A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery
With a Discussion of the Most Notable Alchemical Philosophers
An Attempt to Rediscover the Ancient Experiment of Nature
By Mary Anne Atwood
Originally Published in 1850, Revised Edition 1918
[This Edition has been revised and rewritten by Joe E Bandel in 2025. Hopefully a modernized version of the classic work will bring new attention to the profound work of Mary Anne Atwood. It has been revised and rewritten to make it more readable and understandable to a modern readership.]
New Edition
With an Introduction by Walter Leslie Wilmshurst
Includes an Appendix with Biographical Notes on Mary Anne Atwood
Featuring a Portrait of the Author
Published by:
William Tait, 87 Marlborough Park North, Belfast
J. M. Watkins, 21 Cecil Court, London, W.C.
Dedication
This reissue of A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery is dedicated to the memory of its author, Mary Anne Atwood, by her devoted friend, Isabelle de Steiger.
Introduction
“Alchemy is a philosophy, a search for wisdom within the mind.”
— From Mary Anne Atwood’s private notebook
This book has a unique and fascinating history. It explores a subject—Hermetic philosophy and alchemy—that has often been overlooked by mainstream scholars. When it was first published in 1850, it was largely unknown, and for nearly seventy years, it was deliberately kept out of circulation. Now, with this reissue, it’s finally available to a wider audience. Some readers may approach it with curiosity, while others, already familiar with its themes, will welcome its return. This introduction explains the book’s background, its author, why it was suppressed, and the ideas it explores.
The Book’s Origins
A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery was first published anonymously in 1850 by Trelawney Saunders in London. The author was Mary Anne South, a young woman who later became Mary Anne Atwood through marriage. Born in 1817, she was the daughter of Thomas South, a scholar from Bury House, Gosport, Hampshire. Thomas was a man of independent means, a recluse with a passion for collecting rare books on philosophy, metaphysics, and classical literature. His library was filled with unique, often foreign editions that were easier to find in his time than today.
Thomas South dedicated his life to studying one central question: the nature of the human soul and its potential for spiritual transformation. He believed this was the hidden thread running through all religions, philosophies, and mystical traditions, including Christianity in its purest form. He explored this idea through the works of ancient Platonists, medieval alchemists, and the myths of Greece and Rome, which he saw as rich sources of hidden spiritual truths. His bookplate, featuring an eight-pointed star and a dragon’s head crowned with the Latin phrase Hic labor, hoc opus est (“This is the labor, this is the work”), symbolized his pursuit: to transform humanity’s flawed nature into something divine, uniting the physical and spiritual selves.
Mary Anne shared her father’s passion. Growing up surrounded by his library, she evolved from his student to his intellectual partner. Together, they dove deeply into Hermetic philosophy, which sees the universe as interconnected and seeks to uncover its hidden laws. Mary Anne, though charming and sociable, chose to focus on these studies, finding joy in exploring the same profound questions as her father.
During their time, the 1840s and 1850s, new scientific ideas like magnetism, electricity, mesmerism, and hypnotism were gaining attention. The Souths experimented with these phenomena, but their deep knowledge of ancient philosophy gave them a unique perspective. They saw these modern discoveries as rediscoveries of forces known to past philosophers and alchemists, who hid their knowledge in symbolic language to prevent misuse. The Souths believed that without proper understanding, these forces could be dangerous, both mentally and morally.
In 1846, inspired by her father and caught up in the excitement over mesmerism, Mary Anne published a short book under the pseudonym Cyos Maos titled Early Magnetism, in Its Higher Relations to Humanity as Veiled in the Poets and the Prophets. She later described it as an enthusiastic work written during a moment of intense interest in mesmerism. Though less polished than her later work, it showed her ability to connect modern phenomena with ancient wisdom, drawing on classical literature and the Bible. This early book was a stepping stone to A Suggestive Inquiry, where she fully expressed her and her father’s insights into Hermetic philosophy.
The Creation and Destruction of the Book
Mary Anne Atwood and her father, Thomas South, were deeply committed to their study of Hermetic philosophy. To focus entirely on their work, they decided, with the agreement of their household, to withdraw from everyday family life. Thomas worked in one room on a grand poetic epic about Hermetic ideas, while Mary Anne, in another, wrote the prose book you’re now reading, A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery. She supported her arguments with references to historical texts and philosophical authorities, drawing on their extensive library.
Mary Anne finished her book first, a significant achievement given its depth and scope. Her father, trusting her abilities completely, didn’t review her manuscript or proofs. The book was published in 1850 at Thomas South’s expense by Trelawney Saunders in London. Only a small number of copies—fewer than 100—were distributed to libraries or sold before Thomas abruptly halted its release. He recalled all remaining copies, despite protests from the publisher, at a cost of £250. These copies, along with his unfinished poem, were brought to their home in Gosport, Hampshire, and burned on the lawn of Bury House. Only a few lines of his poem, quoted in Mary Anne’s book (see page 57 of this edition), survive.
For years afterward, Mary Anne tracked down and bought back any copies that appeared on the market, sometimes paying as much as ten guineas each. She destroyed most of these but kept a few for herself and close friends. This drastic decision to suppress the book might seem extreme, but it stemmed from deeply held convictions. Both father and daughter were profoundly spiritual people, driven by a sense of moral responsibility. They saw Hermetic philosophy not as a mere academic subject but as a sacred science with practical and spiritual implications. They believed it required a high level of moral and intellectual readiness to engage with safely.
After the book’s publication, Thomas and Mary Anne were struck by a profound sense of unease. They feared they had revealed too much about a subject that, in the hands of the unprepared, could lead to harmful consequences. Hermetic philosophy, to them, was a divine art, what some alchemists called “holy alchemy.” It involved deep knowledge of the human mind, spirit, and psyche, and the ability to influence these elements. The Souths felt they had betrayed a sacred trust by making this knowledge public, even though they had tried to be cautious in their writing. Their goal had been to show that ancient philosophers and alchemists understood natural forces—like those being rediscovered in the 19th century through mesmerism and other sciences—in a disciplined, spiritual way. But they worried they had gone too far, opening a door to powerful knowledge without enough safeguards.
Another factor influenced their decision. Around this time, Thomas experienced a spiritual awakening, possibly influenced by the religious revival movements of the era. This shift prompted him to reconsider Hermetic philosophy in light of Christian teachings about salvation. Together, he and Mary Anne realized that their intellectual approach had overlooked the deeper spiritual and human significance of their work. Overwhelmed by a sense of humility and reverence, they felt they had trespassed on sacred ground. They chose to destroy the book as a sacrifice to their convictions, believing higher powers were guiding the preservation of these truths.
