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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English Page · Branch 119 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 112
Early New High German
p. 112vnd gewisser ist / ex possibilitate NATVræ vernünfftig zu philosophiren, als ex litera nuda Librorum. Nach solchem NATVræ basano soll vnd mus man der Philosophen Schrifften / Naturgemeß verstehen / vnd nicht nur allein Papieren-buch-gemeß / nach dem Todten Buchstaben.
¶ Wie? Wann dann auch die Philosophi / wo sie de Metallis reden / nicht allezeit von gemeinen / sondern vielmals de Metallis Philosophicis, als Argento & Auro, h. e. Mercurio & Suphure† Philosophorū, occultis in MAGnesia (quæ MINERA ARtis) auch wolten Philosophisch verstanden sein? Vnnd wann Sie sprechen / relinquas Metalla / quanquam ex ipsis est introitus & Materia nostra; das es entweder von Silber oder Golde / zu jhren Special Silber- oder
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 112and surer to philosophize rationally out of the possibility of NATVRE than out of the bare letter of Books. By such a touchstone of NATVRE one shall and must understand the Philosophers’ Writings Nature-conformingly, and not merely paper-and-book-conformingly, after the Dead Letter.
¶ What then? What if the Philosophers too, where they speak of Metals, would not always be understood of the common ones, but many a time of Philosophical Metals — that is, of Silver and Gold, that is, of the Mercury and Sulphur† of the Philosophers, hidden in MAGNESIA (which is the MINE OF THE ART) — would be understood Philosophically? And when They say, leave the Metals alone, although out of them is the entrance, and our Matter — what if this were meant either of Silver or of Gold, toward their Special Silver- or
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 112
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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.