In the present time, Alchemy is one of those subjects that often draws blank stares or outright cynicism. It was not always so.

Alchemy has been much maligned as a pseudo-science inhabited by demented alchemists desperately trying to turn base metal into gold. This may have been the biggest red herring in history. In this book we discover the very roots of alchemy and what it has to tell us in the 21st century.

This is a re-issue of a 1999 work by the authors. They have a wide range of skills to apply to the very complex puzzle presented. The pivots around which this conundrum whirls are three.

The first centres on the character of the mysterious Fulcanelli – ‘The Last Alchemist’. There is conjecture as to whether he existed. No biography is available. His publication Mystery of the Cathedrals was first issued in 1926 with a second edition in 1957 which contained an extra chapter on the Cyclic Cross of Hendaye.

The Cross of Hendaye is the second pivot. The third pivot is the presence of eschatological references throughout history to indicate the end of time.

Whether or not Fulcanelli existed is revealed as a side issue. He may have been another like Comte St Germain, long-lived and performing wondrous feats of transmutation. Unlike St Germain, he kept a low profile and only his work on the meaning of Europe’s Gothic cathedrals and monuments brought wider interest.

The authors use their book to weave all the threads and clues together to reveal the unbroken Western occult/alchemical tradition. They find that all clues lead to 2012. Yes, 2012.

The book is in six parts, all of which contain highly compressed information that leads logically to the next part. These deal with Fulcanelli and Alchemy; Eschatology and Astronomy; the Gothic Renaissance and the Holy Grail; the Mystery of the Cathedrals; Hendaye’s Message; The Season of Catastrophe and the Place of Refuge; The Great Mystery: Illuminated Masters, Apocalyptic Refuges, and Mythic Time.

As you can see, all bases are covered here, and for good reason. We are shown by research, both historical and contemporary, that what were thought to be different streams, lead to the one source and one possible outcome.

In the great scheme of the cosmos, it matters not a whit whether Fulcanelli existed or whether he was really a ‘committee’ of alchemists/occultists. The information was there for the authors to piece together.

By existing evidence they are able to travel back to pre-dynastic Egypt and the first germination of alchemy in the wisdom of Isis. This was contained into the later work Isis the Prophetess, which is shown to be the first real work on alchemy.

They add to this with early Gnostic Dualist, Jewish, Christian and Cabalistic references as well as Sufism and the so-called heretical sects of the Cathars, and Chiliasts, among the many. The Templars, Hospitallers, and others too numerous to mention contribute to this vast alchemical stew.

What shines through this incredibly complex labyrinth is the Cabalistic Tree of Life, the Cube of Space and how ancient symbols were consistently used in the decorating of gothic monuments.

There was what might be termed a gothic building frenzy in Europe for 200 years from 1170 onwards. These cathedrals and monuments are still here for anyone to see. One of the best known is Notre Dame-de-Paris, but in his Mystery of the Cathedrals, Fulcanelli surveys all the major alchemical features of the European gothic monuments.

Written texts use arcane ‘green language’ and the images in stone use the language of symbols to convey their enigmatic messages.

The Great Cyclic Cross of Hendaye has the added features of cryptic clues to the date of the expected catastrophe and where it will be possible to seek refuge. What a hook! A hook intended not only for the avid reader and budding alchemist, but also for the esoteric detective. The authors decipher the clues and come to several conclusions that may not be complete surprises.

It would be impossible to describe or even summarise the staggering amount of information in this book. The material covers vast areas of Western occult knowledge, some parts of which have almost been lost to the genuine seeker.

Weidner and Bridges have put together an incredible jigsaw here. The usual ‘philosopher’s stone’ type of alchemy is shown here as the decoy it really is, to tease and coax would-be alchemists into the real stuff of transmutation – the inner self.

The style of this book is direct and illustrative. There are many plates, drawings and diagrams to consider. The material comes from many sources and as well as the occult subjects, takes in modern sciences such as astrophysics.

I found myself somewhat stunned in some of the latter chapters where my mathematical and hermetic knowledge is not strong. To my delight, this book has inspired me to delve much more deeply into those areas where I find myself lacking.

I know I will keep trying in those sections and come back again and again to seek more complete understanding. Rather than put me off entirely, those chapters have evoked in me a hunger which can only be satisfied by my persistent revisiting of those areas.

This work is riveting to read. It demands much of the reader while, in turn, providing so very much. It will please students of true alchemy in the extensive collection of references. Many of these are becoming more obscure and harder to find with each passing generation.

This most valuable book integrates what is known of symbology, mythology, mystical religions, archaeology, and architecture with the additional bonus of a suggestively complete portrait of the very puzzling Fulcanelli, whoever he was. A highly recommended book.

– Reviewed by Jennifer Hoskins in New Dawn No. 90