The Iconologia of Cesare Ripa was conceived as a guide to the symbolism in emblem books. It was very influential in the 17th century and went through a number of editions. There were 9 Italian editions -1593, 1603, 1611, 1613, 1618, 1625, 1630, 1645, 1764-7 and 8 non Italian editions in other languages, 1644 French, 1644 Dutch, 1699 Dutch, 1704 German, 1709 English, 1760 German, 1766 French and 1779 English. Both the text and the emblems included in these editions varies greatly, and later editions use Ripa's idea, rather than following his text. The text transcribed here by Rawn Clark is an extract taken from a manuscript in the British Library Ms. Add 23195. Although it does not contain alchemical material as such, it does provide keys to the allegorical symbolism used in the hermetic tradition.
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“But because with philosophers gold is the most temperate body, having equal parts of hot, cold, moist and dry. Therefore it may with the more difficulty be corrupted and dissolved by reason of the equal agreement and proportion of the elements. Therefore there must a disagreement be made among the elements by contrary elements: and this discord makes a solution and mortification of the body: which being done there is made a cleansing mundification of Nature, which nevertheless cannot be done without a physical separation of the elements”
Marsilio Ficino
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