Text.Crollius.1609-01.!!2r
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Source: Oswald Crollius, Basilica chymica, Frankfurt am Main: Claude de Marne and Johann Aubry (heirs), 1609, sig. (:)2r–(:)5r [BP.Crollius.1609-01]
Summary: Crollius emphasizes the long-standing custom of presenting new books to princes and noblemen, who are deemed most deserving of receiving and understanding profound mysteries. This practice is portrayed as a means of safeguarding the work from the slander of envious detractors, under the protective patronage of a distinguished figure.
He positions Prince Christian not only as a worthy recipient of his work due to his high status and virtues but also highlights the Prince's intellectual capacity and discernment, qualities that make him an ideal protector and patron of scholarly endeavors. The letter touches on themes of wisdom, virtue, and the pursuit of knowledge, suggesting that Christian's understanding and appreciation of the divine, natural, and self-knowledge place him among the rare and commendable leaders of their time.
Furthermore, Crollius alludes to the broader intellectual pursuits of the age, including the study of Kabbalah, magic, and theurgy, as noble endeavors that align with the pursuit of true wisdom. He expresses hope that his work, under Christian's patronage, will contribute to the recognition and celebration of the ineffable goodness, wisdom, and power of the Holy Trinity. The letter concludes with a flourish of praise for the Prince, invoking a spiritual and intellectual journey towards a higher unity and knowledge, and bestowing blessings and honor upon Christian as a patron of the arts and sciences. (generated by ChatGPT)
Text
Indaganti mihi toto mentis conamine, Illustrißime, omnique laude dignißime Princeps Christiane, familiæ Anhaltinæ summum Decus, num nostris istis deploratißimis Temporibus, in quibus nil ferè à petulantißimâ Invidæ Linguæ Maledicentiâ tutum esse solet, hanc meam Basilicam Chymicam, variis ac diuturnis peregrinationibus, laboribus & vigiliis indefeßis, sumptibus haud exiguis, longâ denique observatione ac meditato studio congestam ac ante aliquot annos conscriptam, in Lucem emitterem, ancepsq́ue Judiciorum pelagus subirem: [sig. (:)2v] Occurunt in ancipitis judicii bivio hæsitanti impedimenta varia. Qui enim ratone justâ se totos, hâc nostrâ infelicissimâ ætate, ad Veræ Sapientiæ studia convertunt, & relicitis Vanitatib[us] Ethnicis, spretisque Scholasticarum supra arenam fundatarum opinionum, errorumque labyrinthis, deinceps in abstrusis Naturæ Mysteriis diligenti investigatione inquirendis,[m1] iisdemque labore sagaci omnia vincente in lucem eruendis suam feliciter volunt impendere operam: etsi opus arduum, magnum, & laudabile susceperunt, diversa tamen multorum hominum, & sæpè sine ullo suo merito iniquissima solent superborum experiri judicia. Tanta est enim ferrei, & à virtute alienissimi hujus ævi nostri Malitiæ plenitudo, ut cuilibet integrum sit suam infantiam, nequitiam, & improbæ mentis arrogantiam mundo prodere, aliorum laudatos labores capendo, ita ut ferè nil per rabularum livorem intactum maneat. Dum enim alter alteri felicitatem ingenii invidet, fit, ut quem quis imitari non possit, eundem odisse incipiat:[m2] Ignavi insuper homines mundanis irretiti illecebris, aut divitiarum cupiditate flagrantes, eos contemnere solent, quos virtute præstare, usumque fructum Talenti sibi concrediti ad Dei Laudem & gloriam cum proximo suo egeno communem habere animadvertunt. Postpositis tamen his remoris omnibus, vicit me tandem non [sig. (:)3r] Privatum sed pvblicvm Commodum, non Astrale & Ambitiosum scripturiendi, sed Veritatis Chymicæ ab Impostorum larvis repurgandæ & manifestandæ studium: Animus inprimis benè de omnibus liberalibus ac Philosophicis Reipub[licae] Spagyricæ, tàm præsentis quàm posteri sæculi Ingeniis merendi cupidißimus Non ignorans Homines (post celebrationem ac Honorem Creatoris)[m3] Hominum gratiâ procreatos, ut mutuis inter se studiis & amicitiæ officiis societatem colant, aliique aliis (siquidem Homo Homini Deus) in Timore Altißimi succurrere ac prodesse, tùm poßint, tùm Charitatis Christianæ vinculo jurè etiam teneantur. Prodeat ergò fœtus ille, Nutu Dei, felicitier sub auspiciis Illvstrissimi re & nomine Christiani Principis: qui singulari suâ Munificentiâ hujus in lucem editionis facilem expeditumque mihi laborem fecit: Quo nomine tota etiam Respub[lica] Medica & Spagyrica, omnem inde provenientem utilitatem, excerptumque fructum, meritò post Deum Immortalem Celsitudinis ipsius Liberalitati, mecum acceptam feret: Et sic ad perpetuam Nominis ejus Memoriam & Honorem illo fruenter etiam Nationes Exteræ. Alii autem Megistanes, sibi indè Exemplum capient, ut iisdem facultatum irritamentis & calcaribus multorum [sig. (:)3v] ingenuorum fortunæ indignatione dejectorum, humique jacentium animos erigant, & quia Virtutis amantißimi Virtuti deditis libenter præstò sunt, sua benignitate, favore, ac munificentiâ pristinam Principum Humanitatem imitati,[m4] viris dignis egestatis onere preßis, ac commoditati publicæ consulere cupientibus, & valentibus, clementer succurrant.
Cum autem multis abhinc sæculis, Inclyte Princeps, consuetudine diuturna sit receptum, ut libri Novi Viris Principibus (quos omnium maximè, mysteria maxima nosse, & his donari præ aliis decet) consecrentur, quo illorum patrocinio & favore ceu ægide muniti, ab injuriâ Invidorum Calumniantium (prout est immundi hujus mundi, ubi semper alter in alterius livet & grassatur ingenium, corrupta consuetudo) eò magis vindicentur: non dubitavi hos meos labores, & hoc vigiliarum mearum munus Tuarum Virtutum meritis ascriptum, Illustrißimæ Celsitudini T[ua] offerre, eamque huic Mæcenatem & Patronum deligere, ut si improbi quidam Sophistæ, craßâ livoris & calumniandi insaniâ illud arrodere velint, ipsum jam Tuum factum discretionis perspicaciâ, ac judicii candore feliciter protegas atque defendas: Siquidem Antiquißimorum Regum, Principum, & Sophorum Exemplo laudatißimo, inter paucos [sig. (:)4r] hac nostra Tempestate ferè præcipuus existis, cui Deus ejusmodi habilitatem, dexteritatemque Mentis largitus est, ut talia oblata & intelligere, & examine recto expendere sciat: Et de quo sibi meritò gaudere & gratulari potest, quod cognito Summo trivno bono, divino scilicet, macro- et microcosmico, Dei utpote, lvminis natvræ & svi ipsivs, in reconditißimis illis Scientijs, quibus in Sublunari mundo non sanctiores, non præstantiores aliæ ullæ, Cabalæ videlicet Magiæ, & VVoarchadumiæ, (æternæ cœlestis nostri Patris Sapientiæ solius Veræ, pedissequis castißimis) singulari Divinæ Prividentia Benignitate, Celsitudo Tua possit suum Nomen profiteri: & juxta prudentissima Reipubl[icae] Gubernacula & sceptra felicissima, etiam Philosophorum ac Sophorum stupenda cumulatè addiscere mysteria. Quæ Fortunata Beatitudo è sexcentis Proceribus vix uni: è Reipub[licae] Literariæ antesignanis ne millesimo contingere solet. Quapropter sera posteritas, jurè aliquando mirari poterit, quòd Venerandæ Antiquitatis vestigia, etiam nostro hoc caliginoso sæculo in magni illius , & Ter Maximi nepotibus & genuinis heredibus deprehensa & conspecta fuerint, qui videlicet difficilimos rerum ab- [sig. (:)4v] strusarum aditus intueri, scrutari, contemplari, discernere & dijudicare valuerint. Sed ne multa verba, fortè non satis apto loco profundam, intra propositi cancellos me recipio. Talem igitur jure optimo Patronum & Principem eligere conveniebat, qui ut modo dictum per se posset curvum discernere recto: qui oculis videret proprijs, auribus non audiret alterius, nec ore loqueretur alieno: Et cui non auderent maligni Homines dicere
- Candida de nigris, & de candentibus astra:
Qui insuper artium maximarum rerumque secretissimarum cognitione excelleret & abundaret, sicuti cum admiratione fatentur etiam literatissimi Viri, qui Celsit[udinis] ejus familiariter norunt: Et cujus ceu Armatæ Palladis admirandas & Heroicas virtutes, juxta invictam animi magnitudinem in Expeditione Gallicana propè Rotomagum patefactam, qui oculata fide diligenter atque accuratius perspexissent præsentes, nunquam satis ob dictionis inopiam pro merito laudare possent.
Quamvis autem longè pretiosiori munere dignus sis, Tuaque Virtus majora mereatur, Optime Princeps, tamen hoc exiguum Clientis literarium munusculum (submissæ meæ erga se observantiæ & gratitudinis debitæ monumentum) Cels[itudine] Tua serena fronte in præsentia accipere non dedignabitur: Et cum hactenus fortuna non obtule- [sig. (:)5r] rit melius, illud interea singulari suâ innatâ Clementiâ, animo donantis æstimabit. Vale felicißimè, Principum omnium nostri sæculis Decus singulare, & Thesaurum Luminis Gratiæ & Naturæ in agro Cordis repositum diligentissimâ & pijssimâ indagine, petendo, quærendo ac pulsando eruere perge ad Sacrosanctæ Trivnitatis Ineffabilis Bonitatem, Sapientiam & Potentiam agnoscendam, suspiciendam, atque celebrandam, donec Tenebricoso Quaternarij Puncto superfluo amandato, & adepto Purificati Ternarij[m5] Puncto copulativo ad Monadis simplicitatem reducto, post sufficientem Supercœlestium Virtutum, Metaphysicarumq́ue Influentiarum speculationem & comprehensionem, tandem peracta statione fiamus denuò Beata Immutabilique Quiete Vnvm in ipso Vno, in quo omnia sunt Vnvm: Huic Vni & Soli omnis Laus, Honor, Virtus & Gloria, ab omni semper exhibeatur decanteturque Creatura Amen. Pragæ Anno 1608. è Musæo.
Apparatus
Marginalia
- ↑ In margin: Perscrutamini Scripturam & Naturam, in qua Dei Miracula occultata sunt.
- ↑ In margin: Donorum dissimilitudo non rixatur inter bonos.
- ↑ In margin: 1. Pet. 4. sect. 10.
- ↑ In margin: Principis est studium Sapientiæ promovere, ac Naturæ & Artis secreta indagare.
- ↑ In margin: Ternarius sacer per Binarium in Unitatem omnis consummatæ Perfectionis autorem reducendus est. Ioh. 17. sect. 11. 21. 22. 23. 1. Cor. 6. Ps. 145. sect. 21. 150. sect. 6. 148.
Modern English Raw Translation
As I pondered deeply, most illustrious and worthy of all praise, Prince Christian, the greatest honor of the Anhalt family, whether in these most lamentable times, when almost nothing seems safe from the venomous tongue of envy, I should publish my Chemical Basilica, a work gathered through various and long travels, relentless labor and vigils, considerable expense, and finally, long observation and thoughtful study, written some years ago, and thus venture into the uncertain sea of judgments: I encountered various obstacles at the crossroads of indecision. Those who, in our most unfortunate era, dedicate themselves entirely to the pursuit of true wisdom, abandoning the vanities of the pagans and the sand-founded opinions and labyrinthine errors of the schools, and instead seek to diligently explore the hidden mysteries of nature and bring them to light through tireless and all-conquering effort, undertake a noble, great, and commendable task. Yet, they often face the unjust and haughty judgments of many, often without any fault of their own. Such is the malice-filled fullness of our iron age, far removed from virtue, that anyone is free to display their ignorance, wickedness, and the arrogance of a corrupt mind to the world, seizing upon the praised efforts of others, leaving almost nothing untouched by the spite of detractors. As one envies another's intellectual fortune, it happens that the inability to emulate leads to hatred: Moreover, lazy people, ensnared by worldly pleasures or burning with greed for wealth, tend to despise those who excel in virtue and seek to use and share the fruits of their talents for the praise of God and the common good with their needy neighbor.
However, setting aside all these obstacles, the public good, not private gain; not the desire for fame and ambition in writing, but the pursuit of purifying and revealing true Chemical knowledge from the deceptions of impostors, ultimately prevailed over me. My spirit, eager to do well by all those involved in the liberal and philosophical endeavors of the Spagyric Republic, both now and in the future, is aware that humans are created (after honoring and celebrating the Creator) for the sake of others, to cultivate society through mutual efforts and acts of friendship, and to support and benefit each other (as man is to man, a god) in the fear of the Most High, bound even by the tie of Christian charity. Therefore, let this work proceed, by the grace of God, under the auspices of the most illustrious Prince Christian, both in name and deed, who, through his singular generosity, has made the publication of this work easy and expedient for me: For which the entire Medical and Spagyric Republic will, after God Immortal, rightly attribute all resulting benefits and extracted fruits to his Highness's generosity, along with me: And thus, his name will be honored and remembered forever, even by foreign nations. Other great leaders will take example from this, to lift the spirits of many noble individuals cast down by the indignation of fortune and lying low, with the same incentives and spurs, because those who love virtue are readily available to those dedicated to virtue, imitating the ancient kindness of princes with their benevolence, favor, and generosity, kindly assisting worthy men burdened by poverty and seeking, and able, to consult the public good.
But, illustrious Prince, since for many centuries it has been a long-standing custom that new books be dedicated to Princes and Noblemen (who, above all, are most deserving to know and be gifted with the greatest mysteries), so that, shielded by their patronage and favor like by an aegis, they may be more effectively defended against the slander of the envious (as is the corrupt custom in this impure world, where always one person envies and attacks another's talent), I did not hesitate to dedicate my labors and the gift of my vigils, attributed to the merits of Your Virtues, to Your Illustrious Highness, and to choose you as patron and protector of this work. Thus, if some wicked Sophists, driven by thick envy and the madness of slander, wish to gnaw at it, it may be protected and defended by your discerning discretion and the fairness of your judgment. Indeed, following the most commendable example of the most ancient Kings, Princes, and Sages, you stand out in our times as one of the few to whom God has granted the ability and skill of mind to understand and rightly evaluate such matters. And of whom it can rightly be said, having recognized the supreme triune good—divine, macrocosmic, and microcosmic, that is, of God, the light of nature, and of oneself—in the most hidden sciences, which in the sublunar world are not holier or more excellent than any others, namely Kabbalah, Magic, and Theurgy (the most chaste followers of our eternal heavenly Father's only True Wisdom), Your Highness may proclaim your name with singular Divine Providence and Kindness: and, alongside the wisest governance of the republic and the most fortunate scepters, also learn the astonishing mysteries of Philosophers and Sages in abundance. This fortunate beatitude scarcely befalls one among six hundred nobles, and among the leaders of the literary republic, it hardly ever occurs to one in a thousand. Therefore, late posterity may rightly wonder that the footsteps of Venerable Antiquity have been discovered and seen in our murky age among the great and Thrice Greatest's grandchildren and true heirs, who are able to observe, scrutinize, contemplate, discern, and judge the most difficult accesses to abstruse matters. But not to make many words, perhaps out of place, I return within the bounds of my intention. Therefore, it was fitting to choose such a patron and prince, who, as just mentioned, could discern the straight from the crooked on his own; who would see with his own eyes, not hear with another's ears, nor speak with another's mouth: And to whom malicious men would not dare say
"White from blacks, and stars from whites":
Who moreover excels and abounds in the knowledge of the greatest arts and most secret matters, as even the most learned men, who are familiar with His Highness, confess with admiration: And whose admirable and heroic virtues, alongside the invincible greatness of spirit displayed in the French Expedition near Rouen, those who have observed closely and more accurately could never praise enough for lack of words to do justice.
Although you are worthy of a far more precious gift, and Your Virtue deserves greater, Best Prince, yet this small literary token from your client (a monument of my humble observance and due gratitude) will not be disdained by Your Serene Highness to accept in the present: And since fortune has not offered better thus far, it will be valued in the spirit of the giver by Your inherent Clemency. Farewell most happily, unique Glory of Princes in our age, and continue to seek, inquire, and knock in the most diligent and pious investigation for the Treasure of Light of Grace and Nature stored in the field of the Heart, to recognize, venerate, and celebrate the Ineffable Goodness, Wisdom, and Power of the Holy Trinity, until, having dispensed with the superfluous darkness of the Quaternary Point and achieved the Purified Ternary Point of union, reduced to the simplicity of the Monad after a sufficient contemplation and comprehension of the Supracelestial Virtues and Metaphysical Influences, we may finally become One again in the Immutable Rest in the One in whom all things are One: To this One and Only be all Praise, Honor, Power, and Glory, forever proclaimed and sung by all Creation Amen. Prague, Year 1608, from the Museum.
[Marginalia:]
- Examine the Scripture and Nature, in which God's Miracles are hidden.
- The diversity of gifts does not cause strife among the good.
- 1 Peter 4:10.
- It is the prince's endeavor to promote Wisdom, and to investigate the secrets of Nature and Art.
- The Ternary, sacred through the Binary, must be reduced to the Unity, the author of all consummate Perfection. John 17:11, 21, 22, 23. 1 Corinthians 6. Psalm 145:21, 150:6, 148.
