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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“Take a Metal pure, and purged of all its dross, whose Spirit recedes in its secret part, and being pressed with a great weight, lives privily, and desires to be released from bands, and to be sent out of prison to Heaven, being spread into thin plates. The same in Chrys. lib. 1. Seek not the principles of Gold and where else: for in Gold is the seed of Gold; though being close shut up, it retires further, and is to be sought by us with tedious labour.”
Augurellus
2 Chrysop
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