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 77

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Early New High German

p. 77

MAE MVNdi, CATHolicæ Rationes Seminarias speciales aut specificas, cum ANIma MVNdi sit Spiritus πολυποικίλος h. e. multiformis, MATEriam Metallorum PRImam VNIVErsalem ad Argenteitatem vel Aureitatem, vt inde fiat vel Argentum vel Aurum, specificantes ) specificirte, vnd schon fast sehr starck ertrucknete oder coagulirte Metallische Leibliche Geister vnd Geistliche Leiber sein: Zum andera^‡ man sich auch zubefahrē hat / das Sie nicht pur oder rein flüchtig Silber oder Goldt / sondern mit frembden Mineralischen / oder aber Metallischen Spiritibus; so gebirges Art nach / durcheinayder zu ramblen pflegen vermischet sein möchten; Diese alle (wird erzehlter bedencklicher vhrsachen wegen billich geschlossen) wo sie auch schon nach jhrer Reini-

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 77

OF THE WORLD, which is CATHOLIC — special or specific Seminal Reasons, since the SOVL of the WORLD is a many-coloured Spirit, that is, multiform — specifying the FIRST VNIVERSAL MATTER of Metals toward Silver-ness or Gold-ness, so that from it may come either Silver or Gold): they are specified, and already very strongly dried out or coagulated, Metallic Corporeal Spirits and Spiritual Bodies. Secondly,^‡ one has also to fear that They may be, not pure or cleanly volatile Silver or Gold, but mixed with foreign Mineral, or else Metallic, Spirits — such as are wont, after the manner of the mountain, to run together one into another. All these (as is rightly concluded, by reason of the weighty causes recounted), even should they already, after their Purifi-

134.Marginal glosses: ‘twofold Catholic, that is, Mercury with its own sulphur — not the common sort’s, but the Philosophers’. How Metals differ, see chapter 6 of my Confession, on the Hylealic CHAOS, pp. 182 and 183’ (the head of this gloss stands on p. 76); and ‘Morienus. Into our work there enters no gatip^†, that is, anything else.’ — The self-citation is to Khunrath’s own Confessio de Chao Physico-Chemicorum Catholico (Vom hylealischen Chaos), printed at Magdeburg in 1597. ^†The word printed after intrat is broken ga- / tip: five sorts, the second of which may be a or æ. It does not construe. The Latin gloss id est, aliquid aliud shows the sense — nothing foreign gets into the work — so the word must name something alien to it. Left as set; the reading is open. ^‡andera is printed for andern; left as set. — πολυποικίλος is the word of Ephesians iii. 10, where it is said of the manifold wisdom of God; Khunrath applies it to the Soul of the World. — The Latin clause running from p. 76 is construed thus: CATHolicæ is genitive singular with ANIMAE MVNdi — it is the Soul of the World that is catholic, not the Seminal Reasons, which are here expressly speciales aut specificæ and could not be catholicas in any case; and specificantes, accusative plural with Rationes, governs MATEriam Metallorum PRImam VNIVErsalem. The special Reasons specify the universal First Matter, and not the reverse. The same construction stands, and is rendered the same way, at p. 48.

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