Figierung auf den Mercurium Saturni/Borras Theophrasti

From Theatrum Paracelsicum
I. Basic information


Printing History, Manuscripts. First printed in 1608, edited by Benedictus Figulus. Three manuscripts. The Kassel copy was not identified by Sudhoff or Broszinski.

Editions. Not edited by Huser or Sudhoff.

Relationship between different versions. The text printed by Figulus has a “verständlichere Erklärung” at the end not present in any manuscript. The Kassel copy is missing a few paragraphs and has some extra paragraphs as well. The section on “Borras Theophrasti” is incomplete in Hamburg alchim. 661 and missing both Hamburg alchim. 664 and Kassel 4° chem. 20.

Structure, genre/form, perspective, style. Written in the first person, directly addressing the reader. According to Karl Widemann addressed to a “D. Polmen” (reading unsure).

Relationship to other texts. Related to the Czech Secretum Theophrasti (§ ‎4.46). Possibly related to a text “De fixationibus mercurii saturnini” allegedly taken from an autograph of [Bartholomäus] Korndörffer in Leiden, Universiteitsbibliotheek: Voss. Chym. Q.38, f. 63r–64r. Further study required.

Authenticity, authorship.

Time of writing. Further study required.

II. Sources


Manuscripts:

  • Hamburg, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek: Cod. alchim. 661, on 353
  • Hamburg, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek: Cod. alchim. 664, on 107–108
  • Kassel, Landesbibliothek: 4° Ms. chem. 20, f. 100v–101v

First printed:

  • 1608 (in: Rosarium novum olympicum et benedictum. Das ist: Ein newer Gebenedeyter Philosophischer Rosengart, ed. Benedictus Figulus (Basel, 1608); VD17 12:133068G; Sudhoff, Bibliographia Paracelsica, 482–485 n° 283)

Historical Manuscript Catalogues: Widemann, Verzeichnisse (Kassel), n° I, 156; Uffenbach (1720), VIII, col. 655–658 n° 12/XIV [= Hamburg, alchim. 661]

III. Bibliography


Essential bibliography: Sudhoff, Bibliographia Paracelsica, 483; Sudhoff, Paracelsus-Handschriften, 716–717 [not identified], 779 n° I/22.

Further bibliographical references:

Boeren, Codices Vossiani Chymici (1975), 195.

Thomas Lederer, Der Kölner Kurfürst Herzog Ernst von Bayern (1554–1612) und sein Rat Johann Grasse (um 1560–1618) als Alchemiker der frühen Neuzeit. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Paracelsismus, Diss. phil. (Heidelberg, 1992), 110.

Broszinski, Manuscripta chemica in quarto (2011), 66 [not identified].