Chaos: Niels Stensen’s Chaos-manuscript, Copenhagen, 1659

260 Pages·1997·14.27 MB·English

by  Nicolaus Steno (auth.), August Ziggelaar (ed.)

ACTA HISTORICA SCIENTIARUM NATURALIUM ET MEDICINALIUM
Vol. 44
Chaos
Niels Stensen’s
Chaos-manuscript
Copenhagen, 1659
Complete edition
with
Introduction, Notes and Commentary
by
August Ziggelaar
Published by
The Danish National Library of Science and Medicine
Copenhagen 1997
ACTA HISTORICA SCIENTIARUM NATURALIUM ET MEDICINALIUM
CONTENTS
Published bv The Danish National Library of Science and Medicine
Copenhagen University Library
Melie Stockinarr, Director
Distributed by Munksgaard Preface................................................................................................................ 7
35. None Sogade ■ DK-I0I6 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Te -ax -r45 331293S7 Abbreviations and bibliography ................................................................... 9
A series of monographs including editions of source material
Introduction....................................................................................................... 11
for the history of science and medicine as well as monographs
on individual subjects and personalities
The issues are published in English
Text and English translation
Manuscripts and enquiries concerning this series, Part I ................................................................................................................ 21
including collaboration and exchange, should be addressed to the editors'. Part I I ............................................................................................................. 113
Part III............................................................................................................. 177
Troels Eggers Hansen. Deputy Librarian
and Part IV ............................................................................................................. 247
Torsten Schlichtkrull. Advisory Librarian
Port V ............................................................................................................. 313
The Danish National Library of Science and Medicine
49, Norre Alle ■ DK-2200 Copenhagen N Part V I............................................................................................................. 337
Denmark
Telefax [phone]
Illustrations ...................................................................................................... 455
Vol. 44 is edited by
t Poul A. Christiansen. Advisory Librarian
Commentary....................................................................................................... 459
and
Torsten Schlichtkrull. Advisory Librarian
Authors................................................................................................................ 483
© 1997 The Danish National Library of Science and Medicine
Glossary............................................................................................................. 501
ISSN 0065-1311
Vol. 44 ISBN 87-16-15650-1
Printed in Denmark by P.J.Schmidt .AS, Vojens
Index of names.................................................................................................... 505
Index of (a few) subjects 519
Preface
Never before did I have a more pronounced experience of standing on the
shoulders of giants. Niels Stensen's Chaos-manuscript has been studied before
me by Gustav Scherz. who discovered it and published parts of it, by my brother-
in-religion Alfred Otto, who transcribed large parts of it until he was prevented
by death from finishing his labours, and by dr. phil. H.D. Schepelern, who pub­
lished it in part, viz. its notes. Comparing this edition with the work of these
predecessors, one may notice that at certain points in this difficult to read manu­
script I have preferred another reading to theirs. Yet, how often the present
editor was saved from despair about reading an illegible word and how often a
reading could be corrected by looking at their previous work, can never be re­
vealed. So first of all I have to thank these three predecessors for their pioneering
work. May this edition inspire and assist readers to answer questions still re­
maining.
On the initiative of the late Poul Aagaard Christiansen, then Advisory Li­
brarian at the Danish National Library of Science and Medicine, Copenhagen
University Library. I was invited to prepare this edition. I am grateful to this
University Library and particularly to Poul Aagaard Christiansen for the confi­
dence they have shown me, for their encouragement, copious assistance and the
grant of a journey to Florence to consult the original manuscript for the purpose
of settling some questions left after the study of the A-4 copy which the Univer­
sity Library put at my disposal. I very much regret that Poul Aagaard Christi­
ansen did not live to see this result of his diligent and "kind support as chief-
editor and fund raiser, after a short illness he died on 11 May 1996. His task was
taken over by Torsten Schlichtkrull, Advisory Librarian at The Danish National
«Library of Science and Medicine, who brought it to a happy conclusion; I thank
him for his patient and kind collaboration. I thank the Biblioteca Nazionale
Centrale in Florence not only for their permission to publish the complete text
of their precious manuscript but also for kind assistance during my visit to the
library. In Florence I stayed at the Istituto Niels Stensen and I thank my brother-
in-religion Lorenzo Delzanna for generous hospitality and for all valuable assist­
ance. I thank the Haus der Baverischen Geschichte, Augsburg, for permission
to reproduce the painted portrait of Jeremias Drexel and the Royal Library of
Denmark, Copenhagen, for photographs of the portraits of Ole Borch and of
Pierre Gassendi and permission to publish them.
I left my position as a lecturer at the physics department of the Royal Danish
School of Educational Studies in Copenhagen in the summer of 1992 in order
to have time for preparing this edition. My colleagues during more than twenty
years allowed me to keep an office at the institution and to use its facilities,
accepting me as a Senior staff member. I owe many thanks for this generosity
8 Preface
at the very time when the space allotted to the exact sciences was being severely Abbreviations and Bibliography
restricted.
Assistance from many generous helpers was needed to correct my English. I
am profoundly grateful to dr. Paul Maquet for his generosity in carrying out
the tedious job of correcting the English translation of the Chaos text and to
my brother-in-religion John Coventry, London, for patiently putting the fin­ Hereafter the name Niels Stensen will be abbreviated to S.
ishing touches to the text, also to Mr. C. N. Harris, Odense, and my brother-in- An asterisk * after a word refers to a short description in the section Gloss­
religion L. O. Dorn. Copenhagen, for correcting other parts of the publication. ary; if it is a personal name, the asterisk refers to a short presentation of an
The final result is of course my responsibility. author or other person of significance in the section Authors.
I thank prof. dr. phil. Helmer Kofod for valuable help in interpreting the long
list of medicaments which is an excerpt from the last part ot Simon Paulli s For a complete bibliography on S. until 1986 see:
Quadripartitum. Also here, of course, the final responsibility is mine. The manu­ Michael Jensen. Bibliographia Nicolai Stenonis. Morke, Impetus. 1986.
script published here for the first time in its entirety touches on so many subjects References to more recent books may be found e. g. in biographies of S. of
that it is impossible to find an expert in all these areas. Physics and its history later date.
are the qualifications of the present editor. For many other subjects he had to Helge Clausen, Ph. D., Research Librarian at the State and University Library,
use the advice of other experts, so many that they can only be thanked here in Aarhus, Denmark, has updated Michael Jensen’s bibliography until 1994 inclus­
general. ively and incorporated it into a database, Steno Base. This electronic bibli­
The Chaos-manuscript deals with all kinds of subjects. Perusing this edition, ography is part of the Cosmos system at The Danish National Library of
a reader might get the wrong impression that the editor is a living encyclopedia, Science and Medicine. The bibliography is maintained by Helge Clausen and by-
the more because reference to the source of information often has been left out Torsten Schlichtkrull, Advisory Librarian, The Danish National Library of
so as not to make the edition unwieldy both for the editor and for the reader. Science and Medicine.
In reality he had to make a most grateful use of a large number of dictionaries, Here are listed only those works to which will be referred with an abbrevi­
encyclopedias, bibliographies and the libraries containing them. He feels most ation:
grateful for the inexhaustible source of information contained in The Oxford
English Dictionary; this will become particularly evident when one compares the EP Nicolai Stenonis Epistolae et Epistolae ad eum Datae. Ed. Gustav Scherz.
Glossary of this edition with the corresponding information in The Oxford Eng­ Vol. I-II. Copenhagen, Nyt Nordisk Forlag. 1952.
lish Dictionary. As for authors, scientists and physicians and in general infor­ ES Egill Snorrason: Niels Stensen. En students notater fra 1659. Copenhagen.
mation about persons, much was found in standard biographical dictionaries. Molnlycke. (1966).
GS Gustav Scherz: Niels Stensen. Eine Biographie. Leipziu, St. Benno-Verlae.
Vol. I. 1987. Vol. II. 1988.
HS Niels Stensen. A Danish Student in his Chaos-manuscript 1659. Ed. H. D.
Schepelern. (Acta Historica Scientiarum Naturalium et Medicinalium,
vol. 38). Copenhagen, University Library. 1987.
OP Nicolai Stenonis Opera Philosophica. Vol. I-II. Ed. Vilhelm Maar. Copen­
hagen, Vilhelm Tryde. 1910.
OT Nicolai Stenonis Opera Theologica. Ed. Knud Larsen & Gustav Scherz.
Copenhagen, Nyt Nordisk Forlag. Vol. I. 1941. Vol. II. 1947.
P f W 1 H* -i-n Introduction
T^iPP. J r&-~
w;£2% ju . • <?j -r?
K * ■ M f e f J W K g
Niels Stensen’s Chaos-manuscript is a rare document revealing how a genius
prepares himself for his task. It contains excerpts of scientific books made by a
university student in the last months of his studies at his home university just
before he set out on journeys to other universities abroad where he would make
his first discoveries. It also presents some of his reflections on his readings and
other events, social, religious and personal so that it sheds light on both the
S i t ‘
society where he lived and his own personality.
- r^*.^ In 1946 Gustav Scherz found the Chaos-manuscript in Florence. The Bibliote-
r^./4 _
iss^ ca Nazionale Centrale in Florence has under the archive number Galilei 291 a
volume of 245 in-folio sheets with on the first page the designation:
Posteriori di Galileo, Tomo 32
Accademia del Cimento, parte III,
Carteggio, vol. 17
,.,v ~.S----l- “7 -;r/~'. j^K> *>jy.
'S tS ^vu yte Scritti di Niccolo Stenone.
- .......".r^r7 -x iip -£? v - r ^ t* ^lyt^i***l JcU ><»-Ufi,i,
sSflWBSMsSfe* The Chaos-manuscript is contained here in 23 whole folio sheets folded once
•fc^A ’“7 7VZ1 **~ -
~ y.* .^ ; - iw' .r-7^3 *M *Hm**+rn*r ?**— /« */— ^•* ** ~UT *“- ,‘"<‘^*^,., and sewn together at the spine: the format is 32x19 cm. The paper, of fairly
coarse material, is untrimmed but in the right margin worn by use. The 92 pages
have two columns, numbered 1 to 184 by Niels Stensen himself. Later on each
page got a number, from fol. 28 to fol. 75, recto and verso. Between fol. 33 and
fol. 36 two small sheets have been inserted, numbered 34, recto and verso, and
^
^ 35. recto and verso.
^
m
w
u Niels Stensen
a
v
V Niels Stensen was born in 1638 in Copenhagen, capital of the kingdom of
P
S Denmark. As date of his birth is given 1 January. His father. Sten Pedersen, was a
P
P goldsmith, his father's brother was a Lutheran parish priest. His grandfather and
B his grand-grandfather had been parish priests in Scania, at that time belonging to
P
H the kingdom of Denmark. They were praised for their pastoral work. As a small
I
I boy, S. suffered from a disease that forced him for some time to stay at home lis­
P
I tening to the conversation of adults instead of playing with children of his own age.
P
P Thus he acquired the life-long habit of seeking the company of persons from whom
he could learn something useful. When he was six years old, his father died. His
mother. Anna Nielsdatter. later married another goldsmith. Peder Lesle, who died
in 1647. Then Anna Nielsdatter married yet another goldsmith. Jorgen Stich-
mann. During all that time, until S. came of age. the husband of his half-sister Lis-
beth. a treasury official, Jorgen Carstensen, was his guardian.
Col. 129-130, fol. 62r. of the Chaos-manuscript, with excerpts from Simon Paulli s Both at home and later on. when he was a pupil of Our Lady's School. S.
Opwj Quadripartitum and Ismael Boulliaus De Natura Lucis. enjoyed a careful education in Lutheran orthodoxy and piety. This school was
Introduction 13
12 Introduction
Gersdorff*. Only names of authors are listed but among them are many of the
connected to Our Lady's Church, the main church of Copenhagen, a collegiate
authors whom S. mentions in his Chaos-manuscript. Joachim Gersdorff*. the
church during the Middle Ages. Canons taught and pupils served at religious
Royal Steward, had in 1656 appointed Ole Borch* as tutor to his sons and S. had
services in the church. After the Reformation religion was still the main subject
many discussions with Ole Borch*. Through him S. could have access to
at school, together with singing because the pupils had to sing at religious ser­
Gersdorff*'s library and was probably allowed to borrow books for a short time.
vices in the church. Latin and Greek were also taught. At the beginning of the
The very year 1659, before the siege was finally at an end. S. left Copenhagen.
1650’s an epidemic carried off almost one third of the population of Copen­
Via Rostock he reached Amsterdam where he made his first discovery, that of
hagen; among the victims was almost half of the schoolboys. The headmaster
the ductus Stenonianus, the channel from the ear spittle gland to the mouth, but
was Jorgen Ejlersen (1616-1686). He published several mathematical works and
already in 1660 he moved to the famous university of Leiden where he finished
though officially the time table of the school did not contain mathematics or
his studies. In 1664 he was in Copenhagen but left again the same year. He
science, S. would later thank Jorgen Ejlersen for his inspiration and guidance in
stayed in Paris in 1665, where he held a famous lecture on the anatomy of the
mathematical studies. Another teacher at Our Lady's School, whom S. would
brain, passed the winter in Montpellier and arrived in Italy in 1666. He visited
thank in the same way, was Ole Borch* (1626-1690). Ole Borch* had studied
Rome where he met the Jesuits Athanasius Kircher* and Honore Fabri but
philosophy, philology and poetry. Under the guidance of Ole Worm*, Thomas
settled in Florence as one of the scientists at the court of the Grandduke of
Bartholin* and Simon Paulli* Borch* studied medicine with anatomy, botany
Toscana. In anatomy he made more discoveries and he published them in his
and chemistry. Ole Worm* died in 1654, leaving behind his Museum Wormian-
books. Here shall be mentioned only that in 1669 he published his Prodromus
um, that one year later was moved to the king's palace and before 1673 incorpor­
de Solido in Solido naturaliter contento, a pioneering work in geology. For his
ated into the royal collection of art. Simon Paulli* (1603-1680) had come from
research he undertook a lengthy journey beginning on the island Elba, he trav­
Rostock to become professor of anatomy and medicine. In 1648 he published
elled from Napoli to Hungary and finally returned to Florence in 1670. In 1667
Flora Danica; he left the university and became physician to the royal court. S.
he had become a Catholic so he could not return to Copenhagen to take up a
often visited the home of Simon Paulli*, whose son Jacob Henrik was one year
position as a professor but the prime Minister Griffenfeld found a way of ap­
older than S. In 1655 Ole Borch* was appointed tutor and teacher of the sons
pointing him as a royal anatomist. Thus S. lived in Copenhagen from 1672 to
of the Royal Steward, Joachim Gersdorff* (1611-1661) and thus he could make
1674. Then he returned to Florence as tutor to the Grandduke Cosimo Ill’s son.
use of the chemical laboratory in GersdorfP’s property.
In 1675 he was ordained a priest and left his career as a scientist.
Niels Stensen was immatriculated at Copenhagen University 27 November
Whenever S. after his conversion to the Catholic Church had met with his
1656. His interest was “mathematics”, that meant in those days the exact
acquaintances of other confessions, he had been engaged in discussions and
sciences but it was not a good source of income then and S.’s family was not
controversies. It began on his visit in Holland in 1670, it continued during his
wealthy enough so he had to choose the subject which still was nearest his main
stay in Denmark and finally also in Germany after 1677 when Duke Johann
interest, being also natural science, but which could provide him with the necess­
Friedrich of Braunschweig had him as bishop for the scattered Catholics in his
ary means of existence; that was the study of medicine. Thomas Bartholin* was
domain. S. settled in Hannover but had to leave after the sudden death of the
his "preceptor”, his tutor.
Duke, at the end of 1679. From 1680 to 1683 S. was active as an auxiliary bishop
In 1657 war broke out between Denmark and Sweden. In August 1658 King
in the diocese Munster. After the death of the prince bishop S. left for Hamburg;
Carl X Gustav of Sweden swept with his army over most of Denmark, finally be­
in 1685 he moved to Schwerin because Catholic worship had been become poss­
sieging Copenhagen. Teaching at the university ceased, the students were engaged
ible at the court. On 25 November (old style) 1686 he died.
in the defence of the town, also through military service and S. served in their first
Throughout all his life S. had been praised for his modesty. During the last
company, but he does not appear to have been among the actually fighting students
years his way of life had become increasingly ascetic, he practiced rigorous evan­
on 11 February 1659, when the defenders repelled the Swedes’ storm attack.
gelical poverty and fasted several days a week. When he died, both Catholics
Egill Snorrason has in detail (ES) described what libraries and collections of
and Protestants declared that he was a Saint. Indeed, on 23 October 1988 in
books were accessible for S. and H. D. Schepelern added to this description (HS).
Saint Peter’s Church in Rome, Pope John Paul II beatified him.
In 1657 the University Library had found accommodation above the newly built
Trinitatis Church, whose tower was the Round Tower with the astronomical ob­
servatory. The University Library was open on Wednesdays and Saturdays but, if The Chaos-manuscript
there was no opportunity of borrowing books, S. must have had access to other
On Tuesday 8 March 1659 S. started a manuscript which he gave the title Chaos.
collections of books because he made excerpts on all days of the week. The Royal
It contains excerpts from several books and also personal notes, distinguished
Library at Copenhagen preserves a catalogue of books in the library of Joachim
14 Introduction Introduction 15
from the excerpts by a letter “N.” both at the beginning and at the end of the due to the critical situation created by the siege and the assault by the Swedes
note. The manuscript must have retained some value for Niels Stensen because though an exception may be made for lectures held by Rasmus Bartholin. There
he took it with him all the way to Florence where he arrived in 1666 and was to is no evidence for S. having heard such lectures. S. had so much the more time
live for several years, from 1666 to 1672 and from 1675 to 1677. Also, if we are to study books and do experiments and this makes the very contents of the
right in seeing S. add marginal notes from books which were published in 1660. manuscript.
Thomas Willis*'s Diuv Diatriba and Kenelm Digby’s Dissertatio tie Plantarum It is to be hoped that this complete edition of the Chaos-manuscript will be
Vegetatione, then we have some evidence for the assumption that S. took the used by many researchers in particular those who are interested in Niels Stensen,
manuscript with him on his first scientific journey, to Amsterdam and Leiden. but with caution. When e.g. in his excerpt of Athanasius Kircher*'s book on
1660-1664. Digby's treatise was, in Latin translation, published in Amsterdam. magnetism S. says: "In Frankfurt I have seen ..." (col.37), evidently the person
In Florence Gustav Scherz discovered the Chaos-manuscript at the Biblioteca speaking is Kircher*. S. quotes Kircher*. Thus when S. says: "I am planning a
Nazionale Centrale in 1946. Fie edited some of the most interesting personal book on the change of the surface of the Earth’’ (col. 16, observation 83 of
notes in his edition of Nicolai Stenonis Epistola ... (EP). In the 1970s dr. phil. Pierre Borel*’s third Centuria) S. quotes Borel*.
Alfred Otto SJ. was charged with the task of editing the whole manuscript but This caution is also necessary in S.'s personal notes. When S. just writes "he",
his death in 1982 prevented him from finishing the work. Fie left a typescript of he usually means Ole Borch*, dr. Schepelern kindly pointed out to me. I would
col. 1-47 and 99-100 and some loose rough drafts. go a step further and say: When S. says "I” in his notes, he often quotes Ole
Dr. phil. H. D. Schepelern took over and managed to publish an edition of Borch*. The first assumption is justified by comparison with passages where S.
the manuscript in Latin with English translation in 1987 (HS); he restricted actually writes B. or Borch; the other assumption may be justified by reference
himself to the personal notes. However, he wrote the entire manuscript out in to Ole Borch*’s works. E.g. when S. writes "See my Cabala" (N.31. col. 32), he
its original Latin version which he was so kind as to put at the present editor's does not refer to his personal copy of Ole Borch*’s De Cabala Characteralr. he
disposal. quotes Ole Borch*’s own words from a conversation with him.
This edition is not just a repetition of work done previously. It is the first
complete edition of the manuscript. In 1973 the great scholar of history of medi­
Chaos as title
cine Vilhelm Moller-Christensen expressed his hope that "this valuable docu­
ment soon may be transcribed in a scientific edition"1. Dr. phil. Olaf Pedersen The name CHAOS may fit well to the unordered collection of scientific and
also recently expressed as his opinion that a complete edition of the Chaos- private notes. Use of the word "chaos" may also have been a fashion at that
manuscript was very much to be desired2. Even for those who are only interested time. In 1597 Giambattista Porta had in Frankfurt his Magia Naturalis pub­
in the personal notes, the edition of the entire manuscript should be a service. lished in twenty “books". Thereafter a last “book" follows which bears the title
Indeed, the personal notes which Schepelern edited, cannot stand by themselves "Chaos, in quo experimenta extra ordinem classium continentur": Chaos, which
because they have to be understood against the background of what Niels Stens­ contains experiments outside the range of the classes. This Frankfurt edition
en had read and excerpted just before, or also of what he was going to excerpt may have been known in Denmark; a copy is preserved at the Universitarv
thereafter because the notes also shed some light on Niels Stensen's choice of Library of Copenhagen. For Paracelsus* the chaos of Holy Scripture's creation
books to be excerpted. Thus the extensive excerpt of Athanasius Kircher*'s story was a watery prime matter from which God created everythina. (The verv
Magnes, col. 32-63, 21 March - 3 April, Easter Sunday is interrupted in col. 48. first excerpt in S.'s Chaos-manuscript is an argument taken from Holy Scripture's
on 26 March, until col. 50, on 29 March, by excerpts from and discussions creation story.) Chaos is for Paracelsus* also a property or faculty of the element
about Hermann Conring*’s book De Hermetica Medicina because Ole Borch*, air3. According to Hermann Conring*, for Paracelsus* chaos was the great mys­
Conring*'s vigorous adversary, had drawn S.'s attention to it. as is evident from tery of the entire world; a dead body returns to its place from where it had
N.44. come, that is to "chaos and the air of the higher and lower firmament"4.
The Chaos-manuscript has dated entries for every day between 8 March and Johan Baptist van Helmont (1577-1644) is credited with the invention of the
3 July, however it is not a diary. Though the Swedes besieged Copenhagen during term "gas", derived from "chaos".5 In those days both chaos and gas were rather
all the time when S. was writing his Chaos, no political nor military event is metaphysical concepts from which our physical concept of gas derives for sub­
mentioned. Occasionally meteorologial (col. 24. N.20. N. 23 and 69), astronom­ stances which do not show up as liquids or solids.6 The general acceptance of
ical (col. 105) and biological (N. 197 and 201) events are mentioned or described. this term may add some evidence to the assumption that the term "chaos" was
Nor is the C/aw.v-manuscript a set of lecture-notes. No lectures were held at in vogue during that period.
the university during the academic year 1658-1659, at least not before 22 March. For other explanations of the title “Chaos", see ES. pp. 56-57.
16 Introduction
Introduction 17
Principles of presentation and the planets and they are always in this edition interpreted by the usual
names of the planets, respectively the metals, thus:
S.'s manuscript is a chaos: impossible to give it a structure by division in chapters
with subdivisions of sections etc. Only a few mainlines can be traced using the © = Sol; dies Solis; aurum
fact that the manuscript is essentially an excerpt of books, and some books have English: the Sun; Sunday; gold
been excerpted very systematically, whereas from other books S. wrote only J) = Luna; dies Lunas; argentum
excerpts of some minor part. Thus: English: the Moon; Monday; silver
I. Col. 3-23 is mainly the excerpt of Pierre Borel*’s Observationum medico- <5 = Mars; dies Martis; ferrum
physicarum Centuria IK and the appended minor treatises. English: Mars; Tuesday; iron
II. Col. 32-63 (Easter Sunday) is mainly an excerpt of Athanasius Kircher*'s 2 = Mercurius; dies Mercurii; hydrargyrum
book on magnetism, the most elaborate and detailed excerpt at all though only English: Mercury; Wednesday; quicksilver
of those parts of the book which deal with ‘'magnetism” in the wider sense in 2f = Jupiter; dies Iovis; stannum
English: Jupiter; Thursday; tin
which Kircher* uses the term.
III. Wednesday in the week of Easter S. started his excerpts of Matthias 2 = Venus; dies Veneris; cuprum
Untzer*"s books on sulphur, col. 64-71, on mercury, col. 71-82 and on salt. col. English: Venus: Friday; copper
83-96. Sulphur, mercury and salt were the Paracelsian principles of matter. Tl = Saturnus; dies Saturni; plumbum
IV. In col. 96-102 S. completes his excerpts from Kircher*’s book on mag­ English: Saturn; Saturday; lead
netism. Col. 103-105 is mostly an excerpt of Bernhard Varen*, Geographia
Other alchemistic symbols are also written out in words, thus:
Generalis. Excerpts follow of Santorio Santorio*’s Statica Medicina, col. 107-
108, and of Joh. Ionston*, Natura: Constantia, col. 109-114. These are minor A = ignis; English: fire
excerpts. Indeed. N. 135 in col. 108, gives evidence of S.’s fatigue. In N. 150, V = aqva; English: water
col. 114. S. stops this superficial way of studying. For nearly a whole month, VF = aqua fortis; English: nitric acid
14 May - 11 June, he does not enter excerpts in the Chaos-manuscript, col. VR= aqva regia*
113-127, but that does not imply that he did not study books or fill other 22 = sulphur
notebooks with materials which were more directly useful for his planned pro­ 5 = antimonium; English: antimony
fession as a physician. © = sal commune; English: kitchensalt, NaCl
V. The last part of Simon Paulli*'s Qvadripartitum. giving directions for doses O = alumen; English: alum
of medicines, is excerpted in col. 128-131. Ismael Boulliau*s book on light is © = sal nitrum; English: nitre, saltpetre
excerpted in col. 129-135. Col. 137-155 have the excerpt of Jean Pecquet*’s Ana­ © = vitriolum; English: vitriol*
tomical Experiments and the treatises attached to this book. © = sal armoniacus; English: salmiac, NH4C1
VI. Col 156-161 continue and finish the excerpt of Ismael Boulliau*'s book Q = tartarum; English: tartar*
on the nature of light. Col. 161-184 contain the transcription of Ole Borch* 8 = Recipe: English: take, prescription
's excerpt of Pierre Gassendi*'s philosophical system of atomism. Philosophia:
Symbols and abbreviations for units of weight are also reproduced in words; thus:
Epicurea Syntagma.
The Latin style of the manuscript is concise and as accurate as may be ex­ £ = libra; Engxpound
pected in personal notes. The present translation is litteral so as to preserve and 5 = uncia; English: ounce; 1 pound=12 ounces
reflect the proper character and style of the manuscript, it may even reflect an 2 = drachma; English; dram; 1 ounce=8 drams
occasional disorder in the syntax of the Latin text. Only where deemed necessary scr. = scrupulus; English: scruple; 1 dram=3 scruples
for understanding have a few words been inserted, usually in brackets. Erasions gr. = granum; English: grain; 1 scruple=20 grains
are rare in the manuscript. Usually, in respect for the will of the author, words B = semissus; English: half
erased are not edited. In most cases they are trivial inadvertences.
Niels Stensen used marginal notes to indicate the content of a passage. This
S. always indicated the weekdays on which he wrote by their astrological signs.
edition, so as to save space, uses the modern method of subtitles. Sometimes,
In the Latin text of this edition they are rendered by the usual words for the
however. S. intended them to be real marginal notes and therefore a few subtitles
days of the week. Likewise he used the same astrological signs to indicate metals
in this edition may look somewhat awkward.
18 Introduction
Abbreviations used in this edition: References
S. = Niels Stensen 1. “Niels Stensen som kongelig anatom i Kobenhavn". Dansk medicinhistorisk
: illegible text arbog 1973, p. 181.
[?] : uncertain reading 2. R 131 in: “Steno and the Origin of Crystallography”. Pp. 113-134 in: Stenoni-
* : the term preceding the asterisk* is explained in the glossary; if it is ana. Nova series 1. 1991. Copenhagen (Ltegeforeningens forlag).
a person's name, the person is in the list of AUTHORS 3. The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of... Paracelsus ... Ed. Arthur Edward
[sic: ilium?] A mistake in the manuscript, with proposal of correction Waite. Vol. E New York (University Books) 1967, pp. 295. 301, 304, 207.
p<e>ri : the letter e betweenOis in the manuscriptb ut should not be read Vom Geist und Wesen und von der Daiter der Dinge. In: Leipzia, Im Insel-
ol[e]um : the letter e is not in the manuscript buts hould be read Verlag. 1921. §164, p. 271.
[[sic] and ][sic]: The brackets are S.*’s, not the editor's. Thus in col. 2 and col. 33. 4. Herman Conring, De Hermetica <Hgyptiorum Vetere et Paracelsicorum Nova
l.fibrum] : an abbreviation in the manuscript has been written out in the edi­ Medicina. Liber Vnus. Helmstedt. 1648. ch. 22., pp. 318 and 319.
tion. 5. In 1648 Helmont’s son Franciscus Mercurius published all his father's works
in Amsterdam under the title Onus Medicince. There, pp. 86b and 59a. van
Not written out in the edition are the abbreviations:
Helmont introduces “gas” as his invention.
N. = Nota (Note) Franz Strunz, Theophrastus Paracelsus. Salzburg - Leipzig, Anton Pustet.
NB. = N. B., Nota bene (observe). 1937, p. 79, says that the term “gas” occurs first in Paracelsus*' writings but
he does not refer to any passage in Paracelsus' writings.
The following abbreviations are always written out in this edition:
6. Schriften Theophrasts von Hohenheim. Ed. Hans Kavser. Leipzig, Im Insel-
a. = autem; English: but, however Verlag. 1921. P. 497.
aia and its declinations=anima; English: soul
ap. = apud; English: at, with, preferably a person
dr. —dicitur; English; it is said
e = est; English; is - and other forms of the verb
E. = erao; English; therefore
hoi and its declinations=homo, hominis etc.; English; (hu)man
it. = item; English: likewise
n. = enim; English: for, because
nsr and its declinations=noster; English; our
0 - non; English: not
2 = per; English: through, per-
P = prae; English before, pre-
<? = pro; English: for
22 = propter; English: because of
s. = seu, sive; English: or
tn. = tamen; English: nevertheless
V. —vide; English: see
V. vero; English: but, however
N.xx = The numbers of the notes are the same as in Schepelern's edition HS.
N.xxa = The personal note is not in Schepelern's edition HS but follows his
note N.xx.
N.xx.* The personal note is also edited in EP.
N’.x.x This is not properly a personal note but edited as N.xx in HS,
Schepelern's edition.
col. 1 21
Part I. Tuesday 8 - Monday 21 March, col. 1-32
After a few excerpts from Cornelius Schylander*: Practica Chirurgia and Werner Rolfinck*:
Dissertationes Anatomica, col. 3-23 is mainly the excerpt of Pierre Borel’s Observationum
medico-physicarum Centuria IV. and the appended minor treatises. Col. 24 and 25 have more
excerpts from Rolfinck*: Dissertationes and Schylander*’s Practica Chirurgia. Col. 28-30 have
an excerpt of Vincent Leblanc*'s account of a travel to the East and col. 30-32 excerpt
Hieronymus Jordan*: De eo qvod Divinum in morbis. In between excerpts from Jeremias Drex­
el*: Joseph Asgypti Prorex.
col. l.fol. 28r
Die 8. Martii 16591 [Tuesday] 8 March 1659'
In nomine Jesu- In the name of Jesus2
CHAOS3 CHAOS3
Parte 2. Lectione l4 Part 2, lecture I 4
Non ex quibus qua Aristoteles Not out of-Aristotle's [elements]
Hominem ex 4 elementis- compositum That man is composed of the four elements.1 is
esse repugnat S[acra] S.[cripturte], ubi against Holy Scripture, where Moses7 only men­
aqvte et terne6 tantum a Moyse' fit men­ tions water and earth.6 For Aristotle's air nowhere
tio. Aer enim Aristotelicus nusqvam repe- appears and fire is an accident. For coal put on
ritur et ignis accidens est. Carbo enim ig­ fire differs only accidentally from coal not on fire
nitus a non ignito accidentaliter tantum and bodies are only resolved into water and
differt, corporaqve in aqvam et terram earth.8
tantum resolvuntur.8
Causa ulcerum The causes of ulcers
In pane, herbis, carnibus, aqva. cerevi- In bread, herbs, meat, water, beer and wine
sia et vino, qvte assumimus, multte latent which we take, many watery or earthy impurities
impuritates aqvere vel terrestres, qvte ob hide which because of difference in nature cannot
dissimilitudinem natura in corpus nostr­ be changed into our body. Freed from the purity
um mutari neqveunt. Hte ab admixtione which is mixed with them, they are raised and ac­
puritatis libera exaltantur et ratione salse­ cording to their saltiness, sourness, sweetness or
dinis. acrimonite, dulcedinis vel acerbitatis bitterness they corrode the fiesh and the skin and
carnem et cutem corrodunt producuntqve produce heat, humidity and other symptoms.9 But
caliditates. humiditates et alia symptoma­ as water and earth from nettle are not the same as
ta.9 Cum vero alia sit aqva et terra urticte, those from arsenic, pepper and so on. differences
alia arsenei. piperis alia etc., hinc ulcerum in ulcers arise thereby, as some which are salty cor­
differentia: oriuntur, cum illarum alite rode. others which are sour, prick.10 Thus impur­
Jeremias Drexel* S. J. (1581-1638)
salste corrodant, alia: acres pungant.10 Im­ ities w hich have the action and property of arsenic,
The painting most probably dates from 1697. In that year the Jesuit College St. Michael. i
puritates itaqve. qvte habent actionem et produce pestiferous ulcers with most burning:
Munich, acquired paintings like this one for its library; they are now property of the Baverische
proprietatem arsenici, ulcera producunt those which have the action and property of alum
Akademie der Wissenschaften. The painting is at display in the Berchmanskolleg of the Jesuits.
pestifera cum maximis ardoribus, qvte alu­ produce corrosive ulcers: those which have the ac­
Munich. Photograph by Gunter and Eva von Voithenberg.
minis, corrosiva, qvte urticte.mordicantia tion and property of nettle, are biting and sharp,
It was impossible to find a portrait of Pierre Borel*. j
et acria, qvte papaveris etc.11 those which have the action of poppy etc.11