A Subtle Allegory: Concerning the Secrets of Alchemy

Michael Maier is one of the foremost names within the corpus of alchemical literature. This short tract, written in the late 17th century, proposes a short story regarding the phoenix as the answer to the riddle of alchemy. Instructing the reader thus through metaphor and veil, Maier hopes to allow those with the wisdom to understand the content to practice this art for spiritual and medicinal purposes. The occult trappings of this work are quite fantastical.