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Alchemy Academy archive March 2000 Back to alchemy academy archives. Subject: ACADEMY : Schroder - Neue Sammlung Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 From: Eugene Beshenkovsky Hello! Does anybody know the contents of the first three volumes of the following collection? M-100 Neue Sammlung von philosophisch und alchimistischer Schriften - 1 [SCHRODER, FRIEDRICH JOSEPH WILHELM, ed. Neue Sammlung von einigen alten und sehr rar gewordenen philosophisch und alchymistischen Schriften: in welcher anzutreffen sind: I. Raymundi Lullii Codicill, oder Vade Mecum. II. Eiusdem allgemeine Aus|bung des grossen Werks von der Quint-Essenz. III. Eiusdem kleiner Schl|ssel, worinnen alles, was zur Alchymie-Arbeit erfordert wird, ervfnet und erkldret ist. IV. Laurentii Venturae Liber unus de Lapide Philosophorum; oder Bewei_, da_ die Kunst der Alchymie gewi_ und wahr seye ... welche samtliche Werke nicht nur an und vor sich selbsten vollstandig sind, sondern auch als eine neue Fortsetzung des bekannten deutschen Theatri Chymici angesehen und gebraucht werden konnen. Frankfurt und Leipzig: Krauss, 1769-1774. 6 vols. ; 8vo] Kayser, 5, 34; Caillet, no. 7952; RLIN no. PAUG83B22092; OCLC no. 13609285; SWB. See also no. 2571. Contents: 2. (1770). - [8], 462 p. - Enth. Traktate u.a. von R. Lull, Michael Sendivogius, Jane Leade, Johann Schauberdt, Johann Tritheim u. Johann Teutzscheschen. 4. (1772). - 404 p. - Enth.: Lullius Redivivus Denudatus (see also no. 2528). Ein auserlesener herrlicher Tractat von dem philosophischen Wasser Incerti Authoris (see also no. 3725). Christophori Parisiensis Elucidarius (see also no. 2455). Vier unterschiedene Chymische Tractdtlein / ab Incertis Authoribus. 5. (1774). - 303 p. - Enth.: Joh. De Monte-Snyders Tractatus De Medicina Universali / mit einer kurzen gr|ndlichen Erkldrung, auch beygef|gten Spagyrischen Grund-Regeln illustriret Durch A. Gottlob B. [vollst. Name: Adam Gottlob Berlich]. Von der nat|rlichen Philosophia und Verwandlung der Metallen in Gold und Silber, drey Tractate / erstlich in franzvsischer Sprache beschrieben durch Dionysium Zacharium, in deutsche Sprach gebracht durch Georgium Forbergern (see also no. 3375). 6. (1774). - 384 p. : Ill. - Enth.: Jo. De Monte-Snyders Metamorphosis Planetarum / zum Druck befvrdert durch A. Gottlob B. [vollst. Name: Adam Gottlob Berlich] (See also no. 87). Drey Curieuse Chymische Tractdtlein das Erste betitult: G|ldene Rose / durch J. R. V. M. D. (see also nos. 1305, 3178), das Andere Brunnen der Wei_heit und Erkdnntnis der Natur / durch Anonymum von Schwartzfu_ (See also nos. 2440, 3178, 3183), Das Dritte Blut der Natur / von Anonymus von Schwartzfu_. (see also nos. 1305, 3178). Many thanks, Eugene Beshenkovsky Subject: ACADEMY : The Tetratkys Date: Sat, 04 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin Friends, Does anyone know of an interpretation of the tetraktys as found in Khunrath's "Amphitheatrum" as a progression from the quaternity (the elements), to the trinity (sulphur, salt and mercury), to the duality (sol and luna), to the one (the stone)? He depicts it like this (but in Hebrew): i h i v h i h v h i regards, Michael Subject: ACADEMY : Rose Cross From: Eylon Israeli Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 Reply to: [email protected] Dear Susanna & Alchemy Academy, I am a student in the Tel-Aviv university and have been lurking here on the list for a while. I am currently researching a paper I am to write for a 'Science & Religion in early modern Europe' seminar. I have been reading lately about Samuel Hartlib and his Circle of people and have been especially fascinated by Comenius and his Pansophia. You write: >On the other > hand it is argued that masons and rosicrucians such as Elias Ashmole > and Robert Moray (and Hartlib's people) were inspiring the foundation > of the Royal Society that was to be the vehicle for spreading the new > science that perhaps in the end led to the divorce of mysticism and > science. I would appreciate it if you can elaborate a little bit if possible on this point. Are there any discrenible Rosicrucian elements you can point out in the actual proceedings or texts or organization of the Royal Society itself? How did they affected then the divorce of mysticism and science you were writing above? Can Pansophia be termed a Rosicrucian idea? If so, then how exactly? I know it is a rain of questions for a first-poster on a mailing list. I hope I can contribute more positively later on. Thanks in advance for answering a novice, Regards, Eylon Israeli. Subject: ACADEMY : Rose Cross Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Eylon Israeli wrote: >Are there any discrenible Rosicrucian elements you can point >out in the actual proceedings or texts or organization of the Royal >Society itself? How did they affected then the divorce of mysticism >and science you were writing above? >Can Pansophia be termed a Rosicrucian idea? If so, then how exactly? Comenius' Pansophia is not the same, more Paracelsian oriented complex of Ideas, that Will Erich Peuckert uses to describe Rosicrucianism's base in his two texts Pansophie (Berlin, 1938) and Die Rosenkreutzer (Jena, 1928). Comenius was influenced by Rosicrucianism, though, in his _Via Lucis_ or in the _Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart_(1623), where he describes the call of the Fama and his own Universal reform of the pedagogy of science. He corresponded later with Andreae. I would keep Pansophism and Rosicrucianism separate and speak of the possible _inspiration_ the Fama was giving to new programs of reform, as in the case with Descartes' early sketch of a reply to the Rosicrucians in Germany announcing his new general science... his notebook-entry on The treasure trove of Polybius (1619)... Donald Dickson has recently shown the influence from J. V. Andreae's circles on Hartlib, but have not really tied Hartlib's programme to the founding of the Royal Society, even if this is a much discussed point. See his _The Tessera of Antilia : utopian brotherhoods and secret societies in the early seventeenth century_ Brill, Leiden, 1998. It is still not precisely shown that Boyle's programme for the Society was influenced by Hartlib's efforts. Robert Moray was, in any case, involved in the group that was effectual of bringing the idea to the King, and there was an religious comb. science proposal to Charles II preceeding the final effort, from the Hermetic Swede Bengt Skytte in 1659 and that Boyle liked, but that was turned down for a more practical arrangement. (See Dickson) There appears to have been a Masonic/Rosicrucian ambiance among some of those who argued for a scientific society. Marsha Keith Schuchard has in her new book some more connections to and from the mason Robert Moray to the founders of the Society that may shed light on this moot point, but it has not been published yet. The whole complex of eventual contacts between Rosicrucian inspired men, restorational ideas of Divine authority and the Royal Society thus rests on assumptions. I think the divorce between science and mysticism was a gradual development, but that the emphasis on experiments in the Society shifted attention to collectively verifiable and seen facts, as opposed to the reliance on textual/traditional authority and therefore also mysticism. British historians such as Michael Hunter have studied the traditional view of the Royal Society and disregards the eventual mystical ambiance, that may have, however, been important in bringing the idea on the State table. There is no traceable mystical aspect to the proceedings as they now stand, but the "vorgeschichte" has traces of such connections. Susanna �kerman Subject: ACADEMY : Aureolus Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 From: Catherine Fox-Anderson The version in Spanish of Aureolus, translated by Jubany, does not have a manuscript or collection reference - can anyone help me with these details? Best wishes, Catherine Subject: ACADEMY : Athanasius Kircher Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 From: Catherine Fox-Anderson I'm still waiting on the book on Kircher and Sor Juana, and will let you know as I receive anything of interest. Thank you to Susanna and all who contributed; they were very helpful references. Godwin (found the book!) says that Kircher criticized Paracelsus, and also received heavy criticism from alchemists- comments? Best wishes, Catherine Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Hereward Tilton Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 Hope this isn't a silly question, but I am having problems with a term I have found in Michael Maier's Ulysses, as well as Samuel Richter in his Bereitung des Philosophischen Steins. The word is 'Grillo' - that's the ablative case with a capital 'g'... is this a Paracelsian term? Cheers Hereward Tilton Subject: ACADEMY : Athanasius Kircher Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Dear Catherine, Also van Lennep says that Kircher critizised alchemists, esp. charlatanism, in his "De alchymia sophistica". I have looked up Manget's _Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa_ in the German version of 1708 and notes that Kircher quotes Pythagoras' Turba (Philosophorum?) to say that for the adept to decipher the hidden meanings in alchemical texts is as plain as a "Werk der Weiber und ein Kinderspiel." I could not make out whether this was a satiric comment or an appreciation of the inner workings of alchemical texts. Susanna Akerman Subject: ACADEMY : Rose Cross Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 From: Ed Thompson: Reply to: [email protected] May I add a footnote to Susanna's admirable discussion of Comenius and the Rosicrucians? > Comenius was influenced by Rosicrucianism, though, in his _Via Lucis_ > or in the _Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart_(1623), > where he describes the call of the Fama Labyrinth 13 tells how 'thousands descended upon the Rosicrucians to purchase their wisdom in packages labeled Portae sapientiae, Fortalitum scientiae, Gymnasium universitatis, Bonum macro-micro- cosmicon, Harmonia utriusque cosmi, Christiano-cabalisticum, Antrum naturae, Arx primaterialis, Divino-magicum, Tertrinum catholicum, Pyramis triumphalis, Hallelujah, and other windy combinations. When the packages were opened, they turned out to be empty...'(Manuel and Manuel 1979:311). This is a reworking of Andreae's 'Thraso' (Myth. 3,45), using an almost identical list of fantastic and ludicrous remedies, but substituting the Rosicrucians for Andreae's less obvious mountebank, 'the sumptuous Agyrta'. Ed Thompson Subject: ACADEMY : Athanasius Kircher Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 From: ME Warlick The terms "The Work of Women and Child's Play" are often used to describe the alchemical work. Both terms are loaded but on the surface, I think they refer to the many operations of cooking and washing and the relative "ease" of the work once one knows the secrets. In Salomon Trismosin's Splendor Solis series (Ms. Harley 3469, as one example), there are two very beautiful depictions of this. In one children play with their toys and in the other, women laundresses are washing and bleaching clothes. (Both reproduced in Fabricius, p. 243). M.E. Warlick Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Greg Morell Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 Storyteller ??? Subject: ACADEMY : Athanasius Kircher Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 From: Catherine Fox-Anderson Dear Susanna, I appreciate the humor in the comment here, after having spent the last few years trying to penetrate the symbols - approaching them with the openess and innocense of a child is what comes to mind - intuition. I just received via Berkeley, from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, (1995) - Los empenos- Ensayos en Homenaje a Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. There is an essay by Mauricio Beuchot, "Sor Juana y el hermetismo de Kircher"; he cites, and I have in my paper as well, Sor Juana's "Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz", (of which there are many editions available) in which de la Cruz cites Kircher in her self-defense. Another article links her "El sueno" to hermetic thought (R. Richard, "Reflexiones sobre 'El sueno' de Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz", Revista de la Universidad de Mexico, xxx, 4, 1975). Another interesting citation is of a letter from Kircher to one Alejandro Favian, by I. Osorio, "La luz imaginaria. Epistolario de Atanasio Kircher con los novohispanos", UNAM, 1993, p. 126-127. There is no citation, however of Inquisitional records, which could be another interesting source confirming the presence (or lack of it) of alchemical practices in Baroque Mexico; this is a path I'd like to pursue in future research. If I should find anything on Kircher, Christina, I'll let you know. Best wishes, Catherine Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Hereward Tilton Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 What makes you suggest "storyteller" as the meaning of this term, Greg? Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Gryllus, also Grillus is a cricket and as verb is the sound crickets emit, found in Pliny according to Lewis and Short's Latin on-line Dictionary. There is a Gryllus flavipennis, i. e. yellow-winged cricket, with image, found under an Insect page at http://vidal.med.puc.cl/GrylFulvipennis.html I do not know whether this works in your text or whether you can make out any meaning adjacent to the sound of a cricket, perhaps the subtility of its high pitch carries over into some alchemical vocabulary. Susanna Akerman (With the help of a Latinist, Peter Sjobeck, present in my computer-room). -------------------- Some clarifications: Rabanus Maurus writes of the Cricket: "Grillus nomen a sono vocis habet (V, 227 of his works). Here is the entry from Lewis and Short: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/enggreek?lang=Latin&lookup=lewis+and+short [Greek] gryllus (also grillus), i, m., = grullos. I. A cricket or grasshopper, Plin. 29, 6, 39, � 138.-- But note that they also add: II. Transf., in painting, a kind of comic figures, Plin. 35, 10, 37, � 114. Susanna Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 From: Marco Frascari There is also this possibility, see picture: Anne-Claude-Phillipe, Comte de Caylus, Gryllus, from Recueil (Paris, 1752-67) pl. 40, fig 1. Engraving. at: http://www.press.jhu.edu/demo/configurations/1.1stafford_fig07.html Marco Frascari Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Greg Morell Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 > What makes you suggest "storyteller" as the meaning of > this term, Greg? Could be liar-or -teller of tales. Subject: ACADEMY : Rose Cross From: Eylon Israeli Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 Dear Academy, Susanne and Ed, Thanks for your responses to my question. Indeed I am reading now Dickson's book and find it very intriguing. Your overview made some of his points much clearer to me and thanks for that as well. It is still very unclear to me how did the new science of the Royal Society tie in or divorce itself from the western esoteric tradition. Hartlib's case should hopefully be easier for me though: I have a feeling Hartlib's ideas and practice of information broking, filtering, and distribution seems to tie in very well with Comenius' (Rosicrucian inspired) Pansophy. In pps. 157-8, Dickson mentions a published work of Hartlib where he outlines his programme for the spiritual Correspondency and Agency - The Reformed Spiritual Husbandman: with An Humble Memorandum concerning Chelsy Colledge And a correspondencie with Forreigne Protestants (London, 1652). Is anyone here familiar with this text and where can it be found in print? Thanks, Eylon. Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Eylon Israeli Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 > Could be liar-or -teller of tales. Don't know if it is even pronounced similarly but as a long shot - in the African-Malian tradition, a Griot is an historian, praise-singer and musical entertainer. Eylon. Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 From: Eugene Beshenkovsky Could I add some Italian flavor? (http://www.brzn.de/cgi-bin/nph-wwwobnmenu) Eugene Beshenkovsky. 123. Lagrime del penitente / Angelo Grillo. - Venetia, 1613 124. Pietosi affetti / Angelo Grillo. - Venetia, 1613 126. Lettere : nelle quali si dona il modo artificioso del ben compor lettere / Angelo Grillo. - Venetia, 1612 127. Delle lettere / Angelo Grillo. - Venetia, 1608-1612 128. Lettere ... / Angelo Grillo. - 3. impr. - Venetia : Ciotti, 129. Lettere / Angelo Grillo. - 2. impr. - Venetia : Ciotti, Grillo : canti dieci / Enante Vignajuolo Verfasser: Girolamo Baruffaldi Verona, 1738 Subject: ACADEMY : Ripley's Compound of alchymie Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin I wonder if anyone is aware of any current research which would change the date of Ripley's "Compound" from the 1471 given by Ashmole, even though he entertains the idea of 1450 -- 'no proofe". Much obliged, Michael Subject: ACADEMY : Our Salt Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin Friends, I'd like to hear your takes on the myriad interpretations of Salt in the literature. So little is out there, but what is out there is confusing. I know this concept became popular following the career of Paracelsus. All too often, though, it seems confused with Mercury and vice versa. I wonder if salt is left out of the earlier literature on purpose. Even commentators and scholars don't come to anything close to agreement about it. Looking forward to your comments, Michael From: Alchemy Academy Subject: ACADEMY : Rose Cross Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Dear Eylon, A check at the British Library (http://www.bl.uk) yielded nothing since the on-line catalogue does not reference the older material. I would e-mail the question to the Hartlib Papers project in Sheffield. I gather they know everything about Hartlib's rare editions. http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/projects/hpp/hartlib.html E-mail: [email protected] As for the slow divorce of mysticism and science you have the case of Newton and I hope you have seen the new information on Boyle as a devoted alchemist in spite of his 'Sceptical Chymist' in Lawrence M. Principe: The Aspiring Adept : Robert Boyle and his alchemical quest, Princeton, N.J. : Princeton Univ. Press cop. 1998. It is intriguing/exciting that a French Hermetic/alchemical society contacted Boyle and invited him to come to France. Susanna Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 From: Ed Thompson I haven't been following this thread closely, but my cent's worth would be that the cricket (grillus) was regularly e.g. by Alciati used to symbolise loquacity or empty chatter. The Athenians were supposedly particularly prone to this, whereas the Spartans were taciturn. For a link to the Royal Society discussion one might note that Andreae proposed in the 'Leges Societatis Christianae' (found initially in the Hartlib papers) that members of this projected society 'use very few words; and they are Spartans, not Athenians' (regulation 31). Ed Thompson Subject: ACADEMY : Royal Society (was: Rose Cross) From: Neil Wynes Morse Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 In an earlier post Eylon Israeli wrote > It is still very unclear to me how did the new science of the Royal > Society tie in or divorce itself from the western esoteric tradition. On 17 February this year John Mandleberg delivered a paper to the Quatuor Coronati Lodge in London entitled 'The Secrets of the Craft'. The following extract may be apposite: **** The second intention of this paper is to emphasise that at the heart of the seventeenth century mono-gradal English Fellowship was the importance of geometry. At this time 'geometry' was neo-Platonic geometry with all its cosmic and spiritual implications. Theses contained, if not 'secrets', at least some discreetly guarded matters. It may possibly be relevant to note that seven years after Ashmole's admission as a freemason, his Diary of 13 May 1653 records that his adopted alchemical father, William Backhouse, 'lying sick in Fleetestreete over against St. Duncan's Church, and not knowing whether he should live or die, about eleven o'clock, told me in Silables the true matter of the Philosphers stone which he bequeathed to me as a legacy'. Even Robert Boyle, generally regarded as a pillar of the sceptical enlightenment and a pillar of the other contemporary Fellowship, the Royal Society, professed his belief in materials, for example menstruum peracutum, which would genuinely effect transformations.(141) (141) Laurence M Principe, The Aspiring Adept; Robert Boyle and his alchemical Quest (Princeton University Press, 1998) pp 68 et seq **** Submitted for information only Subject: ACADEMY : Our Salt Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Dear Michael, I just want to draw your attention to Vladimir Karpenko's recent addition article on transmutation, saying in a well put way that: Paracelsus formulated "three basic elements: mercury, sulfur, and salt. This last element represented anything that could be described as having 'inert' properties. When metallic ores were fused, stinking fumes often appeared (the 'sulfur' of the given substance), then a metal was recovered (the 'mercurial' part), and eventually slag or ashes remained (the 'salt'). I wonder why Johannes Bureus, the Rosicrucian, projects an acrostic for Salt in Swedish S- Sj�l (soul) A- Ande (spirit) and L- lekamen (body). Here again a triplicity dominates, which seems to reproduce the sulphur, mercury and salt distinction in human faculties, but why the ashes part? And why did not one proceed to classify the inert ashes further. When did new classification emerge for "Salts"? (My knowledge of the history of chemistry is poor) The fixation at the trinity as a universal pattern reminds me of the Hermetic argument for the Trinity's completion with the virgin Mary as a fourth element, like in "Centrum in trigono centri" of the Porta Magica, prepared by such kabbalist speculators as Guillaume Postel who wanted to replace all Biblical trinities and trinitarian societal organisations with Quaternions, incorporating the structure of the completing role of the Schechina. To break out of a pattern that seems to work is really difficult it appears, Paracelsus triplicity was criticised by all sorts of factions, though, probably because they saw more complex processes. Susanna Akerman Subject: ACADEMY : Our Salt Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin Susanna, Thanks for your response. However, I wonder what you or any of our colleagues would say about Sendivogius' assertion that the "Ancients" only cited two principles, Sulphur and Mercury, because they wanted to keep knowledge of the third away from the uninitiated. (New Chemical Light, as found in The Hermetic Museum, vol 2, pp. 130, 142-3). Michael Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemical manuscripts in Kassel From: Adam McLean Date: 17 Mar 2000 Does anyone have any information in the collection of alchemical manuscripts in Kassel? I have tried without success to get a photocopy made of the relevant entries on the alchemical manuscripts in the 19th century handwritten catalogue. Does anyone have access to such a listing? Or does anyone have any influence at the library to have a copy made of the old catalogue entries? I would like very much to research these manuscripts and perhaps have microfilms made of some items. Has anyone visited Kassel and already examined the collection? Adam McLean Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemical manuscripts in Kassel Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 From: Urs Leo Gantenbein As far as I know, Hartmut Broszinski is preparing a printed catalogue and description of the alchemical manuscripts of Kassel. The same process has already been done for the medical manuscripts. This new catalogue will be, as I have seen some preprinted sections, very detailed. Urs Leo Gantenbein Subject: ACADEMY : Our Salt Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 From: Susanna �kerman Dear Michael, I wonder whether what was guarded was not the use of Vitriol, the green salt, or iron sulphate, in the preparation of the stone. A search for vitriol in Adam's search engine yields many findings in Sendivogius but also including the older authors such as Roger Bacon, Bernard Trevisano and Arnold de Villa Nova. So perhaps the salt from which sulphuric acid is made is not a guarded secret at all. It is in any case trumpeted out on the frontispiece in Bureus' pirated version of the Ara Foederis Therapici F.X.R. (s.l. 1616) as seen in Abraham van Franckenberg's handdrawn copy of it, third image below on my homepage that I have made for the fun of learning HTML. http://www.bibks.uu.se/130 Is the sign, a tau within a circle, set in this case upon the rose, Sulphuric acid or the green salt? I thought the latter but found a symbol dictionary that says vitriol should have a cross beneath. On the other hand salts a signified through the circle. Susanna Akerman Subject: ACADEMY : Swiss journal 'Quinta Essentia' From: Adam McLean Date: 21 Mar 2000 Does anyone have access to a complete run of the German alchemical journal 'Quinta Essentia' which was published from Oberarth in German in the late 1870's and early 1980's? Quinta Essentia. Zeitschrift fur Alchemie, Astrologie, Qabalah. Subject: ACADEMY : Atalanta Fugiens and Book of Wisdom Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin Friends, I wonder if any of you have any thoughts on Maier's use of the Book of Wisdom. In "Atalanta Fugiens" he shows one figure which alludes to this text. This is Emblem 26, where the figure holds a banner reading: "Longitudo dierum et Sanitas; Gloria ac divita infinite." In the discourse on this book, Maier also cites Wisdom 8:16, Proverbs 3:18, and Sirach 4:12. What I find interesting is that all of these texts, save for that from Proverbs, come from the so-called Apocrypha. As these texts were, as far as I understand, considered uncanonical by Protestants I wonder why Maier uses them. Certainly, he worked for a Catholic emperor, but I wonder if the Bohemian Brethren had more to do with this. Any thoughts? Michael Subject: ACADEMY : Atalanta Fugiens and Book of Wisdom Date: 26 Mar 2000 From: Adam McLean There is quite a lot on this in Helen De Jong's in depth study of the Atalanta fugiens Michael Maier's Atalanta Fugiens: sources of an alchemical book of emblems. Brill, Leiden, 1969. If you have not already read this you should try to get access to a copy. Helen De Jong indicates that Maier's main source for this emblem was the 'Rosarium philosophorum'. Sorry I have no time now to precis her argument. Perhaps someone else on the list might be able to do this. As always, I think it best to seek the sources for alchemical texts and symbolism from within the alchemical tradition itself, rather than rushing to import ideas from outside. The answers to alchemical puzzles are usually found within alchemy itself. Adam McLean Subject: ACADEMY : Atalanta Fugiens and Book of Wisdom From: Jeffery Marshall Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 I don't think this is simply a Protestant vs a Catholic issue. Sirach and Wisdom were once part of the King James Bible. Also, in some Grand Lodges of Freemasonry, passages from Sirach [6:18, 6:30, 6:31, 7:10, 7:32, 7:35] are used in the Master Mason ritual. These tend to personify Wisdom and exhort the listener to follow her. One, tells the candidate to "put her on as a robe of honor and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy" [Sirach 6:31]. Here Wisdom, can also perhaps be equated to the Gnosis. It may also parallel Sophia and the Gnostic myth of Simon and Sophia. I think there is a relationship between some strains of Gnostic thought and hermetical/alchemical thought. IIRC, there were some NeoPlatonic materials found in Nag Hammadi with the Gnostic manuscripts. Jeff Marshall Subject: ACADEMY : Atalanta Fugiens and Book of Wisdom From: Hereward Tilton Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 What an interesting observation concerning the Apocrypha in Atalanta Fugiens... As far as I understand, the Moravian Brethren's position on the Apocrypha at this time conformed to Luther's, i.e. these books were included separately in their Bible but were not considered essential to the establishment of doctrine. Nevertheless, I am no expert and would appreciate further enlightenment on this matter. Perhaps Maier was drawn in particular to the Wisdom literature of the Bible and as a Lutheran still regarded the Apocrypha as enlightening, if not authoritative. Although Maier spent a few years in Prague, is there any particular evidence of contact with the Moravian Brethren or the influence of their ideas on his work? In any case, I would initially look to the fact that all the citations in question derive from the Wisdom literature. Cheers Hereward Tilton Subject: ACADEMY : Philosophers' wool Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 From: Francesca Beconcini I'm very interested in XV/XVI century alchemical pigments. I would know what is (are) the first source(s) where it is possible to make out that philosophers' wool is zinc oxide. Thanks Francesca Beconcini Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Hereward Tilton Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 My thanks to the academy members for their help with the 'Grillus' problem... I have found that in the case of Maier's Ulysses the term refers to one of Ulysses' men who, after being transformed into a pig by the sorceress Circe, refused to return to his human form on account of his love of a swine's muddy life. I can't identify the tradition from which this tale comes - I don't think it is in Homer - but the term certainly seems to partake simultaneously in the polemical 'cricket' overtones that some of you have suggested. Best Wishes Hereward Tilton Subject: ACADEMY : Death of Michael Maier From: Hereward Tilton Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 On the subject of Maier, I have noticed somewhere in my wide reading for my doctoral thesis that there is a tradition that he did not die piously in Magdeburg in the summer of 1622, but slipped away unnoticed, alive and well... Unfortunately I cannot recall where I have come across this idea - could anyone enlighten me on this point? Best Wishes Hereward Tilton Subject: ACADEMY : Philosophers' wool From: Johann Plattner Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 Dear Francesca, The first source of that material was called by the alchemists Galmei, Tutia, Calamina or Cadmia. All these names designate a mineral which mainly contains zinc carbonate (ZnCO3). By burning it in the fire one will get zinc oxide (ZnO) which could be used as a pigment. Hope this helps. Best wishes Johann Subject: ACADEMY : Death of Michael Maier From: Mike Dickman Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 >I have noticed somewhere ... that there is a tradition that he >did not die piously in Magdeburg in the summer of 1622, but >slipped away unnoticed, alive and well. I mention it in my intro to the Cantilenae, citing Stanislas Klossowski de Rola, The Golden Game, p.106 as my source. m Subject: ACADEMY : Atalanta Fugiens and Book of Wisdom Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 From: Michael Thomas Martin Friends, Thanks for your responses. 1) I will look for DeJong's book. 2) I don't necessarily think Maier was taking sides in Catholic- Protestant polemics. However, since, according to Hildemarie Streich, since he utilizes a musical motif in the fugues borrowed from the Gregorian Kyrie in Festis Apostolorum "Cunctipotens genitor Deus," I would suggest that his intent was not as cut and dried as one might suppose. But, I'm still working with this. Michael Subject: ACADEMY : Mystery term - Grillo From: Greg Morell Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2000 > the term refers to one of Ulysses' men who, after being > transformed into a pig by the sorceress Circe, refused to return > to his human form on account of his love of a swine's muddy life. What a tidbit -- now there's a story, thanks for the note. |