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Yorkshire Spiritual Telegraph

Spiritualistic Journal. (See Spiritualism.) Young, Brigham: (See America U.S. of.) Z his father's death putting him in possession of some money, he decided to try and multiply it by artificial means. Associating himself with an abbé who was reckoned a great adept in gold-making, Denis had soon disposed of the bulk of his patrimony; but the charlatan's futile experiments, far from disillusioning him, served rather to nerve him to further endeavours, and in 1539 he went to Paris, where he made the acquaintance of many renowned alchemists. From one of them, so he declares, he imbibed the precious secret; and thereupon he hastened to the court of the King of Navarre, Antoine d'Albert, grandfather of Henri IV., offering to make gold if the requisite materials were supplied. His majesty was deeply interested, and promised a reward of no less than four thousand crowns in the event of the researches proving fruitful; but Zachaires' vaunted skill failed him in the hour of need, and he retired discomfited to Toulouse. Here he became friendly with a certain priest, who advised him strongly to renounce his quest, and study natural science instead; so Denis went off to Paris once more, intending to act in accordance with his counsel. Ere a little while, nevertheless, he was deep in alchemy again, making actual experiments, and studying closely the writings of Raymond Lully and Arnold di Villanova; while, according to his own account of his career, on Easter day in the year 1550 he succeeded in converting a large quantity of quicksilver into gold. Then, some time after this alleged triumph, he left France to travel in Switzerland, and lived for a while at Lausanne; while later on he wandered to Germany, and there he died. It is probable that his closing years were spent in dire poverty, but this is not recorded definitely, nor has the exact date of the alchemist's demise ever been ascertained.

As regards the book by Zachaire cited above, it was published originally at Antwerp in 1567, it was repeatedly reprinted thereafter, and even won the honour of being translated into Latin; while to this day, indeed, it is sought keenly by French philosphers with a taste for the curious.