De Re Metallica Part 59

_De Ortu et Causis._ Albinus, Hofmann, Jacobi, Schmid, Richter, and Reuss mention an edition of 1544. This we believe to be an error in giving the date of the dedication instead of that of the publication (1546). Albinus and Ferguson give an edition of 1555, which date is, we believe, an error for 1558. Ferguson gives an edition of the Italian translation as 1559; we believe this should be 1550. Draud gives an edition of 1621; probably this should be 1612.

_Bermannus._ Albinus, Schmid, Reuss, Richter, and Weinart give the first edition as 1528. We have been unable to learn of any actual copy of that date, and it is our belief that the date is taken from the dedication instead of from the publication, and should be 1530. Leupold, Schmid, and Reuss give an edition by Froben in 1549; we have been unable to confirm this. Leupold also gives an edition of 1550 (folio), and Jocher gives an edition of Geneva 1561 (folio); we have also been unable to find this, and believe the latter to be a confusion with the _De Re Metallica_ of 1561, as it is unlikely that _Bermannus_ would be published by itself in folio. The catalogue of the library at Siena (Vol. III., p. 78) gives _Il Bermanno, Vinegia_, 1550, 8vo. We have found no trace of this edition elsewhere.

_De Mensuris et Ponderibus._ Albinus and Schmid mention an edition of 1539, and one of 1550. The Biographie Universelle, Paris, gives one of 1553, and Leupold one of 1714, all of which we have been unable to find.

An epitome of this work was published at various times, sometimes in connection with editions of Vitruvius; so far as we are aware on the following dates, 1552, 1585, 1586, 1829. There also appear extracts in relation to liquid measures in works ent.i.tled _Vocabula rei numariae ponderum et mensurarum_, etc. Paul Eber and Caspar Peucer, _Lipsiae_, 1549, and in same Wittenberg, 1552.

_De Veteribus et Novis Metallis._ Watt gives an edition, Basel, 1530, and Paris, 1541; we believe this is incorrect and refers to _Bermannus_.

Reuss mentions a folio print of Basel, 1550. We consider this very unlikely.

_De Natura eorum quae Effluunt ex Terra._ Albinus, Hofmann, Schmid, Jacobi, Richter, Reuss, and Weinart give an edition of 1545. We believe this is again the dedication instead of the publication date (1546).

_De Animantibus Subterraneis._ Van der Linden gives an edition at Schweinfurt, 8vo, 1607. Although we have been unable to find a copy, this slightly confirms the possibility of an octavo edition of _De Re Metallica_ of this date, as they were usually published together.

Leupold gives a.s.surance that he handled an octavo edition of Wittenberg, 1612, _c.u.m notis Johann Sigfridi_. We think he confused this with _Bermannus sive de re metallica_ of that date and place. Schmid, Richter, and Draud all refer to an edition similarly annotated, Leipzig, 1613, 8vo. We have no trace of it otherwise.

UNPUBLISHED WORKS ON SUBJECTS RELATED TO MINING.

Agricola apparently projected a complete series of works covering the whole range of subjects relating to minerals: geology, mineralogy, mining, metallurgy, history of metals, their uses, laws, etc. In a letter[5] from Fabricius to Meurer (March, 1553), the former states that Agricola intended writing about 30 books (chapters) in addition to those already published, and to the twelve books _De Re Metallica_ which he was about to publish. Apparently a number of these works were either unfinished or unpublished at Agricola's death, for his friend George Fabricius seems to have made some effort to secure their publication, but did not succeed, through lack of sympathy on the part of Agricola's family. Hofmann[6] states on this matter: "His intentions were frustrated mainly through the lack of support with which he was met by the heirs of the Mineralogist. These, as he complains to a Councillor of the Electorate, Christopher von Carlovitz, in 1556, and to Paul Eber in another letter, adopted a grudging and ungracious tone with regard to his proposal to collect all Agricola's works left behind, and they only consented to communicate to him as much as they were obliged by express command of the Prince. At the Prince's command they showed him a little, but he supposed that there was much more that they had suppressed or not preserved. The attempt to purchase some of the works--the Elector had given Fabricius money for the purpose (30 nummos unciales)--proved unavailing, owing to the disagreeableness of Agricola's heirs. It is no doubt due to these regrettable circ.u.mstances that all the works of the industrious scholar did not come down to us." The "disagreeableness" was probably due to the refusal of the Protestant townsfolk to allow the burial of Agricola in the Cathedral at Chemnitz. So far as we know the following are the unpublished or lost works.

_De Jure et Legibus Metallicis._ This work on mining law is mentioned at the end of Book IV. of _De Re Metallica_, and it is referred to by others apparently from that source. We have been unable to find any evidence that it was ever published.

_De Varia temperie sive Const.i.tutione Aeris._ In a letter[7] to Johann Naevius, Agricola refers to having a work in hand of this t.i.tle.

_De Metallis et Machinis._ Hofmann[8] states that a work of this t.i.tle by Agricola, dated Basel 1543, was sold to someone in America by a Frankfort-on-Main bookseller in 1896. This is apparently the only reference to it that we know of, and it is possibly a confusion of t.i.tles or a "separate" of some chapters from _De Re Metallica_.

_De Ortu Metallorum Defensio ad Jacob.u.m Scheckium._ Referred to by Fabricius in a letter[9] to Meurer. If published was probably only a tract.

_De Terrae Motu._ In a letter[10] from Agricola to Meurer (Jan. 1, 1544) is some reference which might indicate that he was formulating a work on earthquakes under this t.i.tle, or perhaps may be only incidental to the portions of _De Ortu et Causis_ dealing with this subject.

_Commentariorum in quibus utriusque linguae scriptorum locos difficiles de rebus subterraneis explicat, Libri VI._ Agricola apparently partially completed a work under some such t.i.tle as this, which was to embrace chapters ent.i.tled _De Methodis_ and _De Demonstratione_. The main object seems to have been a commentary on the terms and pa.s.sages in the cla.s.sics relating to mining, mineralogy, etc. It is mentioned in the Preface of _De Veteribus et Novis Metallis_, and in a letter[11] from one of Froben's firm to Agricola in 1548, where it is suggested that Agricola should defer sending his new commentaries until the following spring. The work is mentioned by Albinus[12], and in a letter from Georg Fabricius to Meurer on the 2nd Jan. 1548,[13] in another from G.

Fabricius, to his brother Andreas on Oct. 28, 1555,[14] and in a third from Fabricius to Melanchthon on December 8th, 1555[15], in which regret is expressed that the work was not completed by Agricola.

WRITINGS NOT RELATED TO MINING, INCLUDING LOST OR UNPUBLISHED WORKS.

_Latin Grammar._ This was probably the first of Agricola's publications, the full t.i.tle to which is _Georgii Agricolae Glaucii Libellus de prima ac simplici inst.i.tutione grammatica. Excusum Lipsiae in Officina Melchioris Lottheri. Anno MDXX._ (4to), 24 folios.[16] There is some reason to believe that Agricola also published a Greek grammar, for there is a letter[17] from Agricola dated March 18th, 1522, in which Henicus Camitia.n.u.s is requested to send a copy to Stephan Roth.

_Theological Tracts._ There are preserved in the Zwickau Rathsschul Library[18] copies by Stephan Roth of two tracts, the one ent.i.tled, _Deum non esse auctorem Peccati_, the other, _Religioso patri Petri Fontano, sacre theologie Doctori eximio Georgius Agricola salutem dicit in Christo_. The former was written from Leipzig in 1522, and the latter, although not dated, is a.s.signed to the same period. Both are printed in _Zwei theologische Abhandlungen des Georg Agricola_, an article by Otto Clemen, _Neuen Archiv fur Sachsische Geschichte_, etc., Dresden, 1900. There is some reason (from a letter of Fabricius to Melanchthon, Dec. 8th, 1555) to believe that Agricola had completed a work on the unwritten traditions concerning the Church. There is no further trace of it.

_Galen._ Agricola appears to have been joint author with Andreas Asula.n.u.s and J. B. Opizo of a revision of this well-known Greek work. It was published at Venice in 1525, under the t.i.tle of _Galeni Librorum_, etc., etc. Agricola's name is mentioned in a prefatory letter to Opizo by Asula.n.u.s.

_De Bello adversus Turcam._ This political tract, directed against the Turks, was written in Latin and first printed by Froben, Basel, 1528. It was translated into German apparently by Agricola's friend Laurenz Berman, and published under the t.i.tle _Oration Anrede Und Vormanunge ...

widder den Turcken_ by Frederich Peypus, Nuremberg, in 1531 (8vo), and either in 1530 or 1531 by Wolfgang Stockel, Dresden, 4to. It was again printed in Latin by Froben, Basel, 1538, 4to; by H. Grosius, Leipzig, 1594, 8vo; it was included among other works published on the same subject by Nicholas Reusnerus, Leipzig, 1595; by Michael Lantzenberger, Frankfurt-am-Main, 1597, 4to. Further, there is reference by Watt to an edition at Eisleben, 1603, of which we have no confirmation. There is another work on the subject, or a revision by the author mentioned by Albinus[19] as having been, after Agricola's death, sent to Froben by George Fabricius to be printed; nothing further appears in this matter however.

_De Peste._ This work on the Plague appears to have been first printed by Froben, Basel, 1554, 8vo. The work was republished at Schweinfurt, 1607, and at Augsburg in 1614, under various editors. It would appear from Albinus[20] that the work was revised by Agricola and in Froben's hands for publication after the author's death.

_De Medicatis Fontibus._ This work is referred to by Agricola himself in _De Natura Eorum_,[21] in the prefatory letter in _De Veteribus et Novis Metallis_; and Albinus[22] quotes a letter of Agricola to Sebastian Munster on the subject. Albinus states (_Bergchronik_, p. 193) that to his knowledge it had not yet been published. Conrad Gesner, in his work _Excerptorum et observationum de Thermis_, which is reprinted in _De Balneis_, Venice, 1553, after Agricola's _De Natura Eorum_, states[23]

concerning Agricola _in libris quos de medicatis fontibus inst.i.tuerit copiosus se dicturum pollicetur_. Watt mentions it as having been published in 1549, 1561, 1614, and 1621. He, however, apparently confuses it with _De Natura Eorum_. We are unable to state whether it was ever printed or not. A note of inquiry to the princ.i.p.al libraries in Germany gave a negative result.

_De Putredine solidas partes humani corporis corrumpente._ This work, according to Albinus was received by Fabricius a year after Agricola's death, but whether it was published or not is uncertain.[24]

_Castigationes in Hippocratem et Galenum._ This work is referred to by Agricola in the preface of _Bermannus_, and Albinus[25] mentions several letters referring to the preparation of the work. There is no evidence of publication.

_Typographia Mysnae et Toringiae._ It seems from Agricola's letter[26]

to Munster that Agricola prepared some sort of a work on the history of Saxony and of the Royal Family thereof at the command of the Elector and sent it to him when finished, but it was never published as written by Agricola. Albinus, Hofmann, and Struve give some details of letters in reference to it. Fabricius in a letter[27] dated Nov. 11, 1536 asks Meurer to send Agricola some material for it; in a letter from Fabricius to Meurer dated Oct. 30, 1554, it appears that the Elector had granted Agricola 200 thalers to a.s.sist in the work. After Agricola's death the material seems to have been handed over to Fabricius, who made use of it (as he states in the preface) in preparing the work he was commissioned by the Elector to write, the t.i.tle of which was, _Originum ill.u.s.trissimae stirpis Saxonicae Libri_, and was published in Leipzig, 1597. It includes on page 880 a fragment of a work ent.i.tled _Oratio de rebus Gestis Ernesti et Alberti Duc.u.m Saxoniae_, by Agricola.

WORKS WRONGLY ATTRIBUTED TO GEORGIUS AGRICOLA.

The following works have been at one time or another wrongly attributed to Georgius Agricola:--

_Galerazeya sive Revelator Secretorum De Lapide Philosophorum_, Cologne, 1531 and 1534, by one Daniel Agricola, which is merely a controversial book with a catch-t.i.tle, used by Catholics for converting heretics.

_Rechter Gebrauch der Alchimey_, a book of miscellaneous receipts which treats very slightly of trans.m.u.tation.[28]

_Chronik der Stadt Freiberg_ by a Georg Agricola (died 1630), a preacher at Freiberg.

_Dominatores Saxonici_, by the same author.

_Breviarum de a.s.se_ by Guillaume Bude.

_De Inventione Dialectica_ by Rudolph Agricola.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See footnote 4, page 1.

[2] System of Mineralogy.

[3] The following are the t.i.tles of the works referred to in this discussion:--

Petrus Albinus: _Meissnische Land und Berg Chronica In welcher ein wollnstendige description des Landes_, etc., Dresden, 1590 (contains part I, _Commentatorium de Mysnia_). _Newe Chronica und Beschreibung des Landes zu Meissen_, pp. 1 to 449, besides preface and index, and Part II. _Meissnische Bergk Chronica_, Dresden, 1590, pp. 1 to 205, besides preface and index.

Adam Daniel Richter: _Umstandliche ... Chronica der ... Stadt Chemnitz nebst beygefugten Urkunden_, 2 pts. 4to, Zittau & Leipzig, 1767.

Ben. G. Weinart: _Versuch einer Litteratur d. Sachsischen Geschichte und Staats kunde_, Leipzig, 1885.

Friedrich August Schmid: _Georg Agrikola's Bermannus: Einleitung in die metallurgischen Schriften desselben_, Freyberg, Craz & Gerlach. 1806, pp. VIII., 1-260.

Franz Ambros Reuss: _Mineralogische Geographie van Bohmen_. 2 vols. 4to, Dresden, 1793-97. (Agricola Vol. I, p. 2).

Jacob Leupold: _Prodromus Bibliothecae Metallicae_, corrected, continued, and augmented by F. E. Bruckmann. Wolfenb.u.t.tel, 1732, s.v.

Agricola.

Christian Gottlieb Gocher: _Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexicon_, with continuation and supplements by Adelung, Leipzig, 1750, s.v. Agricola.

John Anton Van der Linden: _De Scriptis medicis, Libri duo_, Amsterdam, 1662, s.v. Georgius Agricola.