- Source: Musaeum Hermeticum
Musaeum Hermeticum ("Hermetic library") is a compendium of alchemical texts first published in German, in Frankfurt, 1625 by Lucas Jennis. Additional material was added for the 1678 Latin edition, which in turn was reprinted in 1749.
Purpose
Its purpose was apparently to supply in a compact form a representative collection of relatively brief and less ancient alchemical writings; it could be regarded as a supplement to those large storehouses of Hermetic learning such as the Theatrum Chemicum, or Jean-Jacques Manget's Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa. It seemed to represent a distinctive school in Alchemy, less committed to the past and less obscure than the works of older and more traditional alchemical masters.
Title
The full Latin title is: "Musæum Hermeticum, omnes sopho-spagyricæ artis discipulos fidelissime erudiens, quo pacto summa illa veraque Medicina, qua res omne, qualemcumque defectum patientes, instaurari possunt (quæ alias Benedictus Lapis Sapientum appellatur) inveniri ac haberi queat inveniri ac haberi queat. Continens tractatus chymicos novem præatantissimos, quorum nomina et seriem versa pagella indicabit. In gratiam filiorum doctrinæ, quibus Germanicum Idioma ignotum, in Latinum conversum ac juris publici factum.
Jennis"
Content
= First edition (1625)
=The first edition contained:
The Remonstrances of Nature ascribed to Jean de Meung
The Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine
Subtle Allegory (Michael Maier)
Three Treatise of Philalethes
The Book of Alze
Open Entrance to the Closed Palace - Philalethes
A Tract of Great Price
The Only True Way
The Testament of Cremer
The Glory of the World
The Waterstone of the Wise
The Golden Tract concerning the Philosopher's Stone
The illustrated book contains 445 + 35 pages.
= 1678 edition
=The 1678 edition is 863 pages long, and includes:
Aureus tractatus de philosophorum lapide
Aureum seculum redivivum
Hydrolithus sophicus
Aquarium sapientum
Demonstratio naturae, quam errantibus chymicis facit
Via veritatis unicae
Elegans, perutile et praestans opusculum, viam veritatis aperiens
Gloria mundi, aliâs, paradysi tabula
Vera priscae scientiae descriptio
De lapide philosophico tractatus eximius
Lambsprinck nobilis germani philosophi antiqui libellus De lapide philosophico
De lapide philosophico
Tripus Aureus
Tres tractatus chymici selectissimi
Basilii Valentini, benedictini ordinis monachi, Germani, practica una cum 12. clavibus et appendice
Practica cum duodecim clavibus et appendice, de magno lapide antiquorum sapientum
Testamentum cremeri, abbatis westmonasteriensis, angli, ordinis benedictine
Novum lumen chemicum, e naturae fonte et manuali experientia depromptum
Introitus apertus, ad occlusum regis palatium
Subtilis allegoria super secreta chymiae perspicuae utilitatis et iucundae meditationis
Philalethae tractatus tres
Metallorum metamorphosis
Brevis manuductio ad rubinum coelestum
Fons chymicae veritatis
Vitulus aureus
References
External links
Musaeum hermeticum etc. (1625 German edition)l
Musaeum hermeticum etc. (1678 Latin edition)
Musaeum hermeticum etc. (1678 Latin edition)
Musaeum Hermeticum etc. (English translation at "The Alchemy Website")
The Hermetic Museum, restored and enlarged (English A. E. Waite edition, 1898)
The Hermetic Museum, restored and enlarged Vol I (of II) (A scanned UMI copy of volume one from the Cecil H. Green Library at Stanford, published in 1893 introduction written by A.E. Waite, the translator of the original texts is anonymous)