In The Secrets of Alchemy, Lawrence M. Principe, one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject, brings alchemy out of the shadows and restores it to its important place in human history and culture. By surveying what alchemy was and how it began, developed, and overlapped with a range of ideas and pursuits, Principe illuminates the practice. He vividly depicts the place of alchemy during its heyday in early modern Europe, and then explores how alchemy has fit into wider views of the cosmos and humanity, touching on its enduring place in literature, fine art, theater, and religion as well as its recent acceptance as a serious subject of study for historians of science. In addition, he introduces the reader to some of the most fascinating alchemists, such as Zosimos and Basil Valentine, whose lives dot alchemy’s long reign from the third century and to the present day. Through his exploration of alchemists and their times, Principe pieces together closely guarded clues from obscure and fragmented texts to reveal alchemy’s secrets, and—most exciting for budding alchemists—uses them to recreate many of the most famous recipes in his lab, including those for the “glass of antimony” and “philosophers’ tree.” This unique approach brings the reader closer to the actual work of alchemy than any other book.

勞倫斯·普林西比，美國約翰斯•霍普金斯大學科學技術史係和化學係教授。主要研究早期化學史、煉金術史。由於對科學史研究的卓越貢獻，被授予培根奬章。另著有《火中試驗煉金術：斯塔基、玻意耳以及海爾濛特派化學傢的命運》（2002）、《雄心勃勃的煉金術士： 羅伯特•玻意耳和他的煉金術探索》（1998）、《科學革命》（2011，有中譯本）。

張蔔天，清華大學科學史係副教授，國內傑齣的中青年翻譯傢，已為我館翻譯重要學術著作多部。譯文質量獲得讀者一緻好評。