The esoteric or occultist school, which arose during the 19th century, held (and continues to hold) the view that the substances and operations mentioned in alchemical literature are to be interpreted in a spiritual sense, and it downplays the role of the alchemy as a practical tradition or protoscience.
ðɪ ˌɛsoʊtˈɛɹɪk ɔːɹ ˈɑːkəltˌɪst skˈuːl, wˌɪtʃ ɚɹˈoʊz dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi, hˈɛld ænd kəntˈɪnjuːz tə hˈoʊld ðə vjˈuː ðætðə sˈʌbstənsᵻz ænd ˌɑːpɚɹˈeɪʃənz mˈɛnʃənd ɪn ælkˈɛmɪkəl lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚɹ ɑːɹ təbi ɪntˈɜːpɹɪɾᵻd ɪn ɐ spˈɪɹɪtʃˌuːəl sˈɛns, ænd ɪt dˈaʊnpleɪz ðə ɹˈoʊl ʌvðɪ ˈælkəmi æz ɐ pɹˈæktɪkəl tɹɐdˈɪʃən ɔːɹ pɹˈoʊɾoʊsˌaɪəns.