Bernardresolvedtotry；and，transportinghislaboratorytoahouseonthecoastoftheBaltic，heworkeduponsaltformorethanayear，meltingit，sublimatingit，crystalizingit，andoccasionallydrinkingit，forthesakeofotherexperiments。Stillthestrangeenthusiastwasnotwhollydiscouraged，andhisfailureinonetrialonlymadehimthemoreanxioustoattemptanother。
　　Hewasnowapproachingtheageoffifty，andhadasyetseennothingoftheworld。He，therefore，determinedtotravelthroughGermany，Italy，France，andSpain。Whereverhestoppedhemadeinquirieswhethertherewereanyalchymistsintheneighbourhood。Heinvariablysoughtthemout；and，iftheywerepoor，relieved，and，ifaffluent，encouragedthem。AtCiteauxhebecameacquaintedwithoneGeoffreyLeuvier，amonkofthatplace，whopersuadedhimthattheessenceofegg-shellswasavaluableingredient。Hetried，therefore，whatcouldbedone；andwasonlypreventedfromwastingayearortwoontheexperimentbytheopinionsofanattorney，atBerghem，inFlanders，whosaidthatthegreatsecretresidedinvinegarandcopperas。Hewasnotconvincedoftheabsurdityofthisideauntilhehadnearlypoisonedhimself。HeresidedinFranceforaboutfiveyears，when，hearingaccidentallythatoneMasterHenry，confessortotheEmperorFredericIII，haddiscoveredthephilosopher’sstone，hesetoutforGermanytopayhimavisit。Hehad，asusual，surroundedhimselfwithasetofhungrydependants，severalofwhomdeterminedtoaccompanyhim。Hehadnothearttorefusethem，andhearrivedatViennawithfiveofthem。Bernardsentapoliteinvitationtotheconfessor，andgavehimasumptuousentertainment，atwhichwerepresentnearlyallthealchymistsofVienna。MasterHenryfranklyconfessedthathehadnotdiscoveredthephilosopher’sstone，butthathehadallhislifebeenemployedinsearchingforit，andwouldsocontinue，tillhefoundit；——ordied。ThiswasamanafterBernard’sownheart，andtheyvowedwitheachotheraneternalfriendship。Itwasresolved，atsupper，thateachalchymistpresentshouldcontributeacertainsumtowardsraisingforty-twomarksofgold，which，infivedays，itwasconfidentlyassertedbyMasterHenry，wouldincrease，inhisfurnace，fivefold。Bernard，beingtherichestman，contributedthelion’sshare，tenmarksofgold，MasterHenryfive，andtheothersoneortwoapiece，exceptthedependantsofBernard，whowereobligedtoborrowtheirquotafromtheirpatron。Thegrandexperimentwasdulymade；thegoldenmarkswereputintoacrucible，withaquantityofsalt，copperas，aquafortis，egg-shells，mercury，lead，anddung。Thealchymistswatchedthispreciousmesswithintenseinterest，expectingthatitwouldagglomerateintoonelumpofpuregold。Attheendofthreeweekstheygaveupthetrial，uponsomeexcusethatthecruciblewasnotstrongenough，orthatsomenecessaryingredientwaswanting。
　　Whetheranythiefhadputhishandsintothecrucibleisnotknown，butitiscertainthatthegoldfoundthereinatthecloseoftheexperimentwasworthonlysixteenmarks，insteadoftheforty-two，whichwereputthereatthebeginning。
　　Bernard，thoughhemadenogoldatVienna，madeawaywithaveryconsiderablequantity。Hefeltthelosssoacutely，thathevowedtothinknomoreofthephilosopher’sstone。Thiswiseresolutionhekeptfortwomonths；buthewasmiserable。Hewasintheconditionofthegambler，whocannotresistthefascinationofthegamewhilehehasacoinremaining，butplaysonwiththehopeofretrievingformerlosses，tillhopeforsakeshim，andhecanlivenolonger。Hereturnedoncemoretohisbelovedcrucibles，andresolvedtoprosecutehisjourneyinsearchofaphilosopherwhohaddiscoveredthesecret，andwouldcommunicateittosozealousandperseveringanadeptashimself。FromViennahetravelledtoRome，andfromRometoMadrid。
　　TakingshipatGibraltar，heproceededtoMessina；fromMessinatoCyprus；fromCyprustoGreece；fromGreecetoConstantinople；andthenceintoEgypt，Palestine，andPersia。Thesewanderingsoccupiedhimabouteightyears。FromPersiahemadehiswaybacktoMessina，andfromthenceintoFrance。HeafterwardspassedoverintoEngland，stillinsearchofhisgreatchimera；andthisoccupiedfouryearsmoreofhislife。Hewasnowgrowingbotholdandpoor；forhewassixty-twoyearsofage，andhadbeenobligedtosellagreatportionofhispatrimonytoprovideforhisexpenses。HisjourneytoPersiahadcostupwardsofthirteenthousandcrowns，aboutone-halfofwhichhadbeenfairlymeltedinhisall-devouringfurnaces:theotherhalfwaslavisheduponthesycophantsthathemadeithisbusinesstosearchoutineverytownhestoppedat。
　　OnhisreturntoTreveshefound，tohissorrow，that，ifnotanactualbeggar，hewasnotmuchbetter。Hisrelativeslookeduponhimasamadman，andrefusedeventoseehim。Tooproudtoaskforfavoursfromanyone，andstillconfidentthat，somedayorother，hewouldbethepossessorofunboundedwealth，hemadeuphismindtoretiretotheislandofRhodes，wherehemight，inthemeantime，hidehispovertyfromtheeyesofalltheworld。Herehemighthavelivedunknownandhappy；but，asillluckwouldhaveit，hefellinwithamonkasmadashimselfuponthesubjectoftransmutation。Theywere，however，bothsopoorthattheycouldnotaffordtobuythepropermaterialstoworkwith。Theykeptupeachother’sspiritsbylearneddiscoursesontheHermeticPhilosophy，andinthereadingofallthegreatauthorswhohadwrittenuponthesubject。Thusdidtheynursetheirfolly，asthegoodwifeofTamO’Shanterdidherwrath，“tokeepitwarm。“AfterBernardhadresidedaboutayearinRhodes，amerchant，whoknewhisfamily，advancedhimthesumofeightthousandflorins，uponthesecurityofthelast-remainingacresofhisformerlylargeestate。Oncemoreprovidedwithfunds，herecommencedhislabourswithallthezealandenthusiasmofayoungman。Forthreeyearshehardlysteppedoutofhislaboratory:heatethere，andsleptthere，anddidnotevengivehimselftimetowashhishandsandcleanhisbeard，sointensewashisapplication。Itismelancholytothinkthatsuchwonderfulperseveranceshouldhavebeenwastedinsovainapursuit，andthatenergiessounconquerableshouldhavehadnoworthierfieldtostrivein。Evenwhenhehadfumedawayhislastcoin，andhadnothingleftinprospectivetokeephisoldagefromstarvation，hopeneverforsookhim。Hestilldreamedofultimatesuccess，andsatdownagreyheadedmanofeighty，toreadoveralltheauthorsonthehermeticmysteries，fromGebertohisownday，lestheshouldhavemisunderstoodsomeprocess，whichitwasnotyettoolatetorecommence。Thealchymistssay，thathesucceededatlast，anddiscoveredthesecretoftransmutationinhiseighty-secondyear。Theyadd，thathelivedthreeyearsafterwardstoenjoyhiswealth。Helived，itistrue，tothisgreatage，andmadeavaluablediscovery-
　　morevaluablethangoldorgems。Helearned，ashehimselfinformsus，justbeforehehadattainedhiseighty-thirdyear，thatthegreatsecretofphilosophywascontentmentwithourlot。Happywouldithavebeenforhimifhehaddiscovereditsooner，andbeforehebecamedecrepit，abeggar，andanexile！
　　HediedatRhodes，intheyear1490，andallthealchymistsofEuropesangelegiesoverhim，andsoundedhispraiseasthe“goodTrevisan。“Hewroteseveraltreatisesuponhischimera，thechiefofwhichare，the“BookofChemistry，“the“Verbumdimissum，“andanessay“DeNaturaOvi。“
　　Thenameofthiseminentmanhasbecomefamousintheannalsofalchymy，althoughhedidbutlittletogainsoquestionableanhonour。
　　Hewasbornintheyear1462，atthevillageofTrittheim，intheelectorateofTreves。HisfatherwasJohnHeidenberg，avine-grower，ineasycircumstances，who，dyingwhenhissonwasbutsevenyearsold，lefthimtothecareofhismother。Thelattermarriedagainveryshortlyafterwards，andneglectedthepoorboy，theoffspringofherfirstmarriage。Attheageoffifteenhedidnotevenknowhisletters，andwas，besides，halfstarved，andotherwiseill-treatedbyhisstep-father；buttheloveofknowledgegerminatedinthebreastoftheunfortunateyouth，andhelearnedtoreadatthehouseofaneighbour。Hisfather-in-lawsethimtoworkinthevineyards，andthusoccupiedallhisdays；butthenightswerehisown。Heoftenstoleoutunheeded，whenallthehouseholdwerefastasleep，poringoverhisstudiesinthefields，bythelightofthemoon；andthustaughthimselfLatinandtherudimentsofGreek。Hewassubjectedtosomuchill-usageathome，inconsequenceofthisloveofstudy，thathedeterminedtoleaveit。Demandingthepatrimonywhichhisfatherhadlefthim，heproceededtoTreves；and，assumingthenameofTrithemius，fromthatofhisnativevillageofTrittheim，livedthereforsomemonths，underthetuitionofeminentmasters，bywhomhewaspreparedfortheuniversity。Attheageoftwenty，hetookitintohisheadthatheshouldliketoseehismotheroncemore；andhesetoutonfootfromthedistantuniversityforthatpurpose。OnhisarrivalnearSpannheim，lateintheeveningofagloomywinter’sday，itcameontosnowsothickly，thathecouldnotproceedonwardstothetown。
　　He，therefore，tookrefugeforthenightinaneighbouringmonastery；
　　butthestormcontinuedseveraldays，theroadsbecameimpassable，andthehospitablemonkswouldnothearofhisdeparture。Hewassopleasedwiththemandtheirmanneroflife，thathesuddenlyresolvedtofixhisabodeamongthem，andrenouncetheworld。Theywerenolesspleasedwithhim，andgladlyreceivedhimasabrother。Inthecourseoftwoyears，althoughstillsoyoung，hewasunanimouslyelectedtheirAbbot。Thefinancialaffairsoftheestablishmenthadbeengreatlyneglected，thewallsofthebuildingwerefallingintoruin，andeverythingwasindisorder。Trithemius，byhisgoodmanagementandregularity，introducedareformineverybranchofexpenditure。Themonasterywasrepaired，andayearlysurplus，insteadofadeficiency，rewardedhimforhispains。Hedidnotliketoseethemonksidle，oroccupiedsolelybetweenprayersfortheirbusiness，andchessfortheirrelaxation。He，therefore，setthemtoworktocopythewritingsofeminentauthors。Theylabouredsoassiduously，that，inthecourseofafewyears，theirlibrary，whichhadcontainedonlyaboutfortyvolumes，wasenrichedwithseveralhundredvaluablemanuscripts，comprisingmanyoftheclassicalLatinauthors，besidestheworksoftheearlyfathers，andtheprincipalhistoriansandphilosophersofmoremoderndate。HeretainedthedignityofAbbotofSpannheimfortwenty-oneyears，whenthemonks，tiredoftheseveredisciplinehemaintained，revoltedagainsthim，andchoseanotherabbotinhisplace。HewasafterwardsmadeAbbotofSt。James，inWurtzburg，wherehediedin1516。
　　DuringhislearnedleisureatSpannheim，hewroteseveralworksupontheoccultsciences，thechiefofwhichareanessayongeomancy，ordivinationbymeansoflinesandcirclesontheground；anotheruponsorcery；athirduponalchymy；andafourthuponthegovernmentoftheworldbyitspresidingangels，whichwastranslatedintoEnglish，andpublishedbythefamousWilliamLillyin1647。
　　Ithasbeenallegedbythebelieversinthepossibilityoftransmutation，thattheprosperityoftheabbeyofSpannheim，whileunderhissuperintendence，wasowingmoretothephilosopher’sstonethantowiseeconomy。Trithemius，incommonwithmanyotherlearnedmen，hasbeenaccusedofmagic；andamarvellousstoryistoldofhishavingraisedfromthegravetheformofMaryofBurgundy，attheintercessionofherwidowedhusband，theEmperorMaximilian。Hisworkonsteganographia，orcabalisticwriting，wasdenouncedtotheCountPalatine，FredericII，asmagicalanddevilish；anditwasbyhimtakenfromtheshelvesofhislibraryandthrownintothefire。
　　TrithemiusissaidtobethefirstwriterwhomakesmentionofthewonderfulstoryofthedevilandDr。Faustus，thetruthofwhichhefirmlybelieved。Healsorecountsthefreaksofaspirit，namedHudekin，bywhomhewasattimestormented。[BiographieUniverselle]