Written in 1471 for King Edward IV, The Compound of Alchemy is the great poem of the English alchemist George Ripley, a work that guided seekers for centuries through the mysterious stages of the 'great work.' In clear, radiantly readable modern English, this edition opens Ripley's twelve gates — from calcination and dissolution to fermentation, multiplication, and the final projection — and reveals the patient, symbolic discipline at the heart of the alchemical quest. Far more than a technical recipe, the poem is a spiritual classic about purification, transformation, and the slow perfection of both matter and soul. Ripley's images, of fire and ash, of marriage and rebirth, still speak to anyone seeking inner change and integration. Faithful to the original's meaning and spirit, with an introduction, notes, and appendices to guide today's reader, this edition invites you to walk the twelve gates for yourself. Part of The World Scriptures Library.