Manuscript on paper of an almanac for 1692, containing astronomical tables, Saints' days, weather predictions, and other information for each month, accompanied by a preface "To the Benigne Readers," an illustration of "The Moon her dominion over man's body," and concluding with a short essay on the lawfulness and science of astrology. Last three pages contain annotations in another hand listing "bookes of the secrets of Nature and Art." Stitched. Acc.: 02.10.5
1) Thanking him for having hosted her at Bowood, and discussing Napoleon's autumn campaign and the Battle of Dennewitz. 2) Concerning politics and personal matters, including news of her daughter's marriage. ACC: 97.10.7 (44.353)
Reporting the death of Governor William Stoughton of Massachusetts Bay (on July 7) and recommending the swift appointment of a new Royal governor to prevent unrest, "as these peopell have had theare owne willes so longe." The second letter repeats the advice at length and suggests that some "Church of England men" be appointed to assist as well.
Describing her treatment at the hands of Napoleon's Police Minister, Savary, following the suppression of her book De L'Allemagne; also comments on the political situation in Europe following her visit to Russia, where she witnessed the French advance, and mentions the czar and Bernadotte.
ACC: 97.10.6 (44.352)
Letter discussing their shared interest in books and reading, including Dickens, Stephens's Incidents of Travel in Central America and Campbell's life of Frederick the Great. Also refers to their efforts to persuade booksellers to stock "Julia Maitland's Book" (probably Letters from Madras during the Years 1836-1839, published as "By a Lady" in 1843). Note reading "Miss S. H. Burney" in another hand. ACC.: 01.2.5
Avicenna, 980-1037 Jābir ibn Ḥayyān Rāzī, Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā, 865?-925? Richard, de Fournival, fl. 1246-1260
Published / Created:
[ca. 1350]
Call Number:
Mellon MS 2
Image Count:
96
Resource Type:
Archives or Manuscripts
Abstract:
Manuscript on parchment of a collection of practical alchemies and procedures, the earliest such manuscript in the Mellon collection. Contains texts transmitted from Arabic sources and what appear to be European additions to the literature and practice of alchemy. Includes the following identifiable texts: Rasis or Aristotle, Lumen luminum perfecti magisterii; Avicenna, Epistola ad Hasen; Geber, Liber deitatis sive divinitatis and Summa perfectionis magisterii; Rasis, De aluminibus et salibus, extracts; and Richard de Fournival, Opus Arturi, or De arte alchemica. and The codex is an important, early, and comprehensive collection of largely practical alchemies and procedures. It is also of special significance both because of its early copies of texts transmitted from Arabic sources and for what appear to be very early, independent, European additions to the literature and practice of alchemy.
Description:
Alternating red and blue capitals throughout, some headings in red, many capitals stroked red, slight filiform decoration to opening initial of the volume, the rubrics and decoration probably by one of the scribes or another closely related hand., Binding: Early, probably 15th century. Undecorated red-dyed hide over beveled wooden boards, four brass edgepieces on each cover attached with brass nails, two brass catches on upper cover, lightly chased brass and leather clasps on lower cover (all of the material of cut sheet-brass), back with six raised bands, repaired and rebacked, with modern leather title label. Used as pastedowns inside upper and lower cover are two leaves from a 14th-century Germanic (perhaps Netherlandish) manuscript on parchment containing plainsong written in Germanic neumes on five-line staves, the text in Gothica textualis formata, large gothic capitals in red or blue, one at top of lower pastedown in black and red slightly decorated. In all the staves but the last on the lower pastedown the center-line is stroked red and bears the clef sign; in the last, the fourth line from the bottom has these indications., Pastedowns inside both covers are two leaves from a 14th-century Germanic (perhaps Netherlandish) manuscript on parchment containing plainsong written in Germanic neumes on five-line staves, the text in Gothica textualis formata, large gothic capitals in red or blue, one at top of lower pastedown in black and red slightly decorated., Possibly written by Frater Bartholomaeus (of?) Ol-----, 1335, according to a later note at foot of f. 88v, Script: Written by three scribes all using similar, legible, and rather cursive forms of Gothica textualis; the first scribe wrote ff. 1r-64v, the second ff. 65r-77r1, 38, and the third the remainder., Written by three scribes all using closely similar, legible, and rather cursive forms of Gothica textualis, heavily abbreviated with standard forms., and Written space 184 x 116, 2 columns, 50-49-48 lines each.
Subject (Name):
Avicenna, 980-1037, Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294, Duveen, Denis I., bookplate, Geber, 13th cent. Summa perfectionis magisterii, Razi, Abu Bakr Muh ammad ibn Zakariya, 865?-925?, Richard, de Fournival, fl. 1246-1260, and Saumaise, Claude, 1588-1653, provenance
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy--Early works to 1800, Manuscripts, Medieval--Connecticut--New Haven, and Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library