This work by Kirchweger was first published in German in 1723. It was translated into English by Sigismund Bacstrom who was a noted alchemical scholar, and it eventually found its way into the hands of W. Wynn Westcott, a founding member of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Westcott passed the work to Percy William Bullock, another Golden Dawn member (initiated at its Isis-Urania temple in London in September 1890), who was well versed in occult matters and had a special interest in alchemy, and painstakingly copied the manuscript. Bullock’s manuscript was later copied by Leonard Frank Pembroke in 1930 and it is Pembroke’s copy that is reproduced in facsimile in this volume. I’m guessing he had the better penmanship - his writing is beautiful! There are opening remarks by Bullock (under the initials of L.O. - his magical motto was “Levavi Oculus”) in which he states that after perusing the Aurea Catena Homeri, he was struck with the genius of the Author in supplying a whole system of Philosophy viewed by the Light of Alchemy, and apart from the mere Philosophy of his system, the principia or principles of practice laid down, are among the best. He also mentions that “members who are occupied with Enochian Tablets Analysis will read with interest the portions relating to the elemental constitution of the World,” stressing that such a difficult Subject is very ably treated. Bullock goes on to say that his labour in copying the manuscript will be amply compensated for, if its perusal shall help any Member of the Second Order towards the elaboration of the Lapis Philosophorum, the “perfect perfection.”