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 166

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Early New High German

p. 166

sehen: Welchen du / durch die Natur / bereitet hast für allen Völckern; Ein vber-natürlich Liecht / Naturlich vnd Naturgemeß-künstlich zu erleuchten die in Mysterijs physicis ac hyperphysicis, h. e. Theosophicis jrrendē vnd vnweisen; Vnd ein Preiß deines Volckes / derer so die Wercke des HERREN in der NATVR hoch achten / Ja beharlich hoch halten; vnd haben / mit wahrer Theosophischer zurucksetzung aller vergenglichen vppischen Eitelkeiten dieser Weldt / jhres Hertzen Lust daran.

Du Spottvogel vnd Teuffels Alister^† / behertzige auch nachfolgendes: Ob schon der Altvater Simeon von dem Kindlein IHSVH Christo noch gar kein miraculum hatte thun sehen / noch dennoch wuste er / aus eingebung des heiligen Geistes / der Biblischen schrifft

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 166

-held: whom thou, through Nature, hast prepared before all Peoples; a supernatural Light, Naturally and in a Nature-conforming, artful way to enlighten those that go astray and are unwise in the physical and hyperphysical — that is, the Theosophical — Mysteries; and a Praise of thy People, of those who hold the Works of the LORD in NATURE in high account — yea, who persistently hold them high, and have their Heart’s delight therein, with a true Theosophical setting-aside of all the perishable and luxurious Vanities of this World.

Thou mocking-bird and Devil’s magpie^†, take also to heart what follows. Although the Patriarch Simeon had as yet seen the Child IHSVH Christ do no miracle at all, yet nevertheless he knew, by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, the Biblical scripture

227.Marginal glosses: ‘Those who persevere shall be crowned. One must abide constantly by it, and not fall every Day, Week, Month or Year upon new opinions.’; ‘Luke 2, verse 29.’ — Perseuerantes coronabuntur is a commonplace and not a verse of the Vulgate; behind it stand Matthew x. 22, qui perseuerauerit usque in finem hic saluus erit, and the crown of Revelation ii. 10. The German half of the gloss gives the practical sense Khunrath wants of it: constancy at one Materia, against the man who changes his mind with the calendar. — The Nunc dimittis runs on, and both of its closing clauses are altered. Luke ii. 32 has a light zu erleuchten die Heiden and zum Preis deines Volks Israel; here the light is supernatural and enlightens those who go astray in the physical and hyperphysical mysteries, and the People praised are those who hold the works of the LORD in Nature high. — ^†Alister is set A-l-i-s-t-e-r and is not a recorded form. Beside Spottvogel a second bird is wanted, and Elster, the magpie, appears in the period as Alster and Aglaster; the magpie is taken here. The identification is inference from the parallel, not a reading of the types. — The macron in vnweisen stands over the v, not over a vowel before a suppressed nasal as elsewhere in the book; it is printed where it is set. — NATVR is Antiqua and HERREN Fraktur in one line; IHSVH is Antiqua here where p. 165 sets it Fraktur; Si- at the foot of line 19 is Antiqua and meon at the head of line 20 Fraktur; and the Luc: 2. vers. 29. gloss is Fraktur, where the Ierem: 48. vers: 10. gloss of p. 164 is Antiqua.

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