Alchemical and rosicrucian compendium[ca. 1760]gerndslathebManuscript on paper of a pietistic, mystical text in prose and verse, illustrated by a great variety of illustrations cut from manuscripts of smaller dimensions (plus some prints), and pasted in. These illustrations include the "Python" illuminated drawing which has been reproduced in color, a series of "alchemical processes depicted symbolically taking place within flasks", as well as many other pictorial elements drawn from a variety of sourcesIn German, Low-German, Latin, and Hebrew.Script: Written by a single hand in dark brown and pale red inks in a loose and flowing cursive, often with Fraktur elements, frequently placing capital letters in the midst of words, sometimes in red; with some inserted leaves and additional matter by another, perhaps slightly later hand, and with pasted-in leaves, usually with illustrations, partly taken from older manuscripts, and partly (apparently) by the compiler.Watermarks: The inserted leaves of paper with a large fleur-de-lys watermark, unidentified; the thinner paper used for most of the volumes with unidentified watermark in folds.With additions in German and Dutch.Bound in 2 volumes.Binding: Uniformly bound in eighteenth- or nineteenth-century marbled boards, red leather backs with three bands, each volume with modern brown calf title labels gold-stamped "ALCHYMICAL MANUSCRIPT," speckled edges.