J. Golinski, Chemistry in the Scientific Revolution Reappraisals of the Scientific RevolutionRobert Boyle's alchemical secrecy, Ambix, vol.39, pp.367-396, 1990.

. Agrippa-von-nettesheim, A. Letter, and . Acquapendente, 174 and 246. 54 Esoteric (versus exoteric) traditions are not the same as 'esotericism'. As a concept for a current of thought, 'esotericism' was only introduced in the nineteenth century, and is not applicable for the early modern period. 55 This was not an idle worry In fact, this debasement seems to have actually occurred with the wonders presented at the Royal Society, leading to a coup by the mathematically minded natural philosophersRobert Boyle and mathematics: reality, representation, and experimental practiceMathematicians and naturalists: Sir Isaac Newton and the Royal Society 56 Note furthermore that early modern mathematicians believed that ancient mathematicians followed esoteric methods and practices. Descartes wrote, 'Nous remarquons assez que les anciens géomètres ont fait usage d'une sorte d'analyse qu'ils étendaient à la résolution de tous les problèmes, bien qu'ils l'aient jalousement cachée à leur postérité Early modern mathematicians often followed this tradition. The technical nature of mathematics was a way to define and guard the boundaries of a discipline, not completely unlike the boundary work of a secret society, Isaac Newton's Natural Philosophy il cherche à faire paroistre leur defauts; il supprime ce qu'ils ont dit de bon et tache de se l'attribuer sous un habit deguisé, pp.874-875, 1527.

E. J. Von-spedding, R. J. Ellis, and D. D. Heath, For Bacon see Francis Bacon, The Works of Francis Bacon 14 vols., Stuttgart and Bad Cannstatt: Friedrich Frommann Verlag, 'omnia philosophiae dogmata non apertè, sed obscurè sub quibusdam integumentis traderentur'. 81 Rhodri Lewis, 'Francis Bacon, allegory and the uses of myth, Secrets of Nature 80 Natale Conti, pp.21-1857, 1581.

H. Reynolds, . Mythomystes, and . London, 85 Newton, for his part, believed that the Mosaic tradition was transmitted to the Egyptians, but they corrupted it by mixing it with polytheism, the Kabbala and gnosticism. 86 Thomas Sprat, The History of the The Posthumous Works of Robert Hooke, See references in note 55 above. 88 Philip Ayres, pp.62-414, 1632.

P. Findlen, Jokes of Nature and jokes of knowledge, Renaissance Quarterly, vol.43, pp.292-331, 1990.