Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

Name: Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
Author: Heinrich Khunrath

The 1599 German text with a new English translation, introduction, glossary, and notes.

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Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica PhilosophorumMagnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 149

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Early New High German Page · Branch 156 of 215

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Early New High German

p. 149

ein geringes / sondern hoch straffwürdiges verbrechen gegen GOtt / an MAGNESIA, CHRISTI Natürlichem vnnd Symbolischen Effigie in der grossen Weld; vnd an seinem Præceptore, qui (calculo Sapientum) parentis loco venerandus, solches thuen. Ein Christ dencke jhme Theosophisch nach. GOTT lesset mit sich nicht schertzen. ^aDann der HErr wird den nicht vngestraffet lassen / der Seinen Nahmen Mißbrauchet.

Wie nahe oder ferne aber man dem Lapidi Philosophorum sey / darumb lasse der Calumniant sich nur vnbekummert / vnd sehe zu / das er selbst seine vorhabende Arbeiten zum verhofften Ende bringe. Was einem andern GOtt geben hat / oder noch geben wil / das wird jhm der Teuffel / ohne Gottes willen / nicht nehmen.

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 149

a small, but a highly punishable crime against GOd — to do such a thing upon MAGNESIA, CHRIST’S Natural and Symbolical Effigy in the great World; and upon his Preceptor, who (by the reckoning of the Wise) is to be revered in a parent’s stead. Let a Christian think it over Theosophically. GOD will not be mocked. ^aFor the LORD will not hold him guiltless that Misuseth His Name.

But how near or how far one may be to the Lapis Philosophorum — for that let the Calumniator be unconcerned, and look rather to it that he bring his own intended Labours to the hoped-for End. What GOd has given to another, or will yet give him, the Devil will not take from him without God’s will.

210.Marginal glosses: ‘From the house of the ungrateful, evil shall not depart. All thy life long thou shalt not forget such a benefit.’; keyed to Khunrath’s a: ‘Exodus 20, Verse 7’ — thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain, which is the second commandment in the Lutheran numbering Khunrath and his readers used. — GOTT lesset mit sich nicht schertzen alludes to Galatians vi. 7, varying Luther’s Gott lässt sich nicht spotten to schertzen; the English keeps the biblical form. — ^†The gloss breaks the word wols / that: the sort at the line end is a round s, not the short dash used at ingra- / ti higher in the same gloss, so the word stands as wolsthat for wolthat. Left as set. — The ingratitude in question is toward a teacher, and the sentence makes the offence threefold: against GOD, against Magnesia as Christ’s effigy in nature, and against the Praeceptor to whom the oath of p. 146 was sworn.

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.

supplied-bilingual-editionSupplied complete German–English scholarly edition