1. Leonardus Thurneiser, Cabala, the Looking Glass of Art and Nature in Alchymy, etc. ‘from the German translated’, Sloane Manuscript 3673, The British Library.

2. Synesios, Greek alchemist quoted by Burckhardt, p.96.

3. T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets, ‘Burnt Norton’, II, line 62.

4. Part of a quotation from the ‘Vatican Manuscript of Paracelsus’, quoted by C. Nicholl, The Chemical Theatre, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980, p.3 and Note IL, p.240.

5. John Dee, Monas Hieroglyphica, (1564): C. H. Josten (trans.), ‘A translation of John Dee’s Monas Hieroglyphica’, Ambix, vol xii, 1964, p.177.

6. Benedictus Figulus, ‘Canon 39: Sulphur is the Soul, Mercury the Matter’, The Golden Casket (circa. 1595): A.E.Waite (ed.)The Golden and Blessed Casket of Nature’s Marvels, Vincent Stuart, 1963, p.281.

7. Arnaldus de Villa Nova, Opus Aureum, (1604): Theatrum Chymicum, Sloane ms. 630 Fo. 98-116. British Library. Other mss. consulted: Sloane ms.320. Fo. 32-3b; Sloane ms.640.

8. Burckhardt, pp.141–2.

.9 Grossinger, p.60 and p.228.

10. C. G. Jung, Psychology and Alchemy, Princeton University Press, 1980, pp.292–3.

11. Burckhardt, pp.131–2.

12. This symbol bears an interesting similarity to the double helix arrangement of DNA molecules which carry Nature’s encoded genetic message in living organisms.

13. Grossinger, p.69.

14. Faas, p.200.

15. The Bible, ‘The Revelation’, 12:9.

16. Porphyry. On the Cave of the Nymphs, (written 3AD), in Lamberton, R.(Trans.), New York, Station Hill Press, 1983, pp.9–10.

17. Aurelia Occulta from the Theatrum Chemicum (1613).

18. Faas, p.200.

19. Burckhardt, p.96. A quotation from the fourth century alchemist, Synesios.

20. Burckhardt, p.29: Quoting from Summa perfectionis magesterii , a 14th Century compilation of work attributed to the 9th Century alchemist, Gerber (Jabir ibn Hayyan).

21. T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets, ‘East Coker’ III, lines 140–144.

22. Ad de Vries, Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery, North Holland Publishing Co., (undated), p.8.