Dedication, 1612-05-03, Heinrich Nollius to Johannes Ehrmann and Nicolaus Nollius
| Author: | Heinrich Nollius |
| Recipients: | Johannes Ehrmann Nicolaus Nollius |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | 3 May 1612 |
| Place: | Weilburg |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=5653 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Heinrich Nollius, Systema medicinae hermeticae generale, Frankfurt am Main: Zacharias Palthenius 1613, sig. A2r-A3r [BP.Nollius.1613-02]
|
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | Nollius reflects on his challenging journey in the Hermetic School, focusing on his pursuit of a unique kind of medicine aimed at eradicating serious diseases, rather than transmuting metals into gold. Despite his intense efforts and considerable expense, Nollius admits to not achieving the desired success, attributing this to either personal shortcomings or possible deceit by collaborators. He references Crollius, who points out that arrogance, unbelief, and envy can impede such scholarly endeavors. Nollius initially misunderstood the concept of Mercury as referred to by philosophers, mistaking it for the common substance, which led him down an unproductive path. He later realized the significant difference between the philosophical Mercury and the common one, a distinction unanimously agreed upon by philosophers. Realizing the complexity of his quest for a universal remedy, Nollius decides to focus on specific discoveries in Hermetic medicine. Despite facing criticism and challenges, he finds comfort in the knowledge he has acquired. He has compiled a general system of Hermetic medicine, dedicating it to his parents. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Heinrich Nollius |
[sig. A2r] Reverendo et doctissimo viro, Dn. Ioanni Ehrmanno apud Reiscurianos Verbi diuini ministro fidelissimo: vt &
Integerrimo viro Dn. Nicolao Nollio, Ciui Zigenhainensi: Huic patri, illi socero: Parentibus & Dominis meis omni obseruantiæ genere Colendis. S[alutem] P[lurimam] & æternam benedictionem in IeSv Christo precor.
Ita est: Dilectissimi parentes: non sine paruis sumtibus Scholæ Hermeticæ arcanis insudaui: nec sine vehementi dolore & labore quæsiui Medicinam, non qua imperfecta metalla in aurum permutentur, sed qua grauissimi morbi radicitus euellantur. Haud tamen felici successu: Nihil enim, quod scitis, inuenire hactenus libuit, in quo animus meus conquiesceret. Nescio num mea importunitate, an vero quorundam Collaboratorum fraude id factum fuerit. Socii sane, ait excellentissimus Crollius, morosa inhabili- [sig. A2v] tas, arrogans loquacitas, pertinax incredulitas, inuida & detestanda infidelitas, Epicuræa tandem indignitas in omni operatione affectum impedit, atque disturbat. Cum vero Philosophi vbique dicant, esse in Mercurio id, quod quærunt sapientes, ego Mercurium vulgi esse, de quo Philosophi loquantur, arbitratus circa eum operari volui, vt viderem, num ex eo aliquid eruere possem, quod mihi vel spem ad omnium præstantissimam medicinam faceret. Sed si Philosophos attentius legissem, atque dextre intellexissem, vtique Mercurium Philosophorum non esse Mercurium vulgi deprehendissem. Id enim aperte totus Philosophorum consensus statuit, & asseuerat. Vnde eo res mea peruenit, vt vniuersalis remedii vestigationem iam ad tempus sim depositurus, contentus solummodo quibusdam particularibus inuentis non contemnendis, & in speciali Hermeticæ medicinæ perspicue exponendis. Quamuis igitur meo sinistro, & infelicissimo facto factum fuerit, vt quo feruentiore conatu animi se- [sig. A3r] cretissima illa studia sectatus fuerim auidius, eo obtrectante maleuolorum inuidia & fortunæ fluctibus hactenus iactatus fuerim acerbius, æquitatis tamen necessitas exigit, vt, quamdiu vlterius non datur, ipsa me tantæ rei cogitatione, sola & recordatione saltem consoler. Eum in finem hoc generale medicinæ Hermeticæ systema conscripsi. Quod vobis inscribo duabus de caussis. 1. Vt inde fundamentum, quib[us] meum studium nitatur, percipiatis, & 2.[c1] Vt amorem vestrum paternum inde magis magisque in me suscitem: siquidem facile hinc, si attente legeritis, vestros sumtus in me collocatos non esse frustraneos percipietis, & minime dubitabitis, quin veri Philosophi omnia, quæ in ipso systemate Orbi vniuerso offero, suo calculo sunt approbaturi, & meum conatum ad Dei altissimi & solius Optimi honorem, nec non ad proximi commodum[c2] spectantem dilaudaturi. Valete, & vestrum filium reipsa amare pergite. Gueilburgi e Musis. 3. Maii Anno 1612.
V[ester] Obed[iens] F[ilius] H[enricus] Nollius.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 31 December 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
Reverend and most learned man, Mr. Johann Ehrmann, the most faithful minister of the divine word at Reiskirchen: and
To the most upright man, Mr. Nicolaus Nollius, Citizen of Ziegenhain: To this father, to that father-in-law: To my parents and lords, deserving of all kinds of respect. I pray for abundant greetings and eternal blessing in Jesus Christ.
Indeed, beloved parents: not without considerable expense have I toiled in the secrets of the Hermetic School: nor without intense pain and labor have I sought Medicine, not one that transmutes imperfect metals into gold, but one that eradicates the most serious diseases from their roots. Yet, not with happy success: For as you know, I have so far found nothing that would bring rest to my mind. I do not know whether it was due to my own importunity, or indeed the deceit of some collaborators. Indeed, the most excellent Crollius says, "morose unapproachability, arrogant loquacity, stubborn unbelief, envious and detestable infidelity, and finally Epicurean indignity in every operation, hinders and disturbs the effect." But since philosophers everywhere say that what the wise seek is in Mercury, I thought that the Mercury of the common people was what the philosophers spoke of, and I wanted to work with it to see if I could extract something from it that would give me hope for the most excellent medicine of all. But if I had read the philosophers more attentively and understood them correctly, I would have realized that the Mercury of the philosophers is not the Mercury of the common people. This is clearly established and asserted by the unanimous consensus of the philosophers. Hence, my affair has reached the point where I am now temporarily setting aside the search for a universal remedy, content only with some particular discoveries not to be despised, and clearly expounding on the special medicine of Hermeticism. Although, therefore, by my unfortunate and most unlucky deed, the more fervently I have pursued those most secret studies with eager spirit, the more bitterly I have been tossed by the envy of detractors and the waves of fortune, yet the necessity of fairness demands that, as long as nothing further is given, I console myself with the thought of such a great matter, with its memory alone. To this end, I have written this general system of Hermetic medicine. I inscribe it to you for two reasons. 1. So that from it you may perceive the foundation on which my study rests, and 2. So that from it I may more and more arouse your paternal love: for you will easily perceive from it, if you read attentively, that your expenses on me have not been in vain, and you will not doubt that true philosophers will approve all that I offer to the entire world in this system, and they will praise my effort as aimed at the honor of God, the Most High and Only Best, and also for the benefit of my neighbor. Farewell, and continue to truly love your son. From Gueilburg, from the Muses. May 3, 1612.
Your Obedient Son, Henricus Nollius.
