Thomas Vaughan and the Rosicrucian Revival in Britain

1648–1666

Thomas Willard (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

340 Seiten

2022
Brill (Verlag)
978-90-04-51972-5 (ISBN)

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Thomas Vaughan’s challenging books on alchemy, magic, and other esoterica make better sense in the context of the Rosicrucian ideas he introduced to English readers in the seventeenth century. This is the first scholarly book on his life, sources, writings, and subsequent influence.

The first scholarly book on Thomas Vaughan (1621–1666) draws from recent studies in Western esotericism to place his famously difficult writings in their proper context. It shows that they develop themes from a distinctively Rosicrucian synthesis of alchemy, magic, and Christian cabala. Vaughan introduced Rosicrucian documents to English readers and placed them in older philosophical contexts during the breakdown of censorship that followed the English Revolution against the old order in politics and religion. Willard’s book will appeal to students of early modern ideas about religion, science, and society as they were seen by an intelligent and eloquent outsider.

Thomas Willard (Ph.D. 1978) University of Toronto, is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Arizona. He has published articles and book chapters related to this study and, most recently, a collection of essays on nature in the pre-modern world.

Acknowledgments

List of Figures

Abbreviations

A Note on Quotations

Introduction Double Obscurity

1 The Progress: A Life of Thomas Vaughan

1 Wales

2 Oxford

3 Civil War

4 London

5 Publishing

6 Profession

7 Marriage

8 Patronage

2 The Bookish Faith: Vaughan’s Reading and Influences

1 The Biblical Tradition

2 The Platonic Philosophy

3 Magic

4 Cabala

5 Alchemy

6 The Rosy Cross

7 Tradition and the Individual

3 Not Easily Apprehended: Vaughan’s Language and Writings

1 Part One: The Alphabet of Nature

1.1 Magical Writing

1.2 Alchemical Rhetoric

1.3 Oracular and Vernacular

1.4 Center and Circumference

2 Part Two: The Key to the Lock

2.1 Anthroposophia Theomagica

2.2 Anima Magica Abscondita

2.3 Magia Adamica

2.4 Coelum Terrae

2.5 Lumen de Lumine

2.6 Aula Lucis

2.7 Preface to The Fame and Confession

2.8 Euphrates

2.9 Preface to The Chymists Key

2.10 Flint, Fire, and Tears: Vaughan’s English Poetry

4 Numbered amongst Ranters: Vaughan’s Reputation

1 The Pamphlet Debate

2 The Stylist, Rival, and Source

3 The Satiric Butt

4 The Legendary Adept

5 The Research Subject

Conclusion Invisible History

Appendix 1 Annotations in Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum

Appendix 2 Preface to Humane Industry

Appendix 3 Excerpts from The Ladies Champion

Appendix 4 The Term “Spiritual Alchemy”

Bibliography

Index of Names

Index of Subjects

Index of Bible Citations

Erscheinungsdatum	26.09.2022
Reihe/Serie	Aries Book Series
Verlagsort	Leiden
Sprache	englisch
Maße	155 x 235 mm
Gewicht	722 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie ► Esoterik / Spiritualität
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Weitere Religionen
ISBN-10	90-04-51972-6 / 9004519726
ISBN-13	978-90-04-51972-5 / 9789004519725
Zustand	Neuware