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 66

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Early New High German

p. 66

figuram) metallicam formauit, (non in Metallum, nicht das es ein Metal noch Mineral sey / sondern einem Metallischen ENTI oder Wesen / dem eusern ansehen nach / ehnlicher ist / vnd etwas neher kömpt / als etwan sonsten einem Vegetabilischen oder aber Animalischen dinge) tamen imperfectum reliquit: Sowol auch aus Valerando Syluensi, mit DIONYSIO ZACHARIO, der / als einer. so die Kunst selbst gehabt / angezogenes dictū ROSARII, nicht vnrecht ausgelegt / vnd deswegen Jhme in diesen puncto desto gewisser glauben zu geben / in dem er spricht: Quod hæc sit vera MATERIA nostra quam NATVra præparauit Arti nostræ, & reduxit in certam speciem, (secundum formam vel figuram externam; Schema, in eine gewisse gestalt, ) veris Philosophis nota, absq; VLTERIORI TRANSMVTATIONE SVI

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 66

a figure) that is metallic, (not into a Metal — not that it is a Metal or a Mineral, but that to outward appearance it is more like a Metallic BEING or Essence, and comes somewhat nearer to that than it otherwise does to a Vegetable or else an Animal thing — yet left it imperfect: As also out of Valerandus Sylvensis, with DIONYSIVS ZACHARIVS, who — as one who had the Art himself — has not wrongly expounded the cited dictum of the ROSARIVM, and is on that account the more surely to be believed in this point, in that he says: That this is our true MATTER, which NATVRE prepared for our Art and reduced into a certain species (according to its outward form or figure; Schema, into a certain shape), known to true Philosophers, without ANY FURTHER TRANSMVTATION OF IT-

123.Marginal glosses: ‘It must indeed have some outward form or shape about it. For it need not lack every form whatsoever, since it already has a name and is called MAGNESIA.’; and ‘The coagulated Mercury of the Philosophers. Whence that word: DISSOLVE.’ — uportet is printed for oportet, a mis-sorted letter; the gloss is left as found. The abbreviation j: in the first gloss is printed thus and is read as ja. — DIONYSIVS ZACHARIVS is Denis Zachaire, whose Opusculum on natural philosophy of the metals was in print from 1567. Valerandus Sylvensis is cited here as a second authority; he is not securely identified, and the name is printed as Khunrath sets it. — der / als einer. so die Kunst selbst gehabt may look back to either name; word order favours Zacharius, and the English follows it, but the German does not settle it. — nota is printed with its final letter doubtful; it may be noti. The Latin requires nota, agreeing with MATERIA, and that is what is printed here, with the doubt recorded. — The catchword at the foot of p. 62 is (Das, where p. 63 opens (Darinnen: a compositor’s slip, not a lost line — the German runs on without a break.

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