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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Facing Pages · Branch 77 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 70
Early New High German
p. 70ren kan / wer rechten bescheid damit weis.
Was seind aber / frage Jch / ALLE solche vnnd andere dergleichen præparata mehr / sonderlich nach jhrer bequemen dulcoration oder Absüssung; auch gesagte Mercurij, nach jhrer entweder per se, oder aber durch frembde Waßsere / præcipitirung, auch sonsten andern præparationibus, als nur alleine köstliche vnd sehr herrliche MEDICINAE in vielen Kranckheiten Menschlicher Leiber / jnnen vnd aussen / hochnützlich zugebrauchen? Dannoch aber so seind darumb solche soluta, extracta, liquores vnd præparata (auff was weise vnd wege sie auch angedeuteter gestalt immer mögen præpariret worden sein) per se, für vnnd an sich selbst / nicht stracks MATERIA des Silbers vnd Goldes PRIMA, etiam specificata,
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 70-fied, who knows the right way with it.
But what are they, I ask — ALL such and other like preparations besides, especially after their convenient dulcoration or Sweetening-off; and the said Mercuries too, after their precipitation, whether of themselves or else by foreign Waters, and after other preparations besides — what are they but only costly and very excellent MEDICINES, most usefully to be employed in many Diseases of Human Bodies, within and without? But for all that, such dissolved and extracted things, liquors and preparations (in whatever wise and way, of the sort intimated, they may ever have been prepared) are not for that reason, of themselves, for and in themselves, straightway the FIRST MATTER of Silver and of Gold, not even the specified one,
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 70
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
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.