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Important encyclopedic work on magic & experimental science by a pupil of Athanasius Kirchner

SCHOTT, Kaspar.
Magia universalis naturae et artis, sive recondita naturalium & artificialium rerum sientia, cujus ope per variam applicationem activorum cum passivis, admirandorum effectuum spectacula, abditarumque inventionum miracula ad varios humanae vitae usus erunntur, opus quadripartitum. Continet pars I. Optica. II. Acoustica. III. Mathematica. IV. Physica.

With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume.

With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume.

With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume.

With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume.

With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume.



Bamberg, Iohannes Arnoldusi Cholinus (vol. II), for Joh. Martin Schönwetter (vols. I, III and IV), 1674 (vol. II)-1677 (vol. I, III, IV). 4 vols. 4to. Contemporary vellum, red sprinkled edges. With 4 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, and 25 full-page engraved plates in the first volume, 32 full-page engraved plates, of which 9 folding, in the second volume, 21 full-page engraved plates in the third volume, and 13 full-page engraved plates, of which 2 on 1 folding plate, in the fourth volume. (19), 538, (7); (12), 432, (8); (11), 732, (6); (16), 670, (9) pp.

Second edition of Kaspar Schott's voluminous encyclopaedic work on artificial magic and technology in four volumes. Although the text indulges sometimes in generalities, serious attemps are made to establish a logical classification and systematic arrangement, add subsequent technological inventions and recent scientific discovery to the phenomenons described, emphasizing the marvelous, 'curious hidden wonders and foreign to the vulgar ken', and 'Whatever in the universal nature of things is occult, paradoxical, prodigious, that is, truly magical'.
Kaspar Schott (1608-1666) studied in Würtzburg as a student of the famous Athanasius Kirchner. In 1627 he became a Jesuit and later worked together with Kirchner in Rome during the years 1652-55. In 1655 he was appointed professor of Mathematics at the University of Würzburg. At his times he was a celebrated professor and scientist and as his professor Athanasius Kirchner, his ultimate objective was to reconcile science and Christianity.
Kirchner himself had planned to write such a work as the Magia Universalis, but was too busy to do so, and hence put his plan and notes at the diposal of his disciple Schott.
The four volumes deal respectively with optics, acoustics, mathematics, and 'physica', or natural phenomena and marvels. Despite earlier books on the same subject, Schott justified his own on the ground that the previous works had mixed with truth what was false, superstitious, obscene or harmful, and had not sufficiently explained the causes of their marvels. He opens his book with a consideration of magic in general. Then follow his remarks on optics which include, in addition to projection of images and magic with mirrors, the description ofseveral optical illusions. The second volume is on acoustics and the secret nature of sound and voice, their arcane production and propagationand their marvelous and prodigious effects. The third volume deals respectively with the centers of magnitude and of gravity, and of the place of the earth in the universe; machinery, with much concerning gears, cyclometers, horseless chariots, astronomical spheres, etc., describing a number of hydraulic-pneumatic machines contained in Kirchner's museum. The fourth volume is more directly concerned with what is usually regarded as magic or closely akin thereto. Books on cryptography, pyrotechnics and magnitic magic are followed by a discussion of sympathy and antipathy and extensive remarks on magical medicine. Furthermore topics are treated as monsters, portents and marvels of animals and meteors and the effects of the stars upon this sublunar world.
Such is the importance and impact of this work that Thorndike judged that it deserved a whole chapter in his famous handbook, the History of Magic & experimental science.

Fine set.- (Some plates slightly soiled; few pages of second vol. repaired; plate 1 of vol. III bound in vol. IV, plate 8 of vol. IV bound in vol. III).
Caillet 10003; De Backer-Sommervogel VII, cols. 905-11, nr. 3; Thorndike VII, Chapt. XXI, pp. 590-621 et passim.

Related Subjects: 17th Century  Games & Pastimes  Magic & Conjuring  Mathematics  Medicine  Physics 

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