Agricola seems to have been engaged in the preparation of De Re
Metallica for a period of over twenty years, for we first hear of the book in a
letter from Petrus Plateanus, a schoolmaster at Joachimsthal, to the great
humanist, Erasmus,16 in September, 1529. He says: “The scientific world
will be still more indebted to Agricola when he brings to light the books
De Re Metallica and other matters which he has on hand.” In the dedication
of De Mensuris et Ponderibus (in 1533) Agricola states that he means to
publish twelve books De Re Metallica, if he lives. That the appearance of this
work was eagerly anticipated is evidenced by a letter from George Fabricius
to Valentine Hertel:17 “With great excitement the books De Re Metallíca
are being awaited. If he treats the material at hand with his usual zeal,
he will win for himself glory such as no one in any of the fields of literature
has attained for the last thousand years.” According to the dedication of
De Veteríbus et Novis Metallís, Agricola in 1546 already looked forward to
its early publication. The work was apparently finished in 1550, for the
dedication to the Dukes Maurice and August of Saxony is dated in December of
that year. The eulogistic poem by his friend, George Fabricius, is dated in
1551.
Metallica for a period of over twenty years, for we first hear of the book in a
letter from Petrus Plateanus, a schoolmaster at Joachimsthal, to the great
humanist, Erasmus,16 in September, 1529. He says: “The scientific world
will be still more indebted to Agricola when he brings to light the books
De Re Metallica and other matters which he has on hand.” In the dedication
of De Mensuris et Ponderibus (in 1533) Agricola states that he means to
publish twelve books De Re Metallica, if he lives. That the appearance of this
work was eagerly anticipated is evidenced by a letter from George Fabricius
to Valentine Hertel:17 “With great excitement the books De Re Metallíca
are being awaited. If he treats the material at hand with his usual zeal,
he will win for himself glory such as no one in any of the fields of literature
has attained for the last thousand years.” According to the dedication of
De Veteríbus et Novis Metallís, Agricola in 1546 already looked forward to
its early publication. The work was apparently finished in 1550, for the
dedication to the Dukes Maurice and August of Saxony is dated in December of
that year. The eulogistic poem by his friend, George Fabricius, is dated in
1551.
The publication was apparently long delayed by the preparation of the
woodcuts; and, according to Mathesius,18 many sketches for them were
prepared by Basilius Wefring. In the preface of De Re Metallíca, Agricola
does not mention who prepared the sketches, but does say: “I have hired
illustrators to delineate their forms, lest descriptions which are conveyed
by words should either not be understood by men of our own times, or
should cause difficulty to posterity.” In 1553 the completed book was
sent to Froben for publication, for a letter19 from Fabricius to Meurer in
March, 1553, announces its dispatch to the printer. An interesting letter20
from the Elector Augustus to Agricola, dated January 18, 1555, reads:
“Most learned, dear and faithful subject, whereas you have sent to the Press
a Latin book of which the title is said to be De Rebus Metallícis, which has
been praised to us and we should like to know the contents, it is our gracious
command that you should get the book translated when you have the
opportunity into German, and not let it be copied more than once or be
printed, but keep it by you and send us a copy. If you should need a
writer for this purpose, we will provide one. Thus you will fulfil our
gracious behest.” The German translation was prepared by Philip Bechius,
a Basel University Professor of Medicine and Philosophy. It is a wretched
work, by one who knew nothing of the science, and who more especially had no
appreciation of the peculiar Latin terms coined by Agricola, most of which
woodcuts; and, according to Mathesius,18 many sketches for them were
prepared by Basilius Wefring. In the preface of De Re Metallíca, Agricola
does not mention who prepared the sketches, but does say: “I have hired
illustrators to delineate their forms, lest descriptions which are conveyed
by words should either not be understood by men of our own times, or
should cause difficulty to posterity.” In 1553 the completed book was
sent to Froben for publication, for a letter19 from Fabricius to Meurer in
March, 1553, announces its dispatch to the printer. An interesting letter20
from the Elector Augustus to Agricola, dated January 18, 1555, reads:
“Most learned, dear and faithful subject, whereas you have sent to the Press
a Latin book of which the title is said to be De Rebus Metallícis, which has
been praised to us and we should like to know the contents, it is our gracious
command that you should get the book translated when you have the
opportunity into German, and not let it be copied more than once or be
printed, but keep it by you and send us a copy. If you should need a
writer for this purpose, we will provide one. Thus you will fulfil our
gracious behest.” The German translation was prepared by Philip Bechius,
a Basel University Professor of Medicine and Philosophy. It is a wretched
work, by one who knew nothing of the science, and who more especially had no
appreciation of the peculiar Latin terms coined by Agricola, most of which
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