Rare enlarged edition of this famous book of secrets. Lemnius, a student of Vesalius and Gesner, collects in this book various medical problems and seeks out occult cures by hermetic principles. His incredibly popular book of secrets aimed at the health of the body and mind was first published in Antwerp in 1559, and immediately reprinted and translated in many expanded editions for use by professional physicians and laypeople alike. Famously, he contributed to demonology, with Johann Weyer, by suggesting that mental illness and disturbance could be physically caused, rather than being a result of outside influence via demons. This edition is a reprint with some additions of Plantin's Occulta naturae miracula, published in 1567, itself an expanded edition of De occultis naturae miraculis libri II, first published by Guilielmus Simon in Antwerp in 1559. Although Lemnius was a devout Catholic, his book ended up on the Index of Prohibited books, requiring expurgation of passages relating to procreation, Protestant authorities (such as Gesner), and superstitions in order to meet the standards of those censors.
LEMNIUS, Levinus. De miraculis occultis naturae, libri IIII. Item De vita cum animi et corporis incolumitate recte instituenda, liber unus. Antwerp, Christopher Plantin, 1574 In 8vo, 165x107 mm. Contemporary full vellum binding, squares. Pages [16], 566 [i.e. 582], [34]. Printer’s device on the title page, woodcut Initials and ornaments, Italic and Roman type.
Rare enlarged edition of this famous book of secrets. Lemnius, a student of Vesalius and Gesner, collects in this book various medical problems and seeks out occult cures by hermetic principles. His incredibly popular book of secrets aimed at the health of the body and mind was first published in Antwerp in 1559, and immediately reprinted and translated in many expanded editions for use by professional physicians and laypeople alike. Famously, he contributed to demonology, with Johann Weyer, by suggesting that mental illness and disturbance could be physically caused, rather than being a result of outside influence via demons. This edition is a reprint with some additions of Plantin's Occulta naturae miracula, published in 1567, itself an expanded edition of De occultis naturae miraculis libri II, first published by Guilielmus Simon in Antwerp in 1559. Although Lemnius was a devout Catholic, his book ended up on the Index of Prohibited books, requiring expurgation of passages relating to procreation, Protestant authorities (such as Gesner), and superstitions in order to meet the standards of those censors.
LEMNIUS, Levinus. De miraculis occultis naturae, libri IIII. Item De vita cum animi et corporis incolumitate recte instituenda, liber unus. Antwerp, Christopher Plantin, 1574 In 8vo, 165x107 mm. Contemporary full vellum binding, squares. Pages [16], 566 [i.e. 582], [34]. Printer’s device on the title page, woodcut Initials and ornaments, Italic and Roman type.
