Dedication, no date (1569), Gerhard Dorn to Wilhelm IV., Landgraf von Hessen-Kassel (BP110)
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Recipient: | Wilhelm IV., Landgraf von Hessen-Kassel |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | no date [1569] |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=1959 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Paracelsus, De Meteoris liber vnus, ed. Gerhard Dorn, Basel: Pietro Perna [1569], sig. [unsigned]2r–[unsigned]3v [BP110]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Gerhard Dorn |
[sig. [unsigned]2r] Illvstrissimo Principi Gvilhelmo Lantgravio Hassiæ, Comiti in Catzenelnbogen, Dietz, Ziegenhayn, & Nidda, Salus.
I Inter varia diuersi generis opuscula Theophrasti Paracelsi, quæ vertenda susceperam è Germanico sermone, latineque reddenda, philosophici tres libelli meas in manus primùm inciderunt. Quos quôd longè doctiùs, & iuxta Christianæ religionis profeßionem disserere multò sinceriùs viderem, quàm hactenus ab antiquis traditum fuit, alijs alio pòst seruatis loco hos præmittere volui, nempe de Meteoris vnum, alium de Matrice, tertium vero de Tribus primis substantijs rerumq́ue principijs. Non alia de causa quàm vt à fœlicioribus ingenijs comparatione facta iudicaretur, vtra, [sig. [unsigned]2v] vel præceptoris nostri Paracelsi viri Christiani, veritatis amatoris atque vindicis in artibus, aut eorum quos ista semper latuit, vera falsaúe sententia foret. Si quos interim hæc refellendi scripta Paracelsica cæteris cùm voluntas arripiat, experiantur quînam suis Ethnicorum & Gentilium scriptis Sacras delere literas valeant, quibus author noster ad sua philosophica præsertim probanda solùm & non humanis authoritatibus, quòd nullæ sint, vtitur. Inde pòst referant, quàm contra stimulum calcitrare sibi facile fuerit. Medica verò, qui sin sensualibus pro parte sita, suis ad oculum demonstratis experimentis ex luce naturæ fundatißimè docet: quam quidem euidentißimam & certißimam istius cognitionem ita vocat. Nec sua sinit etiam interdum Euangelicis allegationibus confirmare. Peßimè nonnullos habet ad medicinam & philosophiam stabiliendas adduci rationes Theologicas, discernendum- [sig. [unsigned]3r] q́ue (vt loquuntur) inter artes atque Theologiam ducunt. Si de illis artib[us] quas Apostolus inanem philosophiam vocat (argutam illam disceptandi rixandiq́ue rationem intelligens) ipsi loquantur, concedemus. At inter Christianam philosophiam artesq́ue similes & ipsam Theologiam nulla differentia, si ad scopum & finem, quem vnicum habent vtpote charitatem referantur. Nam Christianus verus nullum opus etsi mechanicum extra Christum exercet. Quapropter, Illustrißime Princeps, quum tua Celsitas, quæ veritatem in omnibus tantùm, cæteris neglectis, aspicit, istius viri philosophi Germani cripta huic solùm innixa, fundata, nec non Sacris approbata literis viderit, fieri speramus, vt eius & monumentorum quæ reliquit in abusuum reformationem, ab iniuriosis & falsis calumnijs præter veritatem & æquitatem excogitatis, & per eos illatis, qui tollerare veritatem non poßunt, nec probabilibus rationibus expugnare: prote- [sig. [unsigned]3v] ctionem atque patrocinium suscipere minimè dedignabitur, præsertim, quòd solæ T[uæ] C[elsitudinis] hactenus commendata fuit semper viritas. Vale Princeps illustrißimè fœ, & viue.
Illustrißimæ C[elsitudinis] T[uæ] Seruulus
Gerardus Dorn.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT on 18 March 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.
To the Most Illustrious Prince Wilhelm, Landgrave of Hesse, Count of Katzenelnbogen, Dietz, Ziegenhayn, and Nidda, Greetings.
Among various works of different genres by Theophrastus Paracelsus, which I had undertaken to translate from the German language and render into Latin, three philosophical books fell into my hands first. Since I saw that these books discussed far more learnedly and much more sincerely in accordance with the profession of Christian religion than has been previously transmitted by the ancients, I wanted to preface them before others, namely with one on Meteors, another on the Womb, and a third on the Three Primary Substances and Principles of Things. I did this only so that a comparison could be made with happier talents, to determine whether the opinion of our teacher, Paracelsus, a Christian man, a lover and defender of truth in the arts, or that of those whom this truth has always eluded, was true or false. If in the meantime, anyone desires to refute these Paracelsian writings, let them try to see whether they can destroy the sacred letters with their pagan and heathen writings, which our author uses only to prove his philosophical theories and not human authorities, which do not exist. Afterwards, let them report how easy it was for them to kick against the goad.
But as for medicine, which is partly founded on sensual things and is most firmly taught by experiments demonstrated to the eye from the light of nature, he calls this knowledge the most evident and certain. He also does not hesitate at times to confirm it with Gospel quotations. He has some very bad reasons for establishing medicine and philosophy with theological arguments, and they must distinguish (as they say) between the arts and theology. If they are talking about those arts that the Apostle calls empty philosophy (understanding that subtle debate and quarrelsome reasoning), we agree. But there is no difference between Christian philosophy, similar arts, and theology itself if they are referred to the same goal and purpose, namely charity. For a true Christian does no work, even a mechanical one, outside of Christ. Therefore, Most Illustrious Prince, since your Highness looks only for truth in all things, disregarding all others, we hope that you will not hesitate to take up the protection and patronage of this German philosopher's crypt, founded only on this, and approved by Sacred writings, and to reform his monuments from the unjust and false calumnies, thought up without truth and fairness, and brought upon him by those who cannot tolerate the truth and cannot defeat it with probable reasons. Especially since only truth has been praised by Your Highness so far. Farewell, Most Illustrious Prince, and live.
Your Most Illustrious Highness's servant,
Gerardus Dorn.
