The death of Becker's father, a Protestant minister, left him at the age of eight with the need to help support his mother and brothers. The lack of money for a formal education forced Johann to educate himself, mainly by traveling through Sweden, Holland, Italy, and Germany. He developed interests in a wide- range of subjects including alchemy, medicine, politics, economics, theology, history, and mathematics. In 1661, Becker's first published book appeared, and the University of Mainz awarded him a M.D. A restless individual, Becker served for a short period of time as court physician to the Electors of Mainz and Munich before turning to economics and politics. Emperor Leopold I in Vienna appointed him alchemical advisor and imperial economic counselor in 1666. In this capacity, Becker instituted educational reforms, including the establishment of technical schools and proposed a Rhine-Danube canal and colonial settlements in South America. During this...