- Language(s)
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German ; Italian ; Latin ; Spanish ; French
- Published
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Bernburg, Germany, 1626-1656.
- Subjects
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White Mountain, Battle of, Czech Republic, 1620.
Ciphers
>
Ciphers /
Early works to 1800.
Botany, Medical
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Botany, Medical /
Early works to 1800.
Alchemy
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Alchemy /
Germany
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Alchemy / Germany /
Early works to 1800.
Elixir of life.
Medicine
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Medicine /
Germany
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Medicine / Germany /
Early works to 1800.
Medicine
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Medicine /
Formulae, receipts, prescriptions
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Medicine / Formulae, receipts, prescriptions /
Early works to 1800.
Formulas, recipes, etc.
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Formulas, recipes, etc. /
Early works to 1800.
Manuscripts
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Manuscripts /
Illinois
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Manuscripts / Illinois /
Urbana
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Manuscripts / Illinois / Urbana /
Specimens.
Anhalt (Germany)
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Anhalt (Germany) /
Intellectual life.
Germany
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Germany /
Intellectual life.
Anagrams.
Cryptograms.
Formularies (Medicine)
- Summary
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17th-century manuscript in the hand of Christian II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg. The manuscript was written over a span of about three decades, with the earliest entries dated 1626 and the latest 1656, although the pages are not ordered chronologically. The last date recorded appears to be September 1656, right before his death on the 22nd (fol. 287v). The manuscript is written in Italian, French, German, Spanish, and Latin, all languages in which Christian II, who had studied in Geneva and travelled across Europe, was fluent. In the manuscript, he switches between different languages midsentence and, as it was common at the time, also changes the calligraphic characteristics of his writing, especially when switching to German (Kurrent script). From the manuscript, it is clear that Christian II had access to a great wealth of texts, many of which appear to be unpublished, which he often cites, and had contacts with important personalities of the scientific and academic world of the time, whom he mentions by name whenever citing them. The manuscript's most prominent topics are: proverbs and adages, including several from Guarini's Pastor Fido (fol. 12v-29r); historical accounts (fol. 1r-92v); anagrams of names with anecdotes (for example, he recounts the march following the defeat in the Battle of White Mountain in 1620 within an anagram) (fol. 75r-76r, fol. 92v-99r); methods to make invisible ink (fol. 180r-181v) or to write in code (fol. 219v-221r); and alchemy and medicine. Sections on alchemy and medicine, although occasionally interspersed with other subjects, occupy more than half of the manuscript (fol. 100r-360v), and include methods to prepare "aurum potabile" and how to use the healing power of pearls, coral, and crystals. In addition, Christian II includes dozens of medicinal recipes, often citing the source, whether it be a work or a person, and includes several recipes for issues concerning: poisoning, fertility and menstruation, lice and ticks, scorpion stings, epilepsy, pulmonary infections, and gout. He also includes several cosmetic recipes to, for example, make a skin whitener, or how to control the sweating of the feet and armpits. In several occasions he mentions that a recipe has been given to him by members of the family, including his sisters Anna Sophie and Sibylle Elisabeth, his aunt Anna Sophie of Anhalt of Schwarzburg, and his uncle Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau.
- Note
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Binding: Remnants of vellum binding, most likely ms. waste.
Foliation: Later foliation on upper right corner of pages recto, in red pencil.
Dates of production from text; latest dated statement on fol. 287v, reads: Mir hat [...] aber, anno 1656 im Aug.o und Septembrij, nicht allerdings, recht thun wollen.
Former University of Illinois shelf-mark: MS q370.943 Ar67ℓ v.54.
Shelf-mark: Aron MS 033.
Provenance: Forms part of the Aron Collection, purchased by the University of Illinois in 1913.
Title devised by cataloger.
- Physical Description
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1 volume (360 leaves) :
paper ;
20 x 16 cm