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Popular work with many medicinal and household recipes, also including a chapter on magnetism

DIGBY, Kenelm, Nicolaus PAPINIUS and Athanasius KIRCHER.
Theatrum sympateticum, ofte wonder toneel der natuurs verborgentheden. ... Benevens twee waardige vervolgen, van veele zeldsame antipathien en sympathien. Als mede, hoe dat de dieren, planten, metalen, &c. zonder zaad of voortteelinge konnen voort komen, ... Vierde druk.
Amsterdam, Nicolaas ten Hoorn, 1727. 8vo. With an engraved frontispiece by Jan Luyken. Contemporary vellum. [12], 528, [24] pp.
€ 1,750
Rare fourth edition of the Dutch translation of a popular work on medicinal herbs, plants, minerals etc. with recipes. It starts with the Theatrum sympateticum, divided into two parts, by the English diplomat and philosopher Kenelm Digby (1603-1665). The first contains notes on medicinal herbs and plants curing everyday ailments, the second explains how to make the "powder of sympathy", "a potion which allowed the healing of the wound by treating the weapon which caused it" (MacDonald), and includes extracts from works by Papinius and Sylvester Rattrat. The powder of sympathy could also be put on a bandage that had been in contact with the wound, without ever touching the wound. Digbys work is followed by 't Groote licht der natuurkunde by Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680), a work on magnetic forces and the influence of the moon, sun and planets on the earth. The book closes with extracts from Digby's memoirs containing recipes for "new" medicines, including mostly household and cosmetic recipes, like face powder for women and water to whiten teeth.
Slightly browned, mostly in the margins, engraved title-page closely trimmed, but with no loss of the image. Binding slightly soiled. Overall in very good condition. STCN (1 copy); WorldCat (5 other copies); for Jan Luyken see: Klaversma & Hannema 441 + 442 (first and third edition); cf. P.S. MacDonald, Kenelm Digby's two treatises (2013), p. 6.
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Related Subjects:

Medicine & pharmacy  >  Herbals & Medical Botany
Natural history  >  Herbals & Medical Plants
Science & technology  >  Alchemy, Astrology & Occult | Physics & Chemistry