...records in his diary for 1653 that William Backhouse, 'lying sick in Fleet-Street, over against St Dunstan's Church, and not knowing whether he should live or die, about eleven o'clock told me in syllables the true matter of the Philosopher's Stone, which he bequeathed to me...

...in his diary for 1 3 May 1653, that William Backhous, 'lying sick in Fleet Street, over against St Dunstan's Church, and not knowing whether he should live or die, about eleven o'clock told me in syllables the true matter of the Philosopher's [sic] Stone, which he bequeathed...

...him for his son, a common practice witli those men, " lying sick in Fleet Street, over against St. Dunstan's Church, and not knowing whether he should...bequeathed to me as a legacy." "By this we learn," says Disraeli, " that a miserable wretch knew the art of making gold, yet always lived a beggar ; and...

...contributed more than anything else to his celebrity with posterity. On I3th May, 1653, Backhouse " told me, in syllables, the true matter of the philosopher's stone, which he bequeathed to me as a legacy." But Ashmole has omitted to bequeath it to us. 19 COLLECTANEA CHYMICA. A Collection of Ten Several Treatises...

...opinion of him as one ' afiectecl to the furtherance of all good learning.' On 13 May 1653 Backhouse ' told me, in syllables, the true matter of the philosopher's stone, which he bequeathed to me •» a legacy.' But Ashmole has omitted to bequeath it to us. His domestic troubles came to a head...