Gehennical Fire: The Lives of George Starkey, an American Alchemist in the Scientific RevolutionBoth the quest for natural knowledge and the aspiration to alchemical wisdom played crucial roles in the Scientific Revolution, as William R. Newman demonstrates in this fascinating book about George Starkey (1628-1665), America's first famous scientist. Beginning with Starkey's unusual education in colonial New England, Newman traces out his many interconnected careers—natural philosopher, alchemist, chemist, medical practitioner, economic projector, and creator of the fabulous adept, "Eirenaeus Philalethes." Newman reveals the profound impact Starkey had on the work of Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Samuel Hartlib, and other key thinkers in the realm of early modern science. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Starkey in America | 14 |
The Hartlib Years 16501654 | 54 |
The Background to Starkeys Chymistry | 92 |
The Writings of Philalethes | 115 |
16551665 | 170 |
Philalethes in Context | 209 |
Isaac Newton and Eirenaeus Philalethes | 228 |
Starkeys Addresses in England 16501665 | 247 |
Abbreviations | 275 |
| 339 | |
Other editions - View all
Gehennical Fire: The Lives of George Starkey, an American Alchemist in the ... William R. Newman No preview available - 2003 |
Gehennical Fire: The Lives of George Starkey, an American Alchemist in the ... William R. Newman No preview available - 1994 |
Common terms and phrases
acid adept Agrippa alchemist alchemy Ambix archeus Aristotelian asserts base metals body Boyle's Cambridge Chapter chemical Chemistry contains corpuscles corpuscular theory distillation Dury early modern earth Eirenaeus Philalethes elements elixir Emerald Tablet England Ephemerides extracted ferment fire Geber Geberian George Starkey gold Hartlib Harvard Helmont Helmontian iatrochemistry Ibid Introitus Introitus apertus Isaac Newton Johann John John Winthrop Kittredge Latin letter to Boyle Liquor Alchahest Lockyer London matter theory mechanical philosophy medicine medieval metalline metallorum mineral minima naturalia mixture Natures Explication Newman Newton offa Paracelsian Paracelsus particles Philalethan philosophical mercury physician Pill pores Pseudo-Geber Pyrotechny quicksilver reader recipe reference reveal Ripley Robert Boyle Robert Child sal ammoniac sal nitrum salt of tartar Samuel Hartlib says Science secrets semina Sendivogius seventeenth century silver sophic mercury spirit Starkey's Stirk stone substance Suchten sulfur Summa perfectionis things transmutation Vaughan volatile Wigglesworth Wilkinson Winthrop