The Sceptical Chymist or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, Touching the Spagyrist's Principles Commonly call'd Hypostatical; As they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists. Whereunto is præmis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same Subject.

In this seventeenth‑century treatise the author enters the heated debates surrounding alchemy, questioning the prevailing “spagyric” theories that many scholars defended as immutable truths. Through imagined dialogues he pits the skeptical Carneades against the confident Eleutherius, exposing doubts about the material principles of mixed bodies. The language mixes early‑modern English with occasional Greek and Hebrew terms, preserving the original spelling and quirks of the 1661 publication.

The writer explains that the work arrived in a fragmented state, prompting him to add revisions, observations, and replies to contemporary critics. He openly critiques both the Aristotelian “peripatetic” view and the more mystical chymical doctrines, offering practical experiments he has conducted since the original draft. This candid preface reveals his desire to make the controversial material accessible without compromising scholarly rigor.

Today's listeners get a rare look at the moment alchemy edged toward experimental chemistry, narrated in the author's lively, argumentative voice. The original printer’s notes and corrections lend an authentic, tactile feel.