Schlüssel der wahren Weisheit

SCHLÜSSEL der wahren Weisheit unter einem Gespräch eines wohlerfahrnen und der Weisheit sehr nahe kommenden Sophisten mit der Weisheit welche alle Fehler ohne einigem Hinterhalt in die Hände giebt F.C.R. On p. 3 there is a pen-drawn symbolical circular figure. A former owner (or a bookseller) has altered the date at the end of the prefatory letter on p. 8, by erasing the number '7' and substituting a '6' in pencil. It is certain that 1668 cannot be the date originally written, as the script is definitely of the 18th century, and from the fact that on p. 33 there is a marginal reference to the 'Laboratorium chymicum' by Johann Kunckel, the first edition of which was published in 1716 [cf. Ferguson 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. I, p. 484]. Comparison with MS. No. 3566 [Miscellanea Alchemica XXVII (1)], which contains a copy of this work, shows that the date at the end of the preface was originally 1468, which is undoubtedly fictitious, but in accordance with the alleged attribution to 'Frater Christian [de] Roseae Crucis', which is also found in the abbreviated form of F.R.C. in the title of the present MS. The 'Schlüssel' ends at p. 143, and is followed by a 'Processus particularis ex fonte universali' (pp. 145-157), written by the original hand. Pp. 157-end contain other alchemical receipts, etc. by two later 18th cent. hands.

1768

1 volume 157 pp. + 12 ll. (last 7 bl.). 8vo. 161/2 × 10 cm. Modern half-morocco binding. Margins slightly cropped.

Purchased 1931.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

A work with a very similar title is entered in Ferguson op. cit., Vol. II, p. 336.