arrived today.

The Friesian author, Johannes Fabricius (1587-1616) made some early interesting scientific and astronomical discoveries, but unlike some of his contemporaries, with little money (alas, we know about that), his work and name have nearly disappeared from memory.

The illustrations alone are worth the price of the book, and it is my intention to use them in some way in The Green Pond.