François
Jolivet Castelot - alchemist - and Madame de Thebes, society clairvoyant.
Turning a new page for a new year, {my
contacts seem to like a rest between Advent and Twelfth Night}we will leave
aside for a time the last days of Maïtre Philippe – “Friend of God” and “spiritual master” of
Papus – to follow the steps of a very active newcomer, the enthusiastic young
alchemist François Jolivet Castelot.
After his initiation into the
Martinist Order {that we described in SH16} he set about forming an
alchemical society, devoted to collecting relevant books and manuscripts and encouraging
the performance of alchemical
experiments; his belief being that Matter is inseparable from Life and that every
atom and molecule of a metal or a mineral expresses the Universal Will according
to the degree of evolution it has attained.
Founding a monthly magazine, Rosa
Alchemica, he organised meetings at public restaurants to encourage
enquirers, although was disappointed that many were what he regarded as too
“Parisian”, that is to say preferring to chat and speculate about occult
theories rather than apply themselves to the prayer, practice and discipline of
laboratory work.
Although this did not prevent
François from seeking guidance from wherever he might find it, including the fashionable
society clairvoyant, Madame de Thebes, who for the past twenty five years had operated
a psychic consultancy in luxurious apartments near the Arc de Triomphe. Her
impressive list of clients included the Empress of Austria and the Queen of
Italy as well as a number of artistes from establishments such as the Opèra,
the Vaudeville and the Comedie-Française.
Albums full of their autographed portraits decorated her rooms along
with an impressive bevy of model elephants {don’t ask me why!}of various
sizes, in bronze, copper or porcelain.
A bejewelled and matronly figure now
in her fifties, an hour of whose time originally set back clients a golden ‘Louis’
– or 20 franc piece – the equivalent of ten Victorian sovereigns – that eventually
inflated to twenty four times that sum.
Matching her style to those who came
for guidance, she received the young alchemist rather after the style of an
ancient temple priestess granting audience to a junior magus. In an analysis of
his character and fortune, examining his
hands with the aid of a magnifying glass, she predicted eventual success
that would be earned through his own efforts, for though luck might not always
favour him, given due application he would
attain the mental poise that could bring high achievement.
She also encouraged his current political sympathies, that at the
time followed those of the Duc d’Orléans in supporting the restoration of the
monarchy. With her list of aristocratic customers, perhaps this was to be
expected! Although it has to be said
that twenty years later the highly idealistic young man became committed to
Christian communism – a combination that did not help his prospects, political
or mystical, terribly well.
However, in terms of the present,
like many of her kind, Madame de Thebes’ high degree of popularity probably rested on the
psychological skills of a sensitive and sympathetic ‘agony aunt’ rather than a
mastery of the secrets of cheiromancy – or palmistry. But let credit rest where
it is due!
One of the youngest of Papus’
trusted associates, Jolivet Castelot visited Paris frequently during the next
few years, admitted to the higher Martinist lodges and appointed Professor of
Alchemy and Spagyric Medicine. He also
covered Magic, Hermetic Therapeutics, Astrology, Alchemy, History of Occultism,
Mysticism and the Divinatory Arts, although techniques of ceremonial magic gradually
played a lesser role, becoming regarded as contrary to Martinist principles; preference
being given to Kabbalistic tradition and esoteric Christianity. An influence coming no doubt from Maïtre
Philippe, although also implicit in Saint-Martin’s original approach to the
doctrines and practice of his initial teacher, Martinès de Pasqually .
No comments:
Post a Comment