The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10


pher into a god or a devil.
The case of Or John Dee, born 1877,
is typical Of the years when old sorcery
and new science Uverlapped For all
his wisdom, Or. Dee was pttiable
dupc A brilliant scholar, he lived
tragedy. lie Ia said to have worked
eighteen hours a day, and the CLEAN OF
the midnight oil at his window and the
strange sounds that issued. mystic
riously muflied, from his laboratory were
in all conscience enough to focus upon
him the suspicious OF an unlettered,
superstitious pupulace He contrived
mechanical beetle that flew away
with It's creators reputation for merely
safe scholarship. After studies on the
Continent he returned to England and
praCtiscd astrology in London; at last
he was accused OF attempting the life
/ Of the Queen by entertainments. AC-
\ quilted, he was next tried for heresy
! hut escaped the Sm.,hfe,d stake Ini-
! tiate in the mysteries Of Cabbala and
| Talmud he longcd to pass the border
/ land and commune with spirits and
angels able to unlock the universal Sc
crcts. Whether Cra2cd by much study,
an impostor or a true clArvoyant, he
! began to see things: the angel Uriel
gave him magic crystal.
Enter Mcphistopheles. alias Edward
! Kelly. DR.. Dee's had spirit Kelly had
Ia past. lie had been pilloried and had
4 his ears Topped Off. for forgery. where
fore he wore constantly a black skull
cap such as incidentally consorted most
fifty with his pose of mystic and con-
Juror. Kelly bought from an inn
keeper, probably a thieves fence"
, Welsh manuscript the Book Of st.
Dunstan a treatise on the transmuta-
ton of metals and a little ivory box
containing white powder, presumably
the essence Of the magnum opus. Some
how partnership was formed between
Dcc's crystal and Kellys alchemic
properties Dee may or may not have
engaged seriously in alchemy before
this time; one record has it tina. he
made money drawing horoscopes, only
10 spend it all on drugs and metals;
another. that he had merely expert
mented casually. At any rate he was
a mathematical philosopher and ply
sicist, and must assuredly have been
familiar with the theories of alchemy.
Kelly famed his latent fanaticsm, and
they began. like true children of
HophEstus spending their hours in the
fumes Of chemical retorts and furnaces.
and their good money on precious alloy
for haser metals.
: In 1883 Dee made the acquaintance OF
Albert Laski. Count Pala;ine Of Siradz
Kelly saw business possibilities N the
curious and somewhat Credulous Pole
, and read him a glowing future out Of
. The crystal: he should possess the phi
losophcr's stone. partake of the elixir and
p live ong he should ascend the throne
/ of Poland and carve an empire out of
( Sdracen matcr'al OF course Kelly and
10 Dee were Indicated as agents Of this
, high destiny. Count G.askl took the
n precious pair home with him. and
4 PLAYED the angelic role without restraint
2 Of bookkeeping; his peasants paid. Blu
, even his rich revenues AZ last beCam,
.anwmic: Dee and Kelly did the work
-, Of vampires but gulls deserve no pity
d. ard almost justify the operations. a'
they maintain the existence Of the rogue
Dee was fana zeal fool. IisN an easy
, mark who could not have brougA
:. clean hands To court; Kelly was per
- haps the most honestly of them all wha
i, nc was.
While AT CraCOw Dee was Informed o
4 the destruction Of his library at Mort
= lake 10y n crowd cursing The Wizard
In 1854 he and Kelly went to Prague
They MIXED Bohemia. and then the ricl
y, milk turned sour Emperor Rudol
II kicked them out Back to Poland an,
:, renewed afIlucncc. This time a Coun
II Rosenberg lis the rock that Cushe
golden streams when tapped by Kelly
W truly magic wand. Dee began 10 squirm
" Kelly held him tight. Kelly's wors
and Does silliest came when tn
spirits commanded Kell, the mus
y fave their wives in common. and "A con
tract was drawn mp and signed by III
cour. Mrs. Kelly was less charming il
n looks ana temper than Mrs Or. Dee.
N Fate played an ironic prank on Kelly
- So completely had he at last manage
I To convince his royal patron--they wer
IT, now back at Prague-of his mastery o
- the art of transmutation that his failur
/ to produce the true powders of alchem
\ was attributed to sheer obstinacy. in
<, gratitude or Unsuitable desire for in
p mediate plumber, and Black Cap wa
p Clapped into a castle dungeon. Dee. re
De- turning To England. was likewise
al victim bf his own too successful assault
IS, upon Credulity; Queen Elizabeth re
I'd fused (give her credit for sense, not in
p genuousness) to be moved by appeal
for assistance, coin OF the realm. fror
ut one who could turn. say, frying pa
u into a golden dish, Even when az
- pointed. first. chancellor of st. Paul
X Cathedral and then warden of Manches
ne ter College his troubles did not ent
w. His collegiate colleagues prosecuted hi
r and he spent his last days in bitter pc,
w erty. Kelly spent his writing treats
~ on the philosophers stone and wa
In killed 10y a fall when trying to escar
p? from his prison.
~ The author connects the older witcf
% craft. as with ancient divination in OF
FL direction. so, in the ether, with moder
IL spiritualsm perfectly indorsab
RS concentration! He does one thing be
Isl ter than is customary with those wi
III make" books out OF old books az
o. records: incorporates with his part
n phrase Of ancient manuscripts mar
or fine favored formulas and bits OF syn
w bolsm and Technology.
4 Womnn's North African Sket'
ala Book.
'se The mystery that was Africa T
rel mystery retreats, the Dark Contne
nd is muttied with light new Afri
% energies, in which the tourist mi
elf match in doVg and comfort and 4