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Johann Plattner
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| Joined: | Sat Feb 23rd, 2008 |
| Location: | Germany |
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Posted: Tue Jul 8th, 2008 10:08 pm |
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Within the German translation of Blaise de Vigenere's treatise on Fire & Salt (Abhandlung vom Feuer und Salz, Breßlau 1782) I stumbled across three different hints, one provided by the translator and two by Vigenere himself, about his intended publication of a treatise entitled 'Abhandlung vom Gold und Glas' (Treatise on gold and glass).
Vigenere wrote on page 167 of the German translation:
(...) alone all these metallic oddnesses we will subject to our treatise on gold and glass.
Are there any hints whatever might support Vigenere's personal announcement had been realized either in manuscript or print most probably during the first three decades of the 17th century ?
J. Plattner
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Tom Willard
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Posted: Wed Jul 9th, 2008 06:06 am |
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I cannot help, but am intrigued. Didn't he think of gold as the final, or most fixed, form of fire and of glass as the final form of salt? If so, wouldn't it make sense that he would go from a treatise on fire and salt to one on gold and glass?
Could you give chapter numbers for his two references to the manuscript? Thanks.
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Johann Plattner
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Posted: Wed Jul 9th, 2008 09:26 am |
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Tom Willard wrote: I cannot help, but am intrigued. Didn't he think of gold as the final, or most fixed, form of fire and of glass as the final form of salt? If so, wouldn't it make sense that he would go from a treatise on fire and salt to one on gold and glass?
Could you give chapter numbers for his two references to the manuscript? Thanks.
I think it's not a matter of us to decide what he actually had in mind when he advertised another treatise. It's also not clear whether he intended to continue his already written tract on fire and salt, or to write the new one in more a practical approach and less religious and mystical.
You will find his both hints to the aforethought manuscript in the first part of the treatise. In the German translation these are page 167 and page 179. I shall look for the right references in the English translation later.
J. Plattner
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adammclean
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Posted: Wed Jul 9th, 2008 11:55 am |
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Here are the references to this treatise of Gold and Glass in Vigenere's Of Fire and Salt. It seems clear that he intended to write another treatise. I have never seen any reference to an existing manuscript of this work.
But this comes better to Our discourse, of Gold and Glasse, and some others upon the 28. of Job, where speaking of Sapience, hee saith, that nothing can compare with it, nor Gold itself, nor Glasse. This Earth then, so excellent, and incorruptible, is not this vile and grosse Element, that we trample on, and cultivate to draw there hence our nutriture and sustentation, but that whereof it is spoken in the 21. of the Revel, clear and transparent: I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, and the holy City was of pure Gold, like unto pure Glass and the streets thereof were of shining and resplendent Gold.
See how hee doth liken more then once Gold and Glasse, which is produced by the depurations of Fire: for that is the last action,thereof, having therein no power but to refine and depure, as he doth Gold.
But wee will put off all these metallique particularities, and their divers transmutations, to our Treatise of Gold and Glasse, upon the 28. of Job, where under gold we will comprehend all that shall depend on metals: and under glasse, stones, as well naturall, as artificiall; and all vitrifications, and enamels.
I have put you to an addresse of great effects, where I do not pretend to lead you by the hand any further, not to injure good and curious spirits, that by long labours and perquisitions have travelled to obtaine that which others had better cheap, and also to that which we reserve for our discourse of Gold and Glasse, where we will declare that which shall here be left imperfect, not having attained, but by the end of the lip: wherefore we will take but that which is necessary to clear what the Prophets have thereupon touched in their parables and similitudes.
Last edited on Wed Jul 9th, 2008 11:56 am by adammclean
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