SAMMELBAND OF FOUR OF FRENCH ALCHYMIST FEBRE'S WORKS

FABRE, PIERRE-JEAN.

Myrothecium Spagyricum; sive Pharmacopoea Chymica, occultis naturae arcanis, ex Hermeticorum Medicorum scriniis depromptis abunde illustrata (part 1 only)(+) Hydrographum spagyricum (+) Palladium Spagyricum (+) Chirurgia Spagyrica.

Toulouse, Pierre Bosc, 1628 & 1639 & 1638.

8vo. In contemporary vellum with yap edges. Title in contemporary hand to spine. Light soling and miscolouring to extremities. Small repair to title-page, not affecting text. Light occassional brownspotting throughout. "Hydrographum spagyricum" evenly miscoloured. A good copy. 352; (8), 260, (12); (14), 276, (14); 132, (2) pp. 

Myrothecium spagyricum: 352 pp. only (lacking the second part of the work, "Insignes curationes variorum morborum, quos medicamentis chymicis jucundissima methodo curavit...").


An interesting sammelband of four of Fabre’s most important works. “Myrothecium Spagyricum” (Part 1 only as usual) being the first edition and the remaining three works being later editions.

“Myrothecium Spagyricum” opens with an overview of Paracelsian spagyric medicine, which involves the chemical separation of substances into their fundamental elements, the first part of the book explores the essence of medicaments and their distinction from poisons.

Subsequent chapters cover the quintessence of blood and the flesh of various animals like vipers, worms, toads, and crabs for distillation.

Parts II and III elaborate on the extraction of the spirit from plants and minerals, including substances such as sulfur, vitriol, and antimony, detailing their characteristics and applications. Part IV delves into the utilization of chemical oils derived from simples and animals through the alchemical art of pyrotechnics. The succeeding sections address specific preparations.

Part V concentrates on herbal waters, Part VI on syrups, Part VII on pills crafted from mercury, antimony, vitriol, and others, Part VIII on ointments, and finally, Part IX on electuaries.

"Fabre, a native of Castelnaudary in Languedoc, was born in the latter part of the sixteenth century, and lived until 1650. He was a physician at his native place at Montpellier. He was also a voluminous writer, but his work has been judged unfavourably by different critics" (Ferguson).

Order-nr.: 60649


DKK 18.000,00