- The articles reveal some of Newton’s thoughts on the work of Johann de Monte Snyders
- Newton was obsessed with alchemy and wanted to find the Philosopher’s Stone
A set of papers written by physicist Isaac Newton pointing to his decades-long quest to produce the mythical philosopher’s stone will sell for more than £120,000 at auction.
The articles, which are written in Latin and have some titles in English, are a distillation of the chemical processes contained in the writings of the influential 17th-century alchemist Johann de Monte Snyders.
Snyders was famous for his supposed skill with transmutation: turning lead into gold.
Although Newton, who died in 1727, is best known for his discovery of gravity, the physicist also had a lifelong obsession with alchemy.
Practitioners of the quest tried to convert base metals into gold or silver and also discover a way to prolong life, but their efforts were in vain.
The holy grail was the philosopher’s stone, a substance also known as the elixir of life that alchemists believed was essential to achieving their goals.
It was made most famous by JK Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and the subsequent 2001 film, in which the villain Voldemort attempted to obtain the object so he could regain his physical form.
A set of papers written by physicist Isaac Newton pointing to his decades-long quest to produce the mythical philosopher’s stone will sell for more than £120,000 at auction.
The document being sold is called ‘A Key to Snyders’ and will sell for up to $150,000 (£120,320) and will be offered at a Bonhams auction in the US from April 28 to May 7.
According to William Newman, the leading authority on Newtonian alchemy, Snyders’ works “exerted more impact on Newton the alchemist than any other author except Philalethes.”
Newton spent decades studying two influential texts produced by Snyders.
The manuscript being sold comprises Newton’s identification of Snyders’ most important passages, as well as his struggle to “reassemble the dissociated parts of Snyders’ process,” according to Professor Newman’s book Newton the Alchemist.
The articles, which are written in Latin and have some titles in English, are a distillation of the chemical processes contained in the writings of the influential 17th-century alchemist Johann de Monte Snyders.
The document being sold is called ‘A Key to Snyders’ and will sell for up to $150,000 (£120,320) and will be offered at a Bonhams sale in the US from April 28 to May 7.
Snyders would communicate his self-proclaimed knowledge only in small fragments that left Newton and others confused.
Newton’s main goal was to discern the concrete details of Snyders chemical producer to formulate the “Universal Medicine” that would cure diseases.
The physicist was busy for more than 30 years in the quest to produce the Philosopher’s Stone.
It had one of the largest alchemical libraries in Europe. The scientist considered it necessary to bring together the complete set of stages to produce the stone of various authors.
The Philosopher’s Stone was depicted in JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel and the subsequent 2001 film, in which the villain Voldemort attempts to obtain the object in order to restore his physical form.
Newton was also convinced that chemistry was the key to understanding gravity.
However, because he was so cautious about his alchemical research, only one text related to it was published during his lifetime.
‘De Natura Acidorum’, written in 1692, was printed without his approval.
Newton told how he was inspired to formulate his theory of gravity after seeing an apple fall from a tree.
The philosopher Voltaire, in his Essay on Epic Poetry, later wrote: “Sir Isaac Newton, walking in his gardens, had the first idea of his system of gravitation when he saw an apple fall from a tree.”
Beyond his scientific pursuits, Newton helped rescue the British economy as master of the Royal Mint.