Paracelsus Bombastus ab Hohenheum (1493-1541) & others

(1) Quatuordecim libri Paragraphorum. (2) Liber Praeparationum. (3)BRACESCO (Giovanni). De alchemia: Dialogus primus. (In German.) (4) Alchemical receipts: in German. Written by different, but contemporary hands. (1) 1.1 Exelentissimi [sic] Viri doctoris Theopharas/tri [sic] liber quaduordecim [sic] paragionorum [sic]./Cap. primum de morbo dissuluto [sic]./Liber primus.//Omne quod perfectum est per stomachum/in digestum abit... 55 ...die Kolirien/sollen nit sein ex aquis distillatis et insenico [sic]/etc.//finis libri paragrophum [sic]. 56 Blank. (2) 57 De praeparacionibus tractatus primus et/liber primus de Mineralibus indigestis/Videlicet de Anthimonia Margasita argen/tis... 92 ...ab extra mane et sero secundum/usum. (3) 93 Demogorgon. Geber.///DE. Sey gegrussert du aller weisester Kwicklein des gro/ssen Machomettis... 247v ...bis ich die Arbeitt ein/Mal selber seche, etc./// //Finis. (4) Alchemical receipts and processes in German [46 ff. (last bl.)].

c.1575

1 volume 56 ll. (last bl.). +ll. 57-247 + 46 ff. (last bl.). 4 to. 20 1/2 x 15 1/2 cm. Original stamped half pigskin binding: with two metal and pigskin clasps, damaged.

Purchased at Sotheby's 28/1/1935, Lot 24.

The first two works are in Latin and German. The 'Libri XIV Paragraphorum' was first published in full at Strassburg in 1575 [Sudhoff 160], though there had been an earlier and shorter version published at Bâle in 1571 [Sudhoff 130]. The 'Libri praeparationum' was first published in 1569 [Sudhoff 104]. Our MS. here seems to be very similar to that in the Kassel Landsbibliothek, No. 149 of Sudhoff's Catalogue of Paracelsian MSS. The third item in this MS. is a German translation of the first dialogue in Bracesco's 'La espositione di Geber philosopho', first printed at Venice in 1544, with later Latin translations. No record has been traced of any printed German version of this Dialogue between Geber and Demogorgon in which the principles of alchemy are set forth.

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).

From the Julius Kohn Library.