Thisalchymisthasleftamoredistinguishedreputation。Themostextraordinarytalesweretoldandbelievedofhispowers。Hecouldturnironintogoldbyhismereword。Allthespiritsoftheair，anddemonsoftheearth，wereunderhiscommand，andboundtoobeyhimineverything。Hecould。raisefromthedeadtheformsofthegreatmenofotherdays，andmakethemappear“intheirhabitastheylived，“tothegazeofthecuriouswhohadcourageenoughtoabidetheirpresence。
HewasbornatColognein1486，andbegan，atanearlyage，thestudyofchemistryandphilosophy。Bysomemeansorotherwhichhaveneverbeenveryclearlyexplained，hemanagedtoimpresshiscontemporarieswithagreatideaofhiswonderfulattainments。Attheearlyageoftwenty，sogreatwashisreputationasanalchymist，thattheprincipaladeptsofPariswrotetoCologne，invitinghimtosettleinFrance，andaidthemwithhisexperienceindiscoveringthephilosopher’sstone。Honourspoureduponhiminthicksuccession；andhewashighlyesteemedbyallthelearnedmenofhistime。Melancthonspeaksofhimwithrespectandcommendation。Erasmusalsobearstestimonyinhisfavour；andthegeneralvoiceofhisageproclaimedhimalightofliteratureandanornamenttophilosophy。Somemen，bydintofexcessiveegotism，managetopersuadetheircontemporariesthattheyareverygreatmenindeed:theypublishtheiracquirementssoloudlyinpeople’sears，andkeepuptheirownpraisessoincessantly，thattheworld’sapplauseisactuallytakenbystorm。
SuchseemstohavebeenthecasewithAgrippa。Hecalledhimselfasublimetheologian，anexcellentjurisconsult，anablephysician，agreatphilosopher，andasuccessfulalchymist。Theworld，atlast，tookhimathisword；andthoughtthatamanwhotalkedsobig，musthavesomemerittorecommendhim——thatitwas，indeed，agreattrumpetwhichsoundedsoobstreperousablast。HewasmadesecretarytotheEmperorMaximilian，whoconferreduponhimthetitleofChevalier，andgavehimthehonorarycommandofaregiment。HeafterwardsbecameProfessorofHebrewandthebelleslettres，attheUniversityofDole，inFrance；butquarrellingwiththeFranciscanmonksuponsomeknottypointofdivinity，hewasobligedtoquitthetown。HetookrefugeinLondon，wherehetaughtHebrewandcastnativities，foraboutayear。FromLondonheproceededtoPavia，andgavelecturesuponthewritings，realorsupposed，ofHermesTrismegistus；andmighthavelivedthereinpeaceandhonour，hadhenotagainquarrelledwiththeclergy。Bytheirmeanshispositionbecamesodisagreeable，thathewasgladtoacceptanoffermadehimbythemagistracyofMetz，tobecometheirSyndicandAdvocate-General。Here，again，hisloveofdisputationmadehimenemies:thetheologicalwiseacresofthatcityasserted，thatSt。
Annehadthreehusbands，inwhichopiniontheywereconfirmedbythepopularbeliefoftheday。Agrippaneedlesslyranfoulofthisopinion，orprejudiceashecalledit，andtherebylostmuchofhisinfluence。Anotherdispute，morecreditabletohischaracter，occurredsoonafter，andsankhimforeverintheestimationoftheMetzians。
Humanelytakingthepartofayounggirlwhowasaccusedofwitchcraft，hisenemiesasserted，thathewashimselfasorcerer，andraisedsuchastormoverhishead，thathewasforcedtoflythecity。