Skepticblog

“Is it possible that man can achieve immortality – to live forever? That is the startling claim of a historical figure known as Count de Saint Germain. Records date his birth to the late 1600’s, although some believe that his lengthy longevity reaches back to the time of Christ. He has appeared many times throughout history – even as recently as 1970 – always appearing to be about 45 years old. He was known by many of the most famous figures of European history, including Casanova, Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV, Catherine the Great, Anton Mesmer and others.”

That’s the claim I culled from the Internet while researching the history of Cagliostro and continuing my investigations into world’s most infamous charlatan’s, quacks – and performance artists. Saint-Germain certainly has a good myth going for him and if I didn’t know better I would say he’s right up there with Dr. Who and other time travelers. According to unnamed sources he attended the wedding at Cana, where the young Jesus did his thing and turned water into wine. A trick I can do too by the way. His alleged meeting with Madame Pompadour in 1710 apparently caused quite an uproar in French society because of his youthfulness. Apparently they didn’t have Botox back then. Saint-Germain had access to an Elixir of Life that kept him fresh and ahead of the aging process for centuries. Of course the fans of Dracula legends easily fasten their fangs on the obvious chance to link him to vampirism, but the idea that he had discovered the “secrets of alchemy” persists more profoundly because it carries with it a scientific appeal, managing to bypass logic circuits of those who fancy themselves more rational. The blurbs are seductive:

“The renowned 18th century philosopher, Voltaire, himself a respected man of science and reason, said of Saint-Germain that he is ‘a man who never dies and knows everything.”

Sorry. I’m skeptical. That a person could somehow live forever is one of those ridiculous beliefs that exceeds even The Skeptologist’s mandated bill of fare. On the other hand the search for The Fountain of Youth, Elixirs of Life, Botox cures and the increasingly lower age rates for plastic surgery procedures isn’t quite as fantastic. An intriguing premise for an investigation into the wild claims made for legends like The Count could unearth far more than the usual Hollywood makeover. We all want to live forever – or do we? Ask Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers or Michael Jackson and then look at their faces.

It’s science fiction.

Are we living on some version of “The Island of Dr. Moreau?” Things certainly look like they have gotten out of hand with a lot of the so-called “cosmetic improvements” we see walking down 5th Avenue or Rodeo Drive. It’s become a monstrous enterprise. Saint-Germain also prescribed recipes for the removal of facial wrinkles and for dyeing hair. Altogether he sounds like a cross between Bela Lugosi and Fabio.

People with diabetes or who are diet watchers would be happy to note that according to the fact sheet Saint-Germain, “Dined often with friends because he enjoyed their company, but was rarely seen to eat food in public. He subsisted, it was said, on a diet of oatmeal.” Perhaps Wilfred Brimley is older than we think?

Accounts vary and we have to take into consideration the source of the “truths” about Saint -Germain, coming as they do from such illustrious woo slingers as Helena Blavatsky. Saint-Germain changed identities frequently. Why he did this would be a reasonable question to ask a believer. Why change anything when you’ve got so much going for you? His mystique and grasp of historical facts left many impressed with his act. When he surfaced in 1821 journalist and writer Albert Vandam wrote in his memoirs of meeting a man who bore a striking resemblance to Saint-Germain:

“He called himself Major Fraser, lived alone and never alluded to any family. Moreover he was lavish with money, though the source of his fortune remained a mystery to everyone. He possessed a marvelous knowledge of all the countries of Europe at all periods. His memory was absolutely incredible and, curiously enough, he often gave his hearers to understand that he had acquired his learning elsewhere than from books. Many is the time that he told me with a strange smile, that he was certain he had known Nero, had spoken to Dante, and so on.”

Major Fraser disappeared without a trace. Again, quoting from the Internet source:

“The most recent appearance of a man claiming to be Saint- Germain was in 1972 in Paris when a man named Richard Chanfrey announced he was the legendary count. He appeared on French television and to prove his claim apparently turned lead into gold on a camp stove before the cameras. Chanfrey later committed suicide in 1983.”

If Mr. Chamfrey killed himself are we to suppose that’s the end of the story? Or can I turn up on Oprah’s doorstep next month and claim the same thing? That might be fun. Advanced conspiracy thinkers not unlike myself would turn that suicide tidbit into an Illuminati hit job or faked death to cover up the Count’s televised indiscretions. Shame on such a messianic legend to stoop to using a camp stove!

Let’s face it , (…pun intended) face lifts, obsessive Botox injections, implants and forever trying to change the way we look might be our modern colloquial form of “transmutation of matter” and about as close as we are going to get to alchemy in our appearance driven society. Sad really, because little more than a cursory glimpse into the realm of alchemical precepts makes it clear that even in those dark ages, to those in the know alchemy was really all about transforming and improving the inner nature of life and had nothing to do with turning lead into gold, greed, monetary gain or how we look. Is there a secret to immortality?

Yes.

Be thankful for what you’ve got.

Want to see a thoughtfully horrifying look at where the art of plastic surgery was imagined to be heading from way back in 1960? Check out Georges Franju’s seminal peek at what we see reflected about our culture in the faces of today’s bad face lifts predicted in his film “Les Yeux Sans Visage” (Eyes Without a Face) In one of its most memorable scenes, this classic film gives a whole new meaning to the term “facial peel” and once seen will never be forgotten. It’s a keeper.