Diotimos Library · Renaissance Collection · Bilingual Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
The 1599 German text with a new English translation, introduction, glossary, and notes.
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Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 86
Early New High German
p. 86weit besser / als du jhn vnd seine† - gemeß einzulosiren gedenckest; Du must jhn / deinem trewmen nach / wol zu frieden lassen. Er ist allbereit wo er sein sol vnnd wil; HERR dein vnuergenglicher Geist ist in allen / Spricht der WEISE Man / Sap: 12. I Lerne nur seine Catholische wohnung / darinnen er Catholicè sich auffhelt / h. e. MAGNESiam Philosophorum CATHOlicam recht erkennen; jhn allda / vnd sonsten / zu vorgemeltem Philosophischen Opere dienlich / nirgends anders wo VNIVERSALITER existentem, suchen / so bistu ein Philosophus; Sonsten aber / wo seine Natürliche Catholische wonung / verstehe MAGNesiam Philosophorum du nit erkennest / noch dieselbige (assistentia Gratiæ Diuinæ) Chymicè zu tractiren vnter handen nimbst / sondern auff
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 86far better than you think to quarter him, and to quarter him after his own kind.† You must, according to your dreaming, leave him well content. He is already where he shall and will be. LORD, thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things, says the WISE Man, Wisdom xii. 1. Only learn rightly to recognize his Catholic dwelling, wherein he keeps himself Catholicly — that is, the CATHOLIC MAGNESIA of the Philosophers; seek him there, and nowhere else, existing VNIVERSALLY, serviceable to the aforesaid Philosophical Work: so are you a Philosopher. But otherwise — where you do not know his Natural Catholic dwelling (understand, the MAGNESIA of the Philosophers), nor take that same in hand to treat it Chymically (by the assistance of Divine Grace), but instead
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 86
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum argues that alchemy has one universal subject, that this subject cannot be extracted from the metals, and that nothing in the work can begin without recognizing it. This complete reader begins with the supplied seven-part introduction and orientation, then presents every printed page of the 1599 German treatise opposite its new English translation.
Historical Text and Translation
The German reading text is a fresh diplomatic transcription from 600 dpi images of the Magdeburg copy printed by Johann Bötcher in 1599. It preserves Khunrath’s capitalization, word division, authorial marginal keys, glosses, errata, and three unnumbered closing pages: the errata leaf, owl emblem, and colophon.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared the new English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, collation, and editorial apparatus. The translation follows Khunrath directly, retaining his technical vocabulary, changes of register, repetitions, rhetorical questions, and distinctions between German, Latin, and coined terms.
Rights
Heinrich Khunrath’s 1599 German work is in the public domain. The 2026 English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, editorial arrangement, and related matter are original to this edition and remain © 2026 Diotimos.