Alchemy - 17th century manuscript. Collection... Lot 44

Alchemy - 17th century manuscript. Collection of alchemical notes and experiments in French by Andreas GARIFFANDUS. sl, 1602. In-8 of [2] ff. (the first one bearing the following mention "Hoec Est Vita Aeterna, Ut Cognoscant te Deus" with a Sacred Heart drawn in ink), 142 ff. and [2] blank ff. Half tan basane, smooth spine, title-piece ("Vita Aeterna") on spine, brown calf boards, remains of clasps (period boards, modern spine). Traces of a gilt cross on the back cover. The author signs on the last page: "Ego Andreas Gariffandus feci hoc opus Anno D[omin]i 1602", indicating that he would have found the philosopher's stone. The blog "Filostène", which specifically mentions this manuscript, specifies that in 2009, Filostène himself (alas deceased) was to publish an article on this late 16th century alchemist Gariffandus (who exploits texts by Basil Valentin and Paracelsus). Contains the following experiments, operations and subjects: Minière du Capitaine, Tincture of Paracelsus, Medicine of the Urines, True Treatise (detailing several distillations, process of the stone to the white, process to the red, ...), Of the Practice of the Stone other process which is then of the celestial manna, Gluten of the Eagle or [Mercury] of the Sages or Metallic Menstrue with which and with the blood of the Lion is made the Metallic Stone, Waters of Paradise, New and Spiritual Lunar of R. Lulle, Arcanum of Flamel, Artephius, Pontanus, Zacharius, &c., The Work of Nan, Elixir of R. Lulle, Vitriol commun, L'Œuvre sur la pierre d'azur, Apologie du Grand Œuvre, Du Fourneau physic, De l'Esprit Universel, Enigme du Petit Paysant, De la Semence, Ars Artium seu Divinum Opus philosophoru, Lapis Phosphorum, De la Pierre des Philosophes, Abrégé du Grand Œuvre, Œuvre du Chevalier de La Magdelaine, Œuvre du Père Josaphat... The last 4 pages begin as follows: The last 4 pages begin as follows: "True treatise in this Holy Page is written the Treasure of treasures which is called the Philosopher's Stone which description is not declared according to the opinion of the philosophers but quite simple from word to word by divine inspiration and in memory and remembrance of my name as much as when I was in the Company of Cochelais Balutinus [...] [...]". "One Eternal God in Trinity made heaven and earth and all that dwells in them. He also made the Sun, the Moon and the stars, which cast their influences into the belly of the wind as into the first vessel of nature. It is a triple substance which converts into its substance, that is to say, to each kingdom separately, without any being able to go from one to another, but multiplying in two parts their own virtues to their fellows, without retrogradation of the same and by the reduction of their first universal nature which is the cahos of nature." One can recognize there without too much difficulty the bases of the theory of the genesis of the principles and the first matter, one of the invariable bases of the alchemical symbolism. This extract comes from an alchemist of the end of the 16th century named Andréas GARRIFANDUS who worked in France and wrote a volume of notes and practical experiments in a great disorder, but whose distribution in small chapters makes it possible after classification to find several threads and to trace the series of experiments on the 7 traditional metals. About fifteen chapters also concern the theory and the revelation of the Secretum: "the Sal pêtre"! http://filostene-alchimia.over-blog.com/. This author, forgotten for four centuries, appears to us as traditional as his elders or his many successors. Handwritten bookplate "Gaultier".