Starkey's Marrow of Alchemy (1654-5), the work ... interpreting them many times throughout his manuscripts. Like Starkey, Newton believed that ancient Greek and Roman mythology contained hidden ...

With Bill Newman's help, we've "decoded" a page from one of these manuscripts. To orient yourself to the bewildering world of 17th-century alchemy, we recommend you first read our interview with ...

Alchemy is an ancient art, originating in Egypt ... Much of the oldest knowledge survived only in fragmentary manuscripts. These traces of old alchemical texts were frequently combined or copied ...