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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Early New High German

p. 32

den schmeiß-fliegen / vnd Teuffels köppen / es verdreust) die seinigen / sage Ich / hat / welche Er CHAOS PRI-MATERIALE Sapientū / siuè MAGNESIAM Philosophorum Catholicam / des VNIVERSAL STEINS der Weisen VNIVERSALE Subiectum, nach seinem Göttlichen willen / vor vielen Tausenden andern / Hohes vnd Nidriges stands / dieweil GOTT kein anseher der Personen ist / denen (vngeachtet Ihres fleissigen studirens / mit grossen kosten laborirens, vnitzigen^* kopffbrechens / vnd vielfaltigen mühesamen nachgrüblens) Er es zurucke helt vnd verbirget / neben dem kennen / auch wunderbarlich vnnd wol Erkennen lesset: Dafür sey GOTT abermals lob vnnd danck gesagt / jetzo vnd zu jeder zeit. AMEN.

Es seind hin vnd wieder viel

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 32

blow-flies and Devil’s-heads — He has, I say, His own, to whom He lets the CHAOS PRI-MATERIALE of the Wise, that is, the MAGNESIA Philosophorum Catholica, the VNIVERSAL Subiectum of the VNIVERSAL STONE of the Wise, be not only known but also wonderfully and well recognized — according to His Divine will, before many Thousands of others of High and of Low estate (since GOD is no respecter of Persons), from whom, for all their diligent studying, their laborating at great cost, their vnitzig^* racking of brains and their manifold and toilsome ferreting, He holds it back and hides it. For which let GOD again be praised and thanked, now and at every time. AMEN.

There are, here and there, many Chy-

72.Acts x. 34, GOD is no respecter of Persons — the verse stands where it does to deny that learning, rank or expenditure has any claim on the gift. — The distinction between kennen and Erkennen, settled at p. 12, is load-bearing again here and is kept: what He grants is not knowing about the thing but recognizing it. ^*vnitzigen is doubtful in this copy; vnnützigen, useless, and vnauffhörlichen, unceasing, both fit the sense and neither fits the letters well. Left as printed.

73.Marginal gloss: ‘Therefore it is not given to all, because better things suit fewer. The reason is, lest by using it ill they should harm either themselves or others. PRAY GOD that you too may be one among those few.’ — The last clause turns the whole passage on the reader, and it is the only place in these eight pages where Khunrath addresses him as a possible recipient rather than as a doubter.

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