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.
Explore the LexiconSwipe or use the arrow keys.
Early New High German Page · Branch 137 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 130
Early New High German
p. 130chet / vnd zum gewüntschten Ende gebracht hat? Hat doch Doctor Khunrath noch nichts gewisses in der Kunst / wie darff er dann also gewis / von MAGNESIA reden? Er las die jenigen daruon reden / die allbereit transmutiret haben. Antwortet: Hilff GOTT! Solte des SVBIECTI LAPIDIS Philosophorum CATHOLICI niemand anderer gestalt vnfehlbar können gewis sein / Was / nemlich / oder welches DING / dasselbige eigentlich wehre / Er hette dann den VNIVERSAL STEIN der Weisen zuuor daraus selbst zubereitet gehabt; So würde gewißlich der aller erste Philosophus Chymicus, So LAPIDEM Sapientum CATHOLICum gehabt / sehr vbel daran gewesen sein / ehe dann er allerley materias in der gantzen Natur aller Materia-
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 130-de it out of that same, and brought to the wished-for End? Why, Doctor Khunrath has as yet nothing certain in the Art: how then does he dare speak so certainly of MAGNESIA? Let him leave the speaking of it to those who have already transmuted. Answer: God help us! Were no one able to be unfailingly certain of the SVBIECTVM of the CATHOLIC LAPIS Philosophorum — what, namely, or which THING, that same properly were — in any other fashion than by having first prepared the VNIVERSAL STONE of the Wise out of it himself: then would the very first Chymical Philosopher, he who had the CATHOLIC LAPIS of the Wise, certainly have been in very evil case, before he had searched through all manner of materials in the whole Nature of all Material
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 130
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
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.