Catalogue Entry: ALCH00083

Two accounts of alchemical operations (1690s?).

Author: Isaac Newton

Metadata: Not yet dated, in Latin , c. 2,500 words, 7 pp.

Source: NMAHRB Ms. 1041 B, Dibner Library, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA

[Normalized Text (at Chymistry of Isaac Newton)]

Custodial History

Previously Burndy Ms. 10. Donated to the Smithsonian by Bern Dibner. The major part of SL63 is now Babson Ms. 417, q.v. for what is known of the sale history.

Sotheby Lot

Part of SL63

Contents

1) 'Separatio Elementorum' (2 pp.). On the distillation of elements in a 20 gallon vat, with references to 'Philalethes' and Albertus Magnus. The large number of corrections and relatively small number of references to other writers may indicate that this is at least partly Newton's own composition.

2) 'Reductio et Sublimatio' (5 pp.). Excerpts and abstracts, principally from Lull, on an imperfect transmutation of white sulphur into silver and red sulphur into gold.

Related Material

See Dobbs, 'Newton Manuscripts at the Smithsonian', 106.