Collection of various tracts from original m.s.s

Contributor:

Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809 (compiler, translator)

Name:

Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1797

Description:

Collection of cabalistic and occult works compiled and translated by Charles Rainsford. Includes a letter to a young lady in French (p. 8); a description of paradise (p. 52); discussions of biblical texts such as the book of Ezekiel (p. 52) and the gospel of Matthew (p. 66); and translations of several Italian cabalistic texts (p. 107).

Language:

English; French; Italian; Greek, Modern (1453-); Hebrew

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. 599, 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:

Cabala -- Early works to 1800; Cabala; Occultism -- Early works to 1800; Occultism

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

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

Physical Description:

182 leaves : paper; 322 x 203 (278 x 170) mm bound to 334 x 210 mm

Rights:

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

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title from title page (p. i).; Pagination: Paper, 182 leaves; [i], 1-94, 100-104, 107-127, [ccxliii]; contemporary pagination in ink, upper outer corners.; Layout: Written in 24 long lines.; Script: Written in a cursive script in the hand of Charles Rainsford.; Binding: Contemporary green dyed parchment. Page 103-104 has been partially cut out and p. 105-106 has been completely torn out.; Origin: Written in England, 1796 (p. 51) to 1797 (p. 72).; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.; English, French, and Italian, with occasional words in Greek and Hebrew.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Oversize Ms. Codex 1687