C. G. Jung: Alchemical studies. Trans. by R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works,  13. New York, Bollingen Series XX,  Princeton University Press; London, Routledge and Kegan Paul. pp.  xiv + 453. $7.50;  635.: Critical, Notice

Here are five studies beginning with the ‘Commentary on The secret of the golden flower’ (1929), marking Jung's original interest in alchemy and ending with one of his late contributions, ‘The philosophical tree’, published in German in 1954, now appearing in English for the first time. The other three essays each mark important intermediate stages in his alchemical research. ‘The visions of Zosimos’ was first given at an Eranos lecture in 1937, ‘Paracelsus as a spiritual phenomenon’ from Paracelsica … (1942), and ‘The spirit Mercurius’ from ‘Symbolik des Geistes’ (1948).

This Volume 13 stands between Psychology and alchemy, Vol. 12, and Mysterium coniunctionis, Vol. 14, and with Vol. II, Psychology and religion (which contains the Terry Lectures and the extremely important ‘A psychological approach to the dogma of the Trinity’ and ‘Transformation symbolism in the mass’) comprises a series of four volumes admirably representing Jung's whole range of interest during this period—all except Aion, which has fallen back into the company of Archetypes of the collective unconscious with which it forms an uncomfortable Siamese twin, Vol. 9, I and II. (I would therefore place my copy of Aion after Alchemical studies and before Mysterium coniunctionis where I think it rightly belongs.)

At first sight it might appear that these essays do not form a coherent book, and that they were put together because the editors did not know what else to do with them. They do not even stand alone as finished pieces. In order to understand the ‘Commentary on The secret of the golden flower’ fully, one must have access to Wilhelm's translation of the text. Other versions of the Zosimos visions are found in ‘Transformation symbolism of the mass’ and in Psychology and alchemy and the essay on Paracelsus is separated from its companion piece, ‘Paracelsus the physician’ (1941), which, with ‘Paracelsus’ (1934), should be read at the same time (Vol. 15) to obtain a full picture of this man's enigmatic