Alchemy - 17th century manuscript. The Great Work... Lot 42

Alchemy - 17th century manuscript. The Great Work or Principles of Hermetic Filosophy from Raymond Lulle. sl, sd. In-4 of [5] ff. 144 pp. ([2] ff.n. between pp. 34-35, a half page added after p. 115, [1] fold-out between pp. 125-126), ff.145-150, pp.151-152, ff.154-165, [3] ff. 3 ff. Manuscript entirely written in French towards the end of the 17th century or beginning of the 18th century. The manuscript contains several notes or additions by another hand, sometimes in the margins or at the end of the page and on 12 leaves placed at the beginning and end of the volume and between certain pages (cf. collation above). Brown calf, spine with mute nerves (period binding). Spellings. This treatise is an adaptation into French of the hermetic works of the great alchemist Raymond Lulle, of which there was, until very recently, no complete translation into our language. The author of this work exposes the processes of chrysopoeia. He teaches the secret calcination of the seven metals to extract the quintessence, and indicates the processes to arrive at the elixir, the powder of projection, the universal medicine. This manuscript ends with 16 canons or rules teaching the application of drinking gold as a panacea to cure all the diseases that afflict humanity. A special canon is even devoted to the healing of demoniacs. Others are intended to prevent the prevention of sleep, to raise the dead, to cure lepers, to cure paralysis, those poisoned by drink (using unicorn horn "if one can get it"), or against various fevers ... The manuscript is addressed in its various parts to "Madame Your Royal Majesty" and one of its addresses is signed Bernard de La Badie. Interesting provenance: Ex-libris of Doctor LUCIEN-GRAUX.