PARACELSUS (1493-1541)

Das Büch Paragranum ... Darinn die vier Columnae, als da ist, Philosophia, Astronomia, Alchimia, unnd Virtus, auff welche Theophrasti Medicin fundirt ist, tractirt werden. Item, Von Aderlassens, Schrepffens und Purgirens rechtem gebrauch. ... Franck. Bey Chri. Egen. Erben.1565. [Colophon:] Getruckt zu Franckfurt am Meyn, bey Christian Egenolffs Erben. Anno M. D. LXV

Frankfurt: heirs of Christian Egenolff the elder, 1565.
8vo: )(8 A--Y8 (blank Y8), 184 leaves, ff. [8] 175 [1]. Gothic letter. Title printed in red and black. Several sizes of decorated initials; woodcut tailpieces. Leaf size and condition: 151 x 93mm. A very good clean copy. Binding: Contemporary wallet style vellum wrapper made from a German printed leaf, gothic letter printed in red and black; early manuscript label. Worn but sound. Provenance and annotation: Underlining on 2 pages and the book's title entered on the endleaf in a contemporary hand but no other early marks of ownership or use. Walter Pagel (1896--1983); B. E. J. Pagel (1930--2007). References: Sudhoff 66; VD16 P512; Durling 3468; Wellcome 4755.
First edition, setting of title with 'Paragranum' on one line; in VD16 P513 the title is set with the word broken 'Paragra-|num': the wording of the title is otherwise identical (except 'vnd' for 'vnnd') and there is no indication in the database if the rest of the book is a different setting or not.
§ Paragranum, 'Against the Grain' is Paracelsus' second 'great work'. 'After its opening rant against the foolishness and ignorance of the medical profession, it settles down to provide the first clear systematization of Paracelsus' theory of medicine.' (Ball pp. 222--5 and 242.) 'It is his best-known work, for despite the usual confusion of detail the outline is simple, the style lively, and his basic teachings are put in a nutshell. Polemicizing against ignorance and dogmatism, Paracelsus develops the fundamentals of the new medicine. He answers the renewed charge that he lacks diplomas with a question: "What makes a doctor?" On four pillars, he says, rests the whole art of healing: Philosophy (roughly corresponding to what today is called natural science). Astronomy (in contrast to astrology, this includes characterology, psycho-somatic dynamics, and physcho-climatology, or that indeterminate universe of knowledge which , for want of a better name, may be called anthropology, or psychology). Alchemy (including biochemistry and pharmacology). Virtue (the professional skill of the doctor, his experience and psychological ability to mobilize the patient's vital forces).' (Pachter p. 188.) An attractive copy in a contemporary vellum binding made, unusually, not from a medieval manuscript leaf but from a printed leaf. It is a legal document, printed in red and black and with a pen-work flourish, the text headed 'Der Erste Tittl' with a subheading 'Der Acht Artickl. Das man den Richtern kain arbait thun[?]'. Literature: Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the world of renaissance magic and science (2006); Henry Maximilian Pachter, Paracelsus; Magic into Science (1951).

• GBP 8,000.00 > otras divisas
• nº de pedido: 19720

• librero: Roger Gaskell (GREAT BRITAIN)