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VMs: Cod. Pal. germ. 579...?



Hi Petr,

At 19:56 24/11/2003 +0100, Petr Kazil wrote:
What's very interesting is the mention of "the necessity of secrecy" in
alchemy and yet another old alchemical manuscript in code:

- Von zentraler bedeutung ist die Geheimhaltung in einem der frühesten
deutschen alchemistischen Texte, nämlich der "Alchemy teuczch" aus den
zwanziger jahren des 15, Jh.s, die in Cod. Pal. germ. 579 drei verschiedene
geheimschriftliche Alphabete verwendet. (With a reference to: G. Eis, Achemy
teuczch, in: Ostbair. Grenzmarken, Passauer Jb. f. Geschichte, Kunst und
Volkskunde 1 (1957), S. 11 ff.)

Do we know this old German manuschript?

I don't *think* so - presumably it's at Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg? Though I couldn't find it on-line, you're welcome to try searching yourself...
http://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/helios/fachinfo/www/kunst/digi/handschriften/welcome.html


All the same, I'm fairly sure that Bernhard Bischoff would have made a big deal out of it if it was all in cipher?

Were it not for the VMS I would have never read a book like this. The
historic research is very interesting to read, but the subject of alchemy is
the most horrid subject I know. What a load of ... ! How is it possible that
whole generations and many big minds have wasted their time on this :-)

IMO, alchemy's subjective appeal relies on three deep weaknesses of the human mind:-
* suspicion (ie "What if it Really Means Something and We Don't Know?")
* paranoia/conspiracy (ie "What if it was being Covered Up For A Reason?")
* projection (ie, "I know it's a blank canvas, but here is What I Think It Means...")


All three are fun individually, but form a dangerous cocktail when mixed. Both alchemy researchers and VMs researchers alike have to be careful of what they drink! :-o

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling.....


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