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 74
Early New High German
p. 74Metallorum in materiam primam geschehen sol vnd mus / per MATEriam PRImam. Et, nihil naturalius esse, dicant Sapientes, quàm solui rem aliquam per id, à quo suum habet componi.
Jch wiedere es zwar nicht / es möchten †etliche erwehnte oder andere dergleichen SILBERS vnd GOLDES præparata (als nach erzehlten vnd angedeuteten des Artisten / der NATVR mit subtilen Zerlösen / Niederschlagē / Scheiden vnd andern Præparationibus zu hülffe - kommungen) sowol auff der vnteren Metallen in die öbern verwandelungs TINCTVREN vnd ELIXEIRIA, als dergleichen PARTICVLARIA, nützlich könnē angewendet vnnd beförderlich gebrauchet werden: Es hat aber noch darmit eine starcke NISI! Was dann für eine? Las hören! Ohne allen zweiffel diese / das man
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 74of Metals into the first matter shall and must happen through THE FIRST MATTER. And the Wise say that nothing is more natural than that a thing should be dissolved by that out of which it has its composition.
I do not indeed gainsay it: certain† of the mentioned, or other like preparations of SILVER and of GOLD (as, by the Artist’s coming to NATURE’S help with subtle Dissolvings, Precipitations, Separations and other Preparations, in the manner recounted and intimated) may well be usefully applied and profitably employed both to transmuting TINCTURES and ELIXIRS of the lower Metals into the upper, and likewise to PARTICULARS. But there is still a strong NISI in it! What sort, then? Let us hear! Without any doubt this: that one
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 74
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.