Of Natural and Supernatural Things, and Others

The book delves into the enigmatic figure of Basil Valentine, a name linked to a supposed 15th-century alchemist, but likely a pseudonym for multiple 16th-century German authors. It explores the lack of historical evidence for Valentine’s existence prior to 1600, as noted by John Maxson Stillman, and suggests that both his biography and portrait were fabricated after the fact. The text examines the implications of this pseudonymity on the understanding of alchemical writings and their authorship in the context of early chemistry.