In existographies, Michael Sendivogius (1566-1636) (GCE:31) (CR:3) was a Polish alchemist, philosopher, and physician, noted for []
Overview
In 1605, Sendivogius heated saltpeter (nitre) and identified “oxygen”, which called “central nitre”, which became a central position in his scheme of the universe.
Quotes | By
The following are quotes by Sendivogius:
“Very few have hitherto showed whence the ‘principles’ arise, and it is a hard thing to judge of any of the principles, or anything else, whose original and generation is unknown. Now the ‘principles of things’, especially of metals, according to the ancient philosophers are two: sulphur and mercury; but according to the latter philosophers, three: salt, sulphur and mercury. Now the original of these principles are the four elements. There are four elements and every one of these four hath in its center another element by which it is elementated: and these are the four statues of the world, separated from the chaos in the creation of the world by divine wisdom; and these uphold the fabric of the world by their contrary acting in equality, and proportion, and also by the inclination of celestial virtues, bring forth all things, that are within, and upon the earth. We will now descend unto the principles of things. But how they are produced of the four elements, take it thus: the fire began to act upon the air, and produced sulfur, the air also began to act upon the water, and brought forth mercury, the water also began to act upon the earth and brought forth salt. But the earth since it had nothing to work upon, brought forth nothing, but that which was brought forth continued and abided in it. Wherefore there became only ‘three principles’, and the earth was made the nurse and mother of the rest. These three things are in all things.”
— Michael Sendivogius (1607), A New Light of Alchymia [1]
References
1. (a) Sendivogius, Michael. (1607). A New Light of Alchymia. Publisher.
(b) Freund, Ida. (1904). The Study of the Chemical Composition (§: Three Principles and Four Elements, pgs. #-#; quote, pgs. 259). Publisher.
External links
● Sendivogius – Wikipedia.
