This late 18th century alchemical allegory has been associated with the Comte de Saint-Germain and also with Cagliostro. Many theories have been advanced about its meaning. Adam McLean has now devised this study course to allow the work to speak its message clearly. For the first time this work is explained line by line, section by section, idea by idea. This course is entirely based on understanding the structure of the allegory and the text itself. McLean's approach, as in his other work with alchemical material, is to uncover what is actually in the text and images themselves and resist the temptation to make a trite interpretation, or project a mass of external ideas onto the work.
McLean does not resort to mystification, supposed secret teachings, or trying to explain this work through the filter of modern esotericism, nor by appealing to external (and later) sources, but instead focuses on what is contained in the text itself.
The course is entirely self contained, and though not designed for beginners, does not assume any particular previous study of alchemical material. It provides for the first time a detailed explanation of this alchemical allegory. The text has been translated anew from the original French.