Pseudo-Zoroaster (& others)

La grande Cabale des Mages, ou le Thélescope de Zoroastre. 1792. This contains an incomplete translation of the 'Centiloquium' of Ptolemaeus, and is followed by a 'Suplément ou manuel astronomique', and another astrological work, etc., dated 1825. By several hands. Title: La grande Cabale [etc.] 1792 (Fol. 1). Ptolemaeus (C.) Sentiloque de Ptolemée. Suite de la Sentence 15e (ff. 2-28). This section appears to be a selection from the 'Centiloquium' ascribed to Ptolemaeus, first printed in 1535. [Pseudo-Zoroaster] Clef ou la grande Cabale des Mages (ff. 28-113). This work ends on fol. 98v: with the date 1796. It is followed by a 'Dissertation Épistolaire privilégiée, placé au plus haut rand de l'ordre Social'. This is signed 'le Baron de N....' (fol. 113v). Below this: 'Fin de la Cabale des Mages'. [Anon.] Suplément au Manuel Astronomique (ff. 114-140). The date 1825 is given in an 'Exemple' at the end. -Du lever de la Canicule et ses pronostiques [etc.] (ff. 140-147). -Les j'ai vu (ff. 148, 149). Satirical verses apparently written originally in the first quarter of the 18th cent. This MS. is written by the same hands as MS. No. 2994 [Indicateur], of which it perhaps originally formed part.

1792-1825

1 volume 151 ll. 4to. 20 × 15 cm. Modern calf-gilt binding.

Purchased 1936.

'La grande Cabale' is doubtfully attributed to [André Robert de] Nerciat [1739-1800] by the bookseller Nourry of Paris. It is entered under 'Zoroastre' in Caillet's 'Manuel', No. 11602, as having been printed in 1790, and is stated to be 'ce rarissime ouvrage'.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).