Armand Barbault

From: "Corey Brand"

I have just obtained, after many years of searching, the book by Armand Barbault. After the moments I spent today paging through it, I find it proves to be an astonishing piece of work.

Is anyone on this list familiar with this contemporary alchemist, or has anyone tried his experiments? I take it that this book is as straight-forward as it claims to be.

From: jeduron@planete.net (Jean Duron)

Hello Mr. Corey Brand and fellows alchimists,

I too got the book of Armand Barbault, but I'm new to alchemy. Being a Frenchman, I may manage to have (in French) this book if it's difficult to have in English.
One of the difficulties of this book in my opinion is it doesn't say *exactly* what is the first material.

Barbault only says that he used earth determined by astrological factors.
He also added raw plants for years to his earth.
The secret fire he used was the juice of young plants and the dew of dawn.
After more than 22 years he attained the first degree of perfection.
His material beginning to turn black with white stars in it.

cf. Jacques Sadoul, "Le trésor des alchilmistes" (The treasure of the alchimists), J'ai Lu. (Sorry it's a French reference) in his chapter on Armand Barbault. The work of Barbault was edited in the same collection.

Regards,

J.Duron

From: "Corey Brand"

My impression of Barbault here is that choosing the Prime Matter is a personal process, and that the methods here that work for him may not be the same methods another may wish to choose. Personally, I consider myself more of a magician than an astrologer, so I will probably end up using ceremonial magic to determine where and when to obtain my Matter. Then again, I may also employ a divining rod...

I read the English translation of Sadoul. I believe it was the first alchemical text I ever read.

From: Josh

I too found it rather wonderful and straightforward.... you've got to love a book that includes lots of lab photos, and captions (without a hint of embarrassment) like: "Finally, the liquor of gold...."

(Answering somebody's question: Yes, it is in translation; the edition Ihave is called Gold of a Thousand Mornings, published by Neville Spearman in London.)

Barbault is connected with anthroposophic medicine/natural science; he cites "clinical trials" of his alchemical medicines carried out by Hauschka and Weleda labs, as well as experiments and writings of Theodore Schwenk ("Sensitive Chaos").