“Some Characteristics of Mediaeval Thought,” and the two essays on Alchemy, have appeared in The Journal of the Alchemical Society.  In others I have utilised material I have contributed to The Occult Review, to the editor of which journal my thanks are due for permission so to do.  I have also to express my gratitude to the Rev. A. H. Collins, and others to be referred to in due course, for permission here to reproduce illustrations of which they are the copyright holders.  I have further to offer my hearty thanks to Mr B. R. Rowbottom and my wife for valuable assistance in reading the proofs.  H. S. R.

BLETCHLEY, Bucks, December 1919.

Contents page
preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
list of illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
1.   Some characteristics of mediaeval thought . . . . . . . . .  1
2.   Pythagoras and his philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
3.   Medicine and magic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.   Superstitions concerning birds  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.   The powder of sympathy:   A curious medical superstition . . 47
6.   The belief in talismans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
7.   Ceremonial magic in theory and practice . . . . . . . . . . 87
8.   Architectural symbolism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
9.   The quest of the philosopher’s stone. . . . . . . . . . . .121
10.  The phallic element in alchemical doctrine. . . . . . . . .149
11.  Roger Bacon:   An appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
12.  The Cambridge Platonists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193

{the list of illustrations are incomplete and raw OCR output!}

Page 46.  Symbolic Alchemical Design from Mutus Liber (1677) .  Plate:  25, to face p.176 47.  Symbolic Alchemical Design illustrating the Work of Woman,
     from MAIER’s Atalanta Fugiens . . . ,, 26, ,, 178
48.  Symbolic Alchemica Design, Hermaphrodite,
     from MAIER’s Atalanta Fugiens. . ,, 27, ,, 180
49.  Roger Bacon presenting a Book to a King, from a Fifteenth Century
     Miniature in the Bodleian Library, Oxford . . .,, 28, ,, 184
50.  Roger Bacon, from a Portrait in Knole Castle . . ,, 29, ,, 188 51.  Benjamin Whichcote, from an engraved Portrait
     by Robert white ....30...194
52.  Henry more, from a Portrait by David LOGGAN, engraved ad vivum, 1679
     . . . ,, 31, ,, 198
53.  Ralph Cudworth, from an engraved Portrait by Vertue, after LOGGAN,
     forming the Frontispiece to CUDWORTH’s Treatise Concerning Morality
     (1731) ,, 32, ,, 3~