Catalogue Entry: ALCH00003
'Artephius his secret Book', followed by 'The Epistle of Iohn Pontanus, wherein he beareth witness of ye book of Artephius', c. 1,500 words, 3 pp. (c. 1670s).
Custodial History
Bought at the Sotheby sale by the London bookdealer C.A. Stonehill for £13; offered to Keynes for £20 on 7 September 1936 (and presumably accepted).
Sotheby Lot
SL7Contents
Excerpts from Nicholas Flammel, His Exposition of the Hieroglyphicall Figures which he caused to be painted upon an Arch in St Innocents Church-yard in Paris. Together with The secret Booke of Artephius, And the Epistle of Iohn Pontanus: Containing both the Theoricke and the Practicke of the Philosophers Stone. This English translation was published in London, 1624 and seems to have been Newton's main source. However, in the Pontanus letter he departs from the text of this edition at some points, possibly through reference to the Latin version in vol. 6 of Lazarus Zetzner's Theatrum Chemicum (1659-61: H1608): see Dobbs, Foundations, 130-31.
Related Material
Cf. H1309-10, Keynes Ms. 25, and Yahuda Ms. Var. 259.
