First published together in Latin in 1623, these two tracts were at once recognized to be among the clearest descriptions ever written of the hermetic cosmology and the alchemical work. They were translated into English by two leading occultists, John Everard and Elias Ashmole. The introduction provides a full biography of d'Espagnet, a retired public official who published his works under strict anonymity. It also traces the influence these works had on later generations of practical alchemists and spiritual alchemists. The commentary traces d'Espagnet's extensive references to classical philosophy and poetry as well as to earlier works in alchemy.
