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Alchemy Academy archive
March 2000

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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: alchemy-academy@dial.pipex.com

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 Åkerman

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 Åkerman

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 Åkerman

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: alchemy-academy@dial.pipex.com

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 Åkerman

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 Åkerman

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: hartlib@sheffield.ac.uk

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 Åkerman

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- Själ (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 Åkerman

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.