Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- Late 17th century (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 volumes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Unknown
Repository
Archival history
GB 0120 MSS.4750, 4751 Late 17th century Collection (fonds) 2 volumes T , C
Unknown
Purchased 1929.
Collection of notes, extracts, translations, etc. from alchemical works: including also iatro-chemical receipts, alchemical, chemical, and technical processes, etc.: in French and Latin. Compiled by C. T., M.D. Illustrated with a few small and roughly executed pen-drawings of alchemical apparatus. There are also some grotesque heads and faces. Mainly written in a small and difficult current hand with many contractions. Pp. 260-343 in Vol. I are by another hand. Though mainly consisting of notes and anonymous extracts, processes, etc., the following may be separately mentioned: Vol. I. [Anon.] Traitté de la Grande Oeuvre (pp. 1-62). Basilius Valentinus. Enseignemans des Artifices concernant l'Ouvrage Universel ... et les Conclusions de tous ses escripts (86-113). Helmont (J. B. van). Imago firminti Liquor Alchaest (196-209). [Anon.] Stichiomantia. De li dadi: in Italian (210-213). Bernhardus Trevisanus. Responsio ad Thomam de Bononia: extract: in Latin (224-243) Glaser (C.). Annotations tirées de la Chimie de Glaser (306-322). Vol. II. Philaletha (E.). La confection du Grand Élixir métallique selon la pratique du Philalèthe conforme à celle du Cosmopolite et à la doctrine de Gebir (pp. 200-231). This seems to be a condensed version of the 'Enarratio methodica', 1678 by Eirenaeus Philaletha [cf. Ferguson: 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. II, p. 191]. Copus (Martinus) [pseud. Cephalus (Arioponus)] Apotelesmata philosophica Mercurii triumphantis 1601: extract (358-371) [cf. Ferguson, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 150]. Albertus Magnus, St. Collectiones ex libro de animalibus, etc. (384-388). Densinger (A. B.). Geber ressuscité: an abbreviated version in French of the author's 'Geber redivivus' (394-406) [cf. Ferguson: op. cit., Vol. I, pp. 206, 207]. On p. 349 bis of Vol. II is a magical Hebrew 'Oratio angelica' written in Latin characters, there are other Latin charms, and one in French on p. 349. The compiler's initials are found on p. 178 of Vol. II in the form 'C.T.M.D.', and again on p. 279 of the same volume as 'C.T.d.m.'. There are several dates found in the second volume, the latest is 1683 on p. 26 and again on p. 27.
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
French and Latin
2 vols. 1 l. + 384 pp., 406 pp. + 7 bl. ll. 8vo. 17 × 11 cm. 19th cent. half-calf binding. The first leaf of Vol. II is missing: some margins frayed, and corners defective. Pp. 180-199 are wanting from Vol. II. In both volumes sections have been bound in wrong order, or reversed.
Described in: S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).
Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Jan 2009 Literary forms and genres Recipes Chemistry Alchemy Scientific personnel Scientists Chemists Pharmaceutical chemists Systems of medicine Traditional medicine Pharmaceutical preparations Literature Personnel People by occupation People
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased 1929.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Collection of notes, extracts, translations, etc. from alchemical works: including also iatro-chemical receipts, alchemical, chemical, and technical processes, etc.: in French and Latin. Compiled by C. T., M.D. Illustrated with a few small and roughly executed pen-drawings of alchemical apparatus. There are also some grotesque heads and faces. Mainly written in a small and difficult current hand with many contractions. Pp. 260-343 in Vol. I are by another hand. Though mainly consisting of notes and anonymous extracts, processes, etc., the following may be separately mentioned: Vol. I. [Anon.] Traitté de la Grande Oeuvre (pp. 1-62). Basilius Valentinus. Enseignemans des Artifices concernant l'Ouvrage Universel ... et les Conclusions de tous ses escripts (86-113). Helmont (J. B. van). Imago firminti Liquor Alchaest (196-209). [Anon.] Stichiomantia. De li dadi: in Italian (210-213). Bernhardus Trevisanus. Responsio ad Thomam de Bononia: extract: in Latin (224-243) Glaser (C.). Annotations tirées de la Chimie de Glaser (306-322). Vol. II. Philaletha (E.). La confection du Grand Élixir métallique selon la pratique du Philalèthe conforme à celle du Cosmopolite et à la doctrine de Gebir (pp. 200-231). This seems to be a condensed version of the 'Enarratio methodica', 1678 by Eirenaeus Philaletha [cf. Ferguson: 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. II, p. 191]. Copus (Martinus) [pseud. Cephalus (Arioponus)] Apotelesmata philosophica Mercurii triumphantis 1601: extract (358-371) [cf. Ferguson, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 150]. Albertus Magnus, St. Collectiones ex libro de animalibus, etc. (384-388). Densinger (A. B.). Geber ressuscité: an abbreviated version in French of the author's 'Geber redivivus' (394-406) [cf. Ferguson: op. cit., Vol. I, pp. 206, 207]. On p. 349 bis of Vol. II is a magical Hebrew 'Oratio angelica' written in Latin characters, there are other Latin charms, and one in French on p. 349. The compiler's initials are found on p. 178 of Vol. II in the form 'C.T.M.D.', and again on p. 279 of the same volume as 'C.T.d.m.'. There are several dates found in the second volume, the latest is 1683 on p. 26 and again on p. 27.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Conditions governing reproduction
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
French and Latin
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Described in: S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).
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Rules and/or conventions used
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English