The philosophical epitaph of W.C. Esquire, For a memento mori on his tomb-stone : VVith three hieroglyphical scutcheons, and their philosophical motto’s, and explanation, with the philosophical mercury, nature of seed, and life, and growth of metalls, and a discovery of the immortal liquor alchahest : The salt of tartar volatized, and other elixirs, with their differences : Also, A brief of the golden calf (the worlds idol.) discovering the rarest miracle in nature, how by the smallest proportion of the Philosophers-Stone a great piece of common lead was totally transmuted into the purest transplendent gold at the Hague 1666. by Jo. Fr. Helvetius : and The golden ass well managed, and Midas restor’d to reason, or, a new chymical light, demonstrating to the blind world that good gold may be found as well in cold as hot regions, and be profitably extracted out of sand, stones, gravel, and flints, &c. to be wrought by all sorts of people, Written by Jo. Rod. Glauber : With Jehior, (aurora sapientiæ), or, the day-dawning or light of wisdom, containing the three principles or original of all things, whereby are discovered the great and many mysteries in God, nature, and the elements, hitherto hid, now revealed / All published by W.C. Esquire ; With a catalogue of chymical books.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cooper, William, -1689.

Contributor:

Edgar Fahs Smith Memorial Fund.

Cooper, William, -1689, publisher.

Ratcliffe, Thomas, active 17th century, printer.

Thompson, Nathaniel, -1687, printer.

Edgar Fahs Smith Memorial Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Alchemy--Early works to 1800.

Alchemy.

Chemistry--Bibliography--Early works to 1800.

Chemistry.

Penn Provenance:

Nierenstein, M. (Maximilian) (bookplate) (Smith Collection copy)

Physical Description:

[18], 16, [16], 41, [13], 37-56, [18], 29, 37-38, 32-33 p., p. 40, p. 42, 36-78, [30] p., [7] leaves of plates : ill. ; 17 cm (8vo)

Fingerprint:

c,l, s.d. r-o- anvi (3) 1673 (A)

Place of Publication:

London : Printed by T.R. and N.T. for W. Cooper ..., Anno Dom. 1673.

Notes:

W.C. is William Cooper. Cf. ESTC.

"The words "aurora sapientiæ" are enclosed in square brackets on title page."--ESTC.

"T.R. and N.T" are probably to be identified with Thomas Ratcliffe and Nathaniel Thompson, partners 1672-1677. Cf. L. Rostenberg, "Nathaniel Thompson, Catholic printer and publisher of the Restoration," The library (Sept. 1955), p. 187-188.

Signatures: A⁸ chi1 B-O⁸ P-R⁴.

Added engraved illustrated title leaf which reads: A Philosophicall Epitaph in Herogliphicall Figures With Explanation A Briefe of ye golden Calfe (the Worlds Idoll) Glaubers golden Ass well managed Jehior the three Principles or Originall of all things Published by WC Esqr with a Catalogue of Chymicall Bookes London Printed for William Cooper att the Pellican in Litle Britain 1673.

Engraved frontispiece and illustrations (plates).

Woodcut illustrations, initials and head-piece.

Type ornament head-pieces.

"'The philosophical epitaph of VV.C. Esquire' has a separate undated title page on leaf A8r. 'A briefe of the golden calf· Or The worlds idol' has a divisional title on leaf C4r; pagination begins on leaf D1r. 'The golden ass well managed, and Mydas restored to reason' has a divisional title on leaf F6r; pagination begins with p. 37 on leaf G4r. 'Jehior [Hebrew] or The day dawning; or morning light of wisdom' has a divisional title on leaf H6r; pagination begins on leaf I7r."--ESTC.

"Caption title on leaf P1r: A catalogue of chymical books which have been written originally, or translated into English."--ESTC.

Local Notes:

Smith Collection copy: leaf chi1 bound in before leaf A1.

Smith Collection copy purchased for the Penn Libraries in 2018 from Liber Antiquus, Early Books & Manuscripts.

Smith Collection copy has bookplate ("M. NIERENSTEIN") of Maximilian Nierenstein on front pastedown.

Smith Collection copy boun din full contemporary speckled calf; boards double-ruled in blind; spine rebacked with brief title and imprint date stamped in gold.

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edgar Fahs Smith Memorial Fund.

Cited in:

ESTC R6283

Duveen collection of alchemy & chemistry 144

Wing (2nd ed., 1994) C6062

Young, J. Bibliotheca chemica, I, 135

Contains:

Golden calf.

Golden ass well managed.

Jehior.

A catalogue of chymicall books.

Helvetius, Johann Friedrich, -1709. Vitulus aureus. English.

Glauber, Johann Rudolf, 1604-1670. Novum lumen chimicum. English.

OCLC:

3793686