pdf - Roger Gaskell Rare Books

First edition, Wrst issue, without the additional errata leaf and
‘hieroglyphic’ plate. The collation agrees with the Thomason copy,
received on 4 February. Wing A3987; ESTC R205904; Krivatsy 449;
Duveen p. 31; Neu 146; Neville, I, p. 47; Manly Hall Collection 29;
Mellon 101; Pritchard 80.
The most important English alchemical text (Duveen) and one of the key
sources for the history of alchemy (ODNB). It is a collection of alchemical
poems in English, gathered together and annotated by Ashmole. Many of
these had previously only circulated in manuscript. Ashmole’s introduction
demonstrates his wide reading and understanding of alchemy. His aim was to
draw attention to the achievements of English alchemists and to supplement
the massive compilation of European texts in the Theatrum chemicum (1602–
1661, see below no. 178).
Since this copy agrees with the Thomason copy and Thomason generally
acquired his books immediately on publication, I have assumed that this copy
respresents the form in which it was originally issued. It ends with an errata
list for the whole work (3S4v). Some copies however have an additional leaf
of errata to the annotations (pp. 437–486) and an additional engraved plate.
This additional plate, found in only a few copies, is a reworked state of the
frontispiece by Thomas Cross to Arthur Dee’s Fasciculus chemicus (1650)
which was translated by Ashmole. In the reworked state the imprint has
been replaced by the words ‘Fraximus in silvis pulcherrima, Talpa in Terris
operasissima’. Below this, in both states, are 4 lines of verse beginning ‘These
Hieroglyphicks vaile the Vigorous Beames...’ (hence the plate is often referred
to as the ‘hieroglyphic plate’).
Leaf 3R4 is always absent; many copies also lack the folding plate at p. 116,
probably due to later attrition.
6
BACON, Roger (1214?–1294)
De arte chymiae scripta cui accesserunt opuscula alia eiusdem
authoris.
Frankfurt: typis Ioannis Saurii, sumptibus Ioannis Theobaldi
Schönwetteri, 1603.
12mo: A–R8 , 204 leaves, pp. 408. Woodcut decoration on title.
132 x 76mm. Very light paper discolouration. A good fresh copy.
Binding: Contemporary vellum, blind ruled borders, red edges.
Slightly soiled.
Provenance: Contemporary or early list of contents on free endleaf in
a neat hand, running numbers in the margins, and about 20 words of
annotation.
First edition. Later re­issued as Thesaurus chemicus, Frankfurt, 1620 with
the Wrst 24 pages reset. Ferguson I, p. 63; Duveen p. 38; Neu 180;
Neville I, p. 60; Wellcome 620.
The Wrst collection of Bacon’s alchemical works and the Wrst printing of each
of these seven short works. Sarton remarks that ‘the best proof of Bacon’s