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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Baro Urbigerus

Aphorismi Urbigerani

The Complete 1690 Volume · With Circulatum Minus

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Aphorismi UrbigeraniXIV–XXVII: The First and Second Ways · Grand Elixir · Aphorism XXIII

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Facing Pages · Branch 43 of 194

XIV–XXVII: The First and Second Ways · Grand Elixir · Aphorism XXIII

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Original English

XXIII. Our Mercury is called the Mercury of the Philosophers, because it is a Subject, which is not to be found ready prepar'd to our hand: for it must of necessity be made by our Philosophical Preparations, out of the first Chaos, and althô it is Artificial, yet is it naturally prepar'd, Nature, which is imitated in the Preparation of it, contributing likewise thereunto.

Modern English

XXIII. Our mercury is called the philosophers’ mercury because it is a subject that cannot be found ready prepared for us. It must necessarily be made from the first chaos by our philosophical preparations. Although artificial, it is naturally prepared, for Nature, which is imitated in its preparation, also contributes to it.

About This Reading Edition

The complete 1690 Aphorismi Urbigerani: historical frontispiece and Latin inscriptions, title and licence, dedication, all 101 grand-elixir aphorisms, the complete Circulatum Minus with its title, address and 31 vegetable aphorisms, and the full explanatory postscript with both printed endings. Original and modern English readings, fresh Latin translations, 115 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Baro Urbigerus, Aphorismi Urbigerani, London: Henry Faithorne, 1690; with Circulatum Minus Urbigeranum and the concluding postscript. The Getty Research Institute copy supplies the governing images; EEBO-TCP A25684 supplies the structured transcription witness, corrected against those images. The frontispiece signed W. F. is attributed in library catalogues to William Faithorne.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text and engraving are public domain. The EEBO-TCP Phase 2 transcription is released under CC0; that waiver does not cover associated images. The engraving is credited to the Getty Research Institute copy digitised by Internet Archive. The supplied 2026 reading, translations and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization.