Basil Valentine

Basil Valentine is an as yet unidentified German Editor alchemical writings that have survived in print since 1599 and in manuscripts from the early 17th century. They have been reprinted several times, commented on and translated into several European languages.

Legend and research

In these writings Basilius Valentinus occurs as a Benedictine monk. The legend locates him in Erfurt Peter Monastery and submit it ( with changing data, but they are all not supported by contemporary sources ) usually the 15th century, certainly before Paracelsus, with whom he the Three Principles - Teaching ( Mercury, Sulphur and Sal) has in common.

While the history discussed in the 18th century, Paracelsus if not go back in to St. Basil, which he had denied, modern research seem to be in an inverse dependence. Accordingly, the St. Basil's corpus has been created not long before the end of the 16th century. The genesis of individual writings, however, is only partially understood.

Today, the majority of researchers believed that the native of Hesse alchemist Johann Thölde who published 1599-1604 by Frankenhausen and Leipzig from the first St. Basil's writings, its real author, or at least compiler was. This belief, however, objected on several occasions.

From Thölde published writings ( first editions ):

  • Summa -driven report from the Lapide Philosophorum. Zerbst 1602
  • De Occulta Philosophia. Or from the secret miracle birth of the seven planets and metals. Leipzig 1603
  • Of the natural unnd about natural things. Leipzig 1603
  • Chariot antimonii. Leipzig 1604

After Thöldes death published writings ( first editions ):

  • Or Conclusiones final speeches. Erfurt 1622
  • Last will and revelation of the heavenly and irrdischen Geheimnüß. Jena 1626

Total output ( it also spurious writings ):

  • Chymical all writings, much of which exists. Hamburg 1677 ( passim )

For the bibliography comes namely additional difficulty that, after death Thöldes also a section of Thöldes Haligraphia and Nicolaus Solea Bergwerckschatz ( " book of the Bergwergk " ) was published under the name of Basil, so that it has come again and again to hasty identifications.

Honors

1845 named Wilhelm von Haidinger in Gedenkan to Basilius Valentinus which formerly known as antimony mineral bloom in valentinite to.

Alchemy Order of Saint Benedict Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Karl Sudhoff Neue Deutsche Biographie Integrated Authority File
107817
de