Johann Joachim BECHER.

216.1 Johann Joachim BECHER.
Tripus hermeticus fatidicus, pandens oracula chymica, seu I. Laboratorium portatile cum Methodo vere spagyrice, sc. juxta exigentiam Naturae, laborandi. Accessit pro Praxi & Exemplo II. Magnorum duorum productorum Nitri & Salis Textura & Anatomia, atque in omnium praecedentium confirmationem adjunctum est III. Alphabetum Minerale, seu viginti quatuor Theses de subterraneorum & mineralium genesi, Textura & Analysi. His accessit Concordantia Mercurii Lunć Omnia juxta authoris doctrinam & principia in Physica sua subterranea ejusque supplementis conscripta, adeo ut hic tripus Hermticus Commentarius Practicus super praefatam Physicam subterraneam vere dici queat, utpote scriptum raris Experimentis, multis Figuris et profundis Speculationibus innixium ut Lectori per se patebit. Exaratum in Cornubia ad extreme Angliae ora inter ipsa mineralia experimenta & autopsiam.
8° Francofurti ad Moenum: Sumptibus Johannis Georgii Schiele 1689
Ferguson Nat Union Cat British Library Wisconsin Bibliotheque Nationale

[Illustrations:-
1. Frontispiece engraving. 156x87mm. Three mountains are shown, that of salt on the left, mercury in the middle and sulphur on the right. The mountain of mercury is open at the top like a volcano and set on its summit is a tripod "Arsenicum Sybillinum" with two palm leaves "Tripus Aureus Apollini Sacer", bearing a crown. Standing upon this crown is a female figure holding a beaker and a pendant of a cross within a circle.
2. p24. Engraving 120x55mm. Commemorative medal as in Oedipus Chimicus, 1664.
3. Inserted after p28. Engraving 149x179mm. "Schema instrumentorum laboratorio portatili inservientium". 64 small pictures of laboratory apparatus set in a grid. These are described in the text opposite.
4. Inserted after p32. Engraving 152x86mm. "Laboratorium portatile". Depiction of a portable furnace.
5. Inserted after item 3. Engraving 152x86mm. The deconstucted parts of the portable furnace.
6. Inserted after item 4. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for sublimation and distillation.
7. Inserted after p34. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for cupellation, calcination, reverberation and cementation.
8. Inserted after item 6. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for distillation by the dry bath.
9. Inserted after p36. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for digestion and distillation by the wet bath.
10. Inserted after item 8. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for fusion.
11. Inserted after item 9. Engraving 152x86mm. Adaptation to force air through the furnace using bellows.
12. Inserted after p40. Engraving 152x86mm. The use of the portable furnace for distillation through descension.
13. Inserted after item 11. Engraving 141x179mm. "Schema materialium pro laboratorio portatili". List of substances used in the work, under 10 headings.
14. Frontispiece engraving to second part. 145x85mm. "Centrum mundi concentratum". The sun is linked by chains to a circle with a horizontal and a circle with a vertical line, and these in turn are tied to a circle with a cross. 'Crux completa philosophica". This leads to a circle with a point at the centre, the "quinta essentia".
15. Inserted after p74. Engraving. 182x152mm. "Schema globi terr=aqua=aerei." The globe of the earth is shown receiving the influences from God though the angels and the planets in heaven. The subterranean streams are depicted. The globe has four mountains: one of the metals, another of non-metallic minerals. One mountain belches forth fire, another sends forth a fountain of water.]