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 27
Early New High German
p. 27gē sein! Darzu auch / zum Andern / also sehr vieler vhr-alter / alter vñ newer / Warheit-liebenden recht-Philosophirendē Chymischē Philosophorum hinterlassene mancherley wunderbarliche Monumenta, vñ Naturgemesse Schrifften / darinnen Sie von LAPIDIS Philosophorum SVBIECTO vnd MATERIA; Seiner PRAEPARATION; wunderbarlichē erzeigungē in den Arbeiten / Brauch vnd Nutz desselbigen; dermassen einhelliglich lehren vnd bezeugen / Das ein vernünfftiger Mensch / der dieselbigen recht durchgesehen / fleissig gelesen vnnd (wo nicht gantz vnd gar / jedoch zum teil) verstanden hat / billich bedencken tragen solte / sich disfals zweiffels / Ich wil geschweigen / lesterns vnd schmehens / im geringsten vermercken zu lassen; Vngeachtet / was etliche dieser geheim-
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 27For which reason also, in the second place: the manifold wonderful Monuments and Nature-conforming Writings left behind by so very many truth-loving, rightly-Philosophizing Chymical Philosophi, ancient of days, old and new, wherein they teach and testify with such unanimity concerning the SVBIECTVM and MATERIA of the LAPIS Philosophorum, its PREPARATION, the wonderful showings-forth of it in the works, and the use and profit of it — so unanimously that a rational person who has rightly looked those writings through, read them diligently, and understood them (if not wholly and entirely, yet in part) ought in fairness to hesitate before letting the least sign of doubt in the matter be noticed in himself — to say nothing of slander and abuse. Notwithstanding what certain people, ignorant of these mys-
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 27
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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.