The Alkahest by Honoré de Balzac

The Alkahest: or the House of Claes has also been called La Recherche de l’absolu or The Quest of the Absolute. Historically, an alkahest is a universal solvent that has the power to dissolve any substance known to man, even gold. It also was speculated that the alkahest was in actuality the philosopher’s stone, or the element that could turn anything into gold and would make a man immune to even death. A philosopher at his core, Balzac utilizes this mythological device to explore obsession and its effects.