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Réfer. : 0026 .
Auteur : Anonyme.
Titre : Musaeum Hermeticum.
S/titre : Reformatum et Amplificatum.

Editeur : Akademische Druck-u Verlagsanstalt. Graz.
Date éd. : 1970 .
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M U S A E U M H E R M E T I C U M R E F O R M A T U M E T A M P L I F I C A T U M

INTRODUCTION KARL R. H. FRICK, M. D.












AKADEMISCHE DRUCK- u. VERLAGSANSTALT GRAZ - AUSTRIA 1970
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Um eine Einleitung vermehrter Nachdruck der Ausgabe Frankfurt a. M. 1678
Schutzumschlaggestaltung Kurt Edelsbrunner
Photomechanischer Nachdruck (C) Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, Graz 1970
Printed in Austria 190/70
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EDITOR'S PREFACE

The first idea of publishing a reprint edition of the MUSAEUM HERMETICUM came from the co-founder of the "Society for the Study of Alchemy
and Early Chemistry", Mr. Gerard Heym, London.
It was planned that Mr. Heym should furnish the introduction of the present publication; an accident, however, made this project impossible.
The publishing house therefore is thankful to Mr. Gerard Heym for the first outline of the publishing venture, and also to Dr. Karl R.H. Frick who
was ready to write the introduction when Mr.Heym was unable to do so.
Mr. C. A. Burland, F.R.A.I., was so kind as to correct the English translation of Dr. Frick's introduction.
If this publication answers a definite demand of scholarship, it is planned to publish further similar volumes, above all Michael Maier's "Symbola
Aureae Mensae duodecim Nationum", and thereby to initiate a series to be
entitled "FONTES ARTIS CHYMICAE". This project, however, depends on
the interest the present volume is able to arouse.


AKADEMISCHE DRUCK- u. VERLAGSANSTALT GRAZ - AUSTRIA
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INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The MUSAEUM HERMETICUM is one of the most important collections of alchemical treatises. Only a few copies of the original edition are still
in existence. The importance of this collection is not only due to the 21
treatises comprised in it, but the illustrations are considered by many
authorities to be the most important alchemical engravings in existence.
They derive from the Frankfort studios of the well-known engravers De Bry,
Lucas Jennis and Matthäus Merian the eider, who were connected with
one another by family relationships. With their followers they created
numerous engravings which remained unsurpassed in alchemical illustrative art.
In order to improve the clarity of the present publication, the bio-bibliographical section was separated from the iconographical one. The emphasis
of this introduction must naturally be based on the former. The description
of the copperplates can only be a general one. A detailed description of their
alchemical symbolism would be too extensive for a short introduction.

Bochum, in Summer 1969 Karl R.H. Frick, M.D.
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INTRODUCTION

The reprint of the year 1677 is the second but considerably enlarged edition of the collection of alchemical treatises which were first published
in 1625 under the title:

Musaeum Hermeticum omnes Sopho-Spagyricae Artis Discipulos Fidelissime Erudiens,
quo Pacto summa illa veraque Medicina, qua res omnes, qualemcumque defectum
patientes, instaurati possunt (quae alias Benedictus Lapis Sapientum appellatur) inveniri
ac haberi queat. Continens Tractatus Chymicos novem praestantissimos, quorum nomina
& seriem versa pagella indicabit. In Gratiam Filiorum Doctrinae, quibus Germanicum
Idioma ignotum, in Latinum conversum ac juris publici factum.
Francofurti, Sumptibus Lucae Jennisii. Anno M.DC.XXV.


In this edition nine essays were printed in Latin translation: The original essays were in German.
1) Tractatus Aureus de Lapide Philosophico.
2) Henricus Madathanus, Aureum Seculum Redivivum.
3) Hydrolithus Sophicus seu Aquarium Sapientum.
4) Ioannis a Mehung, Demonstratio Naturae.
Nicolas Flamel, Summarium Philosophicum. 5) Via Veritatis Unicae.
6) Gloria Mundi, sive Tabula Paradysi.
7) Tractatus de Generatione Metallorum.
8) Liber, cujus nomen Alze.
9) Lambspring, De lapide Philosophorum Figurae et Emblemata.

In the 1677 edition the following were added:
10) Michael Maier, Tripus Aureus, hoc est tres Tractatus Chimici Selectissimi:
nempe, Basilii Valentini, Practica una cum duodecim Clavibus; Thomae Nortoni, Crede mihi seu Ordinale; Cremeri Testamentum . . . figuris cupro affabre incisis ornati. 11) Michael Sendivogius, Novum Lumen Chemicum e Naturae Fonte &
manuali Experientia depromptum.
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12) Michael Sendivogius, Aenigma Philosophicum. 13) Michael Sendivogius, Dialogus Mercurii, Alchymistae et Naturae. 14) Michael Sendivogius, Novi Luminis Tractatus alter de Sulphure. 15) Philaletha, Introitus Apertus ad occlusum Regis Palatium. 16) Michael Maier, Subtilis Allegoria super Secreta Chymiae. 17) Philaletha, Metallorum Metamorphosis. 18) Philaletha, Brevis Manuductio ad Rubinum Coelestem. 19) Philaletha, Fons Chymicae Veritatis. 20) Joannes Fridericus Helvetius, Vitulus Aureus quem Mundus adorat et orat. 21) Janitor Pansophus, seu Figura Aenea quadripartita cunctis Museum hoc introeuntibus superiorum ac inferiorum scientiam Mosaico-Hermeticam, analytice exhibens.
What do we know about the origin of this collection of documents? In the first part of the 17th century one of the most important publishers of alchemical and Rosicrucian books in German was the Frankfort engraver, publisher and bookseller Lucas Jennis (1590-- past 1630). He was related to the de Brys because his mother in a second marriage married Johann Israel de Bry in 1607. Johann Israel de Bry was a copartner in the well-known Frankfort publishing house. Matthäus Merian the elder (1593-1650) also married into the family de Bry in 1618 and took charge of the whole firm in 1624, after the death of Johann Theodor de Bry (1561-1623). This relationship between the three engravers and booksellers was obviously advantageous and especially important for the development of alchemical literature. In about 1616 Jennis started the publication of numerous books of alchemy and Rosicrucianism. By 1630 books from his printing office became well known. In 1625 Jennis published a volume of alchemical treatises in German, some of which had been published earlier and others until then had existed only in manuscript:

Dyas Chymica Tripartita, Das ist: Sechs Herrliche Teutsche Philosophische Tractätlein: Deren I. Von an itzo noch am Leben: II. Von mittlern Alters: und III. Von ältern Philosophis beschrieben worden. Nunmehr aber Allen Filiis Doctrinae zu Nutz an Tag geben, und mit schönen Figuren gezieret. Durch H.C.D. Franckfurt am Mayn bey Luca Jennis zu finden. Anno 1625.
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This collection was such a success that he published an enlarged edition in the same year:

Dyas chymica tripartita, d.i. sechs teutsche philosophische Tractätlein: gülden Tractat
vom philosophischen Stein; aureum seculum redivivum Henrici Madathani; Basilii Valentini
Handgriffe über die Bereitung des Steins, vom sulphure vitriole und Magnete; Lampert
Spring Tractat vom philosophischen Stein; Tractat vom philosophischen Stein ao. 1423
beschrieben; liber Alze vom philosophischen Stein vor 200 Jahren beschrieben. Den
filiis doctrinae zur Lehre, den fratribus aureae crucis aber zur Nachrichtung an Tag
geben durch H. C. Angeh(ängt) Hermetisches Spagyrisches Lustgärtlein, darinnen 160
chymische philosophische Emblemata der Hermetischen Philosophen sampt 4 theosophischen
Figuren.
Franckfurt am Mayn bey Luca Jennis zu finden. Anno 1625.

The Collection of Emblems of Alchemical Symbols was added to the second edition. The Bohemian physician Daniel Stoltz von Stoltzenberg had
these edited at the publishing house of his friend Jennis in 1625. Apart from
the writings of Basilius Valentinus, all the treatises of the first edition of
Dyas Chymica Tripartita were taken over by the Musaeum Hermeticum of
1625. The Poeta laureatus Daniel Meisner from Kommotau (Bohemia) made
the Latin translation. He prepared most of the translations published by
Jennis.
Early in 17th century a renaissance of alchemical works occurred and they began to flood the book fairs in Frankfurt/M. and Leipzig. Since the
publication of the first so-called Rosicrucian writings in 1614, this kind of
literature rapidly expanded. The public interest in alchemical and theosophic-
pansophic treatises of the educated classes existed not only in the German-
speaking countries but also in western Europe and even in the British isles. It
would lead us too far from our subject to trace the cultural aspects which called
forth such tendencies. The spiritual readiness for such books is closely
connected with the crisis common to all branches of Western Christianity
faced with the new developments of scientific discovery. An ardent desire
for a spiritual revival was sweeping over the intellectuals of Europe. As in
the present day, the people were in a state of spiritual revolution. This had
began in the 16th century and was to lead to great changes. Philosophers
and intellectuals formed groups to discuss these matters. Lucas Jennis belonged
to such a congenial group including in particular Michael Maier (physician

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MUSAEUM HERMETICUM REFORMATUM ET AMPLIFICATUM
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