12-02-2022, 09:51 AM
Sebastian Wirdig (1613-1687)
Nova medicina spirituum: curiosa Scientia et doctrina, unanimiter hucusque neglecta, et a nemine merito exculta, Medicis tamen et Physicis utilissima: In qua Primo Spirituum naturalis Constitutio, Vita, Sanitas, Temperamenta, Ingenia, Calidum innatum, Phantasiæ vires, Astrorum influentiæ [Metemphyschosis - Greek], rerum Magnetismi, Sympathiæ et Antipathiæ, Qualitates hactenus occulta, sensibus tamen manifestæ, aliaque cætero quin abstrusa et paradoxa; Dehinc Spirituum præternaturalis seu morbosa Dispositio, Causæ, Curationes per naturam, per Diætam, per Arcana majora, Palingenesiam, Magnetismum seu Sympatheismum, Transplantationes, Amuleta, ingenue et dilucide demonstrantur.
Hamburg 1688.
This work contains two emblematic engravings as frontispieces to its two parts.
Frontispiece to the first book. 123x126mm. Jove in the clouds, suspends by a chain, an old man, Prometheus, who lights a torch from the Sun and then passes this flame down to a winged cupid with a bow and quiver of arrows. He lights his own torch from that of Prometheus and, in turn, brings it to the earth. This cupid stands between two ranks of gods, who include Aphrodite, Dionysius, a goddess with flowers, Pan, a goddess with cornucopia, Hephaestus-Vulcan. In the foreground, a man and a woman throw rocks over their shoulders, and behind them appear small human men and women. "S. Wirdig. Invenit. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimbergae 1673."
Frontispiece to the second book. 121x127mm. Similar to item 1 except that this takes place at night, and Prometheus' torch is lit from the Moon. Hermes-Mercury, complete with winged helmet, sandals and caduceus, takes the place of the cupid. The six gods who sit on each side of Mercury are Saturn, a goddess bearing flowers, an old bent-backed man, the skeleton of Chronos, Neptune and a bearded figure wrapped in a fur coat. "S. Wirdig. Inventor. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimber."]
I found this description of the work:-
"A theory of magnetic attraction and repugnance formulated by Tenzel Wirdig, professor at Rostock, who published his Tenzelius Wirdig, Nova medicina spirituum in 1673. Wirdig believed that everything in the universe possessed a soul, and that the Earth itself was merely a larger animal. Between the souls of things in accordance with each other there was a "magnetic sympathy" and a perpetual antipathy existed between those of an uncongenial nature. To this sympathy and antipathy Wirdig gave the name magnetism. He stated:-"
"Out of this relationship of sympathy and antipathy arises a constant movement in the whole world, and in all its parts, and an uninterrupted communion between heaven and earth, which produces universal harmony. The stars whose emanations consist merely of fire and spirits, have an undeniable influence on earthly bodies; and their influence on man demonstrates itself by life, movement, and warmth, those things without which he cannot live. The influence of the stars is the strongest at birth. The newborn child inhales this influence, and on whose first breath frequently his whole constitution depends, nay, even his whole life."
Nova medicina spirituum: curiosa Scientia et doctrina, unanimiter hucusque neglecta, et a nemine merito exculta, Medicis tamen et Physicis utilissima: In qua Primo Spirituum naturalis Constitutio, Vita, Sanitas, Temperamenta, Ingenia, Calidum innatum, Phantasiæ vires, Astrorum influentiæ [Metemphyschosis - Greek], rerum Magnetismi, Sympathiæ et Antipathiæ, Qualitates hactenus occulta, sensibus tamen manifestæ, aliaque cætero quin abstrusa et paradoxa; Dehinc Spirituum præternaturalis seu morbosa Dispositio, Causæ, Curationes per naturam, per Diætam, per Arcana majora, Palingenesiam, Magnetismum seu Sympatheismum, Transplantationes, Amuleta, ingenue et dilucide demonstrantur.
Hamburg 1688.
This work contains two emblematic engravings as frontispieces to its two parts.
Frontispiece to the first book. 123x126mm. Jove in the clouds, suspends by a chain, an old man, Prometheus, who lights a torch from the Sun and then passes this flame down to a winged cupid with a bow and quiver of arrows. He lights his own torch from that of Prometheus and, in turn, brings it to the earth. This cupid stands between two ranks of gods, who include Aphrodite, Dionysius, a goddess with flowers, Pan, a goddess with cornucopia, Hephaestus-Vulcan. In the foreground, a man and a woman throw rocks over their shoulders, and behind them appear small human men and women. "S. Wirdig. Invenit. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimbergae 1673."
Frontispiece to the second book. 121x127mm. Similar to item 1 except that this takes place at night, and Prometheus' torch is lit from the Moon. Hermes-Mercury, complete with winged helmet, sandals and caduceus, takes the place of the cupid. The six gods who sit on each side of Mercury are Saturn, a goddess bearing flowers, an old bent-backed man, the skeleton of Chronos, Neptune and a bearded figure wrapped in a fur coat. "S. Wirdig. Inventor. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimber."]
I found this description of the work:-
"A theory of magnetic attraction and repugnance formulated by Tenzel Wirdig, professor at Rostock, who published his Tenzelius Wirdig, Nova medicina spirituum in 1673. Wirdig believed that everything in the universe possessed a soul, and that the Earth itself was merely a larger animal. Between the souls of things in accordance with each other there was a "magnetic sympathy" and a perpetual antipathy existed between those of an uncongenial nature. To this sympathy and antipathy Wirdig gave the name magnetism. He stated:-"
"Out of this relationship of sympathy and antipathy arises a constant movement in the whole world, and in all its parts, and an uninterrupted communion between heaven and earth, which produces universal harmony. The stars whose emanations consist merely of fire and spirits, have an undeniable influence on earthly bodies; and their influence on man demonstrates itself by life, movement, and warmth, those things without which he cannot live. The influence of the stars is the strongest at birth. The newborn child inhales this influence, and on whose first breath frequently his whole constitution depends, nay, even his whole life."
Adam McLean