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Libra Esoterica

Particular processes from various experiments

Author not recorded

  • First published:
  • 18th century
  • Language: English
  • Content type: ManuscriptPrimary source
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Description

Description from Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries (opens in a new tab)

Collection of alchemical experiments, medical prescriptions and recipes. The first section is devoted to the discussion of the 16th-century Irish alchemist William Butler's discovery and usage of the philosopher's stone and includes instructions for its preparation and application in curing ailments (p. 1-37). Subsequent sections include medical remedies such as an elixir for both fevers and smallpox (p. 65) and a salt that cures numerous illnesses such as gout, scurvy, rheumatism, and lost appetite (p. 55-56). Alchemical processes include transmutation of metals (p. 116, 143) and a method for creating a salt with many uses including reviving animals that have nearly suffocated (p. 140), removing the rancid taste from olive oil and making it sweet again (p. 140), and preserving fruits, flowers, and herbs (p. 129). Other sections contain instructions for making essence of vipers (p. 66) and how to create a perpetually burning light (p. 147). Also includes an alphabetical index (p. 280-291).

Provenance

Why this book is in the catalog

Included because retained bibliographic metadata links this work to Alchemy and Hermeticism and Occultism and esotericism.

  • Occultism and esotericism

    Controlled discovery queries from colenda matched “Occultism”. Retained metadata contains “Occultism” in the subject metadata and “occult” in the cataloging notes.

    • “Occultism”· via Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries
    • “Occultism”· in subject
    • “occult”· in cataloging note
  • Alchemy and Hermeticism

    Controlled discovery queries from colenda matched “Alchemy”. Retained metadata contains “alchemist” in the description, “Alchemy” in the subject metadata, and “alchemist” in the cataloging notes.

    • “Alchemy”· via Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries
    • “alchemist”· in description
    • “Alchemy”· in subject
    • “alchemist”· in cataloging note

Membership records how this book met the catalog’s discovery criteria — relevance to a tradition, not a judgment of the book’s claims.

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Editions

One edition cataloged here.

University of Pennsylvania digitized manuscript

141 leaves : paper ; 227 x 186 mm bound to 236 x 195 mm + 4 notes; Binding: Contemporary parchment. Front and back pastedowns have come loose.; Ms. codex.; Origin: Written in England in the second half of the 18th century.; Pagination: Paper, 141 leaves; [ii], 1-130, 140-197, [198-291]; contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners.; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.; Script: Written in a cursive script in the hand of Charles Rainsford.; Title from title page (p. i).

1750—English—Public download

Subjects

3 subject headings

Identifiers & provenance

How this record was assembled, and the authority identifiers it carries.

Identifiers

Colenda
  • ark:/81431/p3jd4pq7p

Cataloged from

Cataloging notes

  • Colenda collection: Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)
  • Penn Libraries catalog identifier: 9962935843503681
  • Physical location: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Codex 1700
  • Provenance: Formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (British army officer, fellow of the Royal Society, and alchemist); bequeathed by Rainsford to Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland.; Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.; Owned by the 2nd through 12th Dukes of Northumberland, ms. 618, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014 (bookplate, inside upper cover; stamps throughout).; Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.; Sold at auction at Sotheby's (London), 15 July 2014, as part of Lot 411.
  • Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0
Catalog id
colenda:81431-p3jd4pq7p
Edition coverage
Multi source partial
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