Here is set forth the origin of the concept of alchemy, its rise in Egypt as the secret doctrine of Hermes, its migration to Arabia, and its relation to the early schools of Christianity. The course of the alchemical mystery is followed from the Near East through the Byzantine Empire and into Europe. During these travels many pioneers in this field are met, including Roger Bacon, Raymond Lully, and Nicholas Flamel. The letters of Sendivogius to the Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross, almost completely unknown to the modern world, are discussed. Illustrated.