Extracts from the mago-cabalistic works of George Welling

Name:

Welling, Georg von, 1655-1727; Sibly, E. (Ebenezer), 1751-1800; Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1793

Description:

An English translation by Charles Rainsford of selections from a cabalistic work by Georg von Welling that was printed in German in 1719 and transcribed in this manuscript by the occult writer Ebenezer Sibly. The text is divided into three sections based on the three principles of alchemy: the first section discusses the origin of common salt (p. 1); the second section pertains to sulphur (p. 96); and the third section discusses mercury (p. 164). There is a leaf laid into the manuscript with an engraved astrological chart for George III calculated by Charles Brent.

Language:

English

Provenance:

Formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (British army officer, fellow of the Royal Society, and alchemist); bequeathed by Rainsford to Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland.; Owned by the 2nd through 12th Dukes of Northumberland, ms. 624, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014 (bookplate, inside upper cover; stamps throughout).; Sold at auction at Sotheby's (London), 15 July 2014, as part of Lot 411.; Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.; Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.

Relation:

Unique at Penn blog post: https://repository.upenn.edu/uniqueatpenn/23/

Subject:

Astrology -- Early works to 1800; Astrology; Alchemy -- Early works to 1800; Alchemy; Occultism -- Early works to 1800; Occultism

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

manuscripts (documents); codices (bound manuscripts); diagrams; Manuscripts, European

Physical Description:

141 leaves : paper; 231 x 177 (172 x 135) mm bound to 139 x 197 mm + 2 notes

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title from title page (p. v).; Pagination: Paper, i (contemporary paper) + 141 + i (contemporary paper) leaves; [xvi], 1-49, 51, [ii], 52-163, 163, [iii], 164-194, 196-200, [ii], 201-236, [237-260]; contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners.; Layout: Written in 21-23 long lines.; Script: Written in a cursive script by a single hand.; Decoration: Pen and ink diagrams throughout.; Binding: Contemporary leather.; Origin: Written in England in 1793 (p. v).; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Codex 1707