G., G. (& others)

Recueil de divers secrets rares et éprouvés concernant la Chymie, l'Alchymie, la Médecine, la Philosophie Hermétique, le tout tiré des plus célèbres Médecins et Artistes de l'Europe. Traduit du latin et de l'italien par G.G., Interprète juré des langues orientales. With other extracts and receipts from alchemical and medical authors. In French throughout. The third volume contains 37 full-page symbolic alchemical water-colour drawings with 68 figures (pp. 304-369): there are two symbolic diagrams in red and black on p. 190 and illustrations of alchemical apparatus on pp. 419, 430, 547. These three MSS. have been tentatively dated c. 1765, as on the fly-leaf of Vol. II is an inscription: '1762. 16 aout. Tome 2ème'. Below this is the date 1785, but by the script, they seem to have been written consecutively within a few years.

c. 1765

3 volumes 3 vols. folio. 301/2 × 191/2 cm. Original blind-stamped calf bindings with flaps, fitted with brass locks and clasps: that of Vol. II has been wrenched off, with damage to the binding. Some leaves have been torn out before the title-page of the first volume.

Purchased 1935.

Note A In Ferguson's 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. II, p. 41 there is an entry [Linthaut] which assigns this work to Christofle de Gamon. But the initials 'S.G.' are found in the description of another copy of this MS., now in Harvard University Library. This is No. 42 in W. J. Wilson's 'Catalogue of Latin and vernacular alchemical MSS. in the U.S.A. and Canada' ['Osiris', Vol. 6, pp. 358, 362, 363]. B Nos. 4, 5, 6, are found, though in a different sequence, in MS. 249 [Dorigny] in Part I of the present Catalogue. C The work by Marengus seems to be based on his 'Palladis chymicae arcana detecta', first published at Genoa in 1674 [Ferguson. op. cit, Vol. II, pp. 75, 76]. D This work does not seem to correspond with the tracts under this title ascribed to Baruch, R. Lullius, or J. Dastin. E A Latin and a German copy of this MS. are entered in this Catalogue under the heading 'SAPIENTIA Veterum'. A Latin copy is also described by W. J. Wilson, op. cit. No. 29. F This translation of a Latin or Italian 15th cent. MS

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).