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adammclean
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Posted: Wed Sep 24th, 2008 04:11 pm |
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While I was at the recent alchemy conference in Spain, my attention was drawn to a series of alchemical emblems of which I had not before been aware.
This is described in a German book which includes some black and white illustrations of the series together with an extract of the text. I am not sure of the present location of the manuscript which was, in the 1930's, in the Archive of the Grand Lodge of the Freemasons in Berlin, but may well have been lost or moved during the Nazi period. The manuscript itself is from the 18th century Golden and Rosy Cross period of the integration of alchemy and Freemasonry and is a work by Frederico Gualdo on the Hermetic Philosophy.
Hermetische Philosophie oder wahre, würckliche und aufrichtige Beschreibung des Steins der Weisen, Das heißt: Universal Medicin sowohl für menschliche als metallische Körper von Friedrich Gualdo Einen deutschen hermetischen Philosophen und wahren Adepten.
[On the Hermetic Philosophy: a true, proper and sincere description of the Stone of the Wise. That is, the Universal Medicine for human and well as mineral bodies. By Friedrich Gualdo, a German hermetic philosopher and true adept.]
The work seems entirely alchemical with no masonic content. I hope to be able to research it further over the coming months. Here are the first four of the thirteen illustrations known to me. It opens with the chaos, which is associated with the Mercury. The second figure shows the lion being united with the man, the third the wedding of Gabricius with Beya. While the fourth, shows the contuation of the alchemical work by use of the secret fire.
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adammclean
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Posted: Wed Sep 24th, 2008 04:21 pm |
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I just discovered that there is a possibly similar manuscript in the Mellon Collection at Yale
MS. 131. Federico Gualdi. Philosophia hermetica [in Italian verse.] [Illustrated with 13 pen and watercolour circular drawings.]
I don't have access to the catalogue at present but will be able to see it tomorrow, when I can check if this is the same work.
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Paul Ferguson
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 03:08 am |
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This appears in "Geschichte der Freimaurerei in Deutschland" by Ferdinand Runkel, 3 volumes, Berlin: Hobbing, 1930-32, reprinted by Lempertz, Cologne 2006,
ISBN 3-933070-96-1.
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Paul Ferguson
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 03:30 am |
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There's a link here with a translation of the "Revelation of the True Chemical Wisdom":
http://www.rexresearch.com/alchemy3/gualdus.htm
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adammclean
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 09:30 am |
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Paul Ferguson wrote: This appears in "Geschichte der Freimaurerei in Deutschland" by Ferdinand Runkel, 3 volumes, Berlin: Hobbing, 1930-32, reprinted by Lempertz, Cologne 2006,
ISBN 3-933070-96-1.
I just ordered a copy of this book a few days ago, so I hope to find some good information in it, especially about the alchemical phase in German 18th century Freemasonry.
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adammclean
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 09:39 am |
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I managed to find time to look at the Catalogue of the Mellon collection of alchemical manuscripts (the cream of the Duveen collection in fact).
MS 131 in the catalogue indeed contains a copy of this work by Gualdi or Gualdo. It has the thirteen coloured illustrations, which seem to be considerably better executed than the version I originally found. The catalogue only shows a single illustration in black and white. I show the two versions below, the Yale is on the left. The manuscript also contains the text.
Interestingly, this manuscript contains two works. The second is a copy of the Bonacina Compendiolum de praeparatione auri potabilis veri, with the coloured drawings.
Catalogue of the Mellon collection assigns this to Noth Italy, about 1790.
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 Last edited on Fri Sep 26th, 2008 09:45 am by adammclean
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adammclean
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 09:44 am |
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The Yale manuscript also contains a portrait of Gualdo.
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Paul Ferguson
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 10:59 am |
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There is a modern Italian edition of this work:
http://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/philosophia-hermetica-gualdi-federico-edizioni/libro/9788827219829
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adammclean
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Posted: Fri Sep 26th, 2008 03:31 pm |
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Paul Ferguson wrote: There is a modern Italian edition of this work:
Thanks for this information. I have gone and bought a copy as it contains the text with the emblematic engravings, and hopefully some nice coloured illustrations.
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adammclean
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Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 02:42 pm |
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The editors, Alessandro Boella and Antonella Galli, of the Gualdi Philosophia Hermetica, Rome 2008, have set up a web site dedicated to Gualdi.
http://www.federicogualdi.net
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