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Home , De re metallica, Georgius Agricola, Hieronymus Froben, Johann Froben

history reducing exposure tothem. in modern times – and of ways of diseases whichcontinue toclaimvictims of theindustrialdiseasesminers– It alsocontainedthefirstreal description reference for more thantwo centuries. . The bookremained thestandard for theseparationandpurificationof descriptions, oftechniquesminingand account, since the few sketchy classical pseudonyms of academics not only academics notonly Latin pseudonyms of16thcentury noun for farmer, Agricola. Igive thesedetailsaboutthe ‘farmer’ in German; it translates directly into the Latin Our present author’s name, Bauer means ‘peasant’ or Vesalius’s great Fabrica. – the name under which he published both editions of autumn, intoGreek thenLatinisingtheresult asOporinus metamorphosis, first translating theGerman herbst, printer himself. Hisnomdeplumeresults from adouble printed mostof Agricola’s books), before becominga (Frobenius, whosesonHieronymus Froben He hadbeenanassistanttoParacelsusandtheprinter Oporinus when he became a professor of Greek in . name means ‘autumn’ inGerman), turnedintoIoannes as Luther’s famoustheologianfriend. JanHerbst (whose Melanchthon, aGreek translationofhisname, helives on isalmostforgottenPhilipp Schwartzerd but, asPhilipp both theirvulgarandacademicnames. Incontrast, Quercetanus. These three examples are familiar under iatrochemical physician toHenriIVofFrance, becomes Joseph Duschenne(orduChesne, ‘of theoak’)aprotestant Vesalius’s teachersinParis, becomesIacobusSylvius; Thus JacquesDubois(‘ofthewood’ inFrench), oneof frequently, intoGreek toproduce theacademic pseudonym. occupation, this might be translated into Latin or, less nameinthevernacularbirth represented anobjector French physician, becomes Ioannes Fernelius. But if the pseudo-Latin form; for example, Jean Fernel, thegreat cases, thenameinvernacular wassimply altered toa Latinised their names in their published works. In many Many authorsofthetime, academicauthorsinparticular, as Georgius known to history Agricola. known to his contemporaries and is Glauchau inSaxony in1494. But hewas Georg Bauer(orPawer) wasbornat The author Agricola’s than 200excellentwoodcuts. The book, an editionlavishly illustratedwithmore was publishedposthumously inBasel doctor ofChemnitz, atown inSaxony, In 1556, the final work of the town Agricola’s , 1556. I Part 180 Ex libris De re metallica, 1 is the first full is the first full Basel De remetallicalibriXII ex librisRCPE , 1556 men whohadbeenhisprotégés. grace itwithanadditional lettertotwo prefatory young to publish – as he duly did – but to and into a specialism of which he became the intoaspecialismofwhich he becamethe and metallurgy small miningtown whodeveloped hisinterest inmining Agricola was much more thanamedical practitioner in a scholar Agricola the fortune for itsfinewoodfortune blocks. metallica for whichthepublishermust have laidouta later with the posthumous, lavishly illustrated, almost allof Agricola’s laterworks culminating25years In theend, well allwasvery andFroben went ontopublish humanistworld thananendorsementby .century toacademicacceptanceinthe16th better passport other thangenuine. And there couldhardly have beena that Erasmus’s expressed admiration of thebook was ex cathedra. Nevertheless, there isno reason tosuppose someone consciousofhisown elevated position, ablessing in Agricola’s book. much Itisvery arecommendation from remote from theelegantsimplicityheprofesses toadmire audienceandcouchedinastylevery sophisticated literary muchwhimsical open letteris writtenvery for a von Könneritz family. Erasmus’s elegant and slightly already knew of him in 1525 if not before – through the Agricola hadadditional connectionswithErasmus –who acquainted with Agricola inBolognathe1520s. So Agricola wasworking atthetime. Andreas hadbecome the superintendent of mines in Joachimsthal where Plateanus addressed hispreface, Heinrich von Könneritz, sons, Andreas andChristophe, ofthemantowhom Bloch (Hieronymus) Froben in Basel (see establishment of the younger advisor and editor in the printing the latterwasworking asaliterary humanist Erasmus ofRotterdam when known to, andprobably by, thegreat and, indeed, surgery, highly. very Hewas occupations orcraftssuchasmining an age which did not value vulgar manual academic. He was no mere mechanic in well-regardedhe wasaseriousandvery happened to work in a district; Agricola wasnotjustadoctorwho because he was one of their number. ofsomethem,contemporary but because ourpresent authorwasa impressed, not only to recommend it to it to Erasmus (published in1530)andrecommended mining, preface for Agricola’s first book on friends; oneofthem, Plateanus, wrote a © 2015Royal Collegeof Physicians of Edinburgh 2 ). Erasmus andheshared Certainly Bermannus sive de re metallica Bermannus sivedere metallica http://dx.doi.org/10.4997/JRCPE.2015.218 J R Coll Physicians Edinb2015; 45: 180–2 3 who was sufficiently 4 These were thetwo De re De re history [my 3 181 Ex librisEx ). ‘Asula’ ‘Asula’ was). 10 proposes that the proposes 6 the consortium the consisted 10 (see also Perilli 9 but it certainly shows he was one of an of one was he certainlyit but shows 3 expert international team of its editors; he must have been have must he experteditors; its of team international Aldine Greek The scholar. Greek than competent a more widely works of ’s many which made a good editions, a were , post-classical in time the first for available Galen’s in interest of explosion the for trigger major burst of feverish this then led to the sudden teachings; then into vernaculars. them first into Latin translation of the next over was Paris and, of this activity The centre Galenism of a new the establishment it produced decades, the stronghold then first the centre, became Paris which of a resolute by defended the besieged citadel, and finally on the By his work against all change. de Médecine Faculté notbut small a played Agricola editions, Greek Aldine theory. in medical insignificant part in this revolution Agricola’s in his letter recommending Plateanus, In 1529, man‘a as him of speaks Erasmus, to mining on book first terms praises his scholarship in glowing you’, by beloved several for doctors of only ‘not debt the of speaks and some in edited and Galen on Hippocrates works ‘he has debt to come when of a greater but ago’ years his books on metals and published others – not released of the common sort has in hand’ – which he now of John Clement, Edward Wotton, William Rose andRose William Wotton, Edward Clement, John of the Linacre, Thomas of followers English Lupset, Thomas ‘the Saxon scholar and and Humanist, famous Oxford modest more deal This is a good Agricola’. scientist Georg ofcharge in was Agricola that claim Cassembroot’s than edition of Galen (praefectus editing the forthcoming Greek Galeno) castigando translations]. The first fruit of this scholarship on metalson scholarship this of fruit first The translations]. Hannaway was the Bermannus of 1530. of the first Greek edition of Galen’s medical works. In a In works. medical Galen’s of edition Greek first the of of – a native Cassembroot in 1525, Erasmus letter to Georgethat says – burgomeister its later and Bruges sendsname your of admirers greatest the of ‘one Agricola forGalen editing of charge in been has He greetings. his ]’; Asula [apud Azulam Andreas de Torresanis de Asula (Andrea Torresani di Torresani Asula (Andrea de Torresanis de Andreas latethe of house printing great the of director now Asolo), partner and father-in-law Aldus’s He was . publishedAsolo who finally di Torresani Andrea and it was 1525, in works medical Galen’s of edition Greek first the cherished ambition Aldus’s had been publication of which Agricola is mentioned in a than 20 years. more for di by of this edition, prefatory letter to the fifth volume of a director Asolo to Giambattista Opizzoni the Di texts. on Galen’s consortium of scholars who worked littlea not of worthy is Agricola George and ‘…. says Asolo himself no labour or he spared in editing Galen, for, praise, to Perilli According industry…’ arose from ‘Agricola’s desire as a humanist desire ‘Agricola’s from Bermannus arose ofuse and knowledge the recover to apothecary-physician the species of medicaments described in the and Pliny, Dioscorides, Galen, especially ancient authorities, indeed that this was It seems very credible ’. and words in interest a humanist – ultimately the stimulus materials – that of physical to the knowledge their relation In 5 What 8 Mosellanus was a Mosellanus 6 180–2 Mosellanus was a friend ofwas a friend Mosellanus 7 2015; 45: 2015; In very brief summary, Agricola was born In very summary, brief 5 J R Coll Physicians Edinb Coll Physicians J R © 2015 RCPE Melanchthon and a correspondent of Erasmus. Indeed, he Indeed, of Erasmus. Melanchthon and a correspondent in January to Erasmus 1519 about the forthcomingwrote was close to theAgricola see that So we theological battle. indeed, – perhaps, Erasmus scholars led by of Greek group thosewith contact close in and – it of member a already theology at‘reformed’ the new of the promoters around was moving that critical time when schism in the church Agricola that It is worth remarking inevitability. towards hewhich in region the after even Catholic a remained Protestant. had become worked including to pursue further to study, In 1523 he went years. three about for there remained and medicine, of that he was where It seems he was in Bologna in October 1523, da Berengario anatomist the of teaching the by influenced the time and that he had graduated in medicine by Carpi, in the autumn of 1524. Venice in of his arrival he studied under the humanist professor Petrus Petrus professor humanist the under studied he Leipzig had inherited the Mosellanus Schade). (Peter Mosellanus who Croke, Richard from mantle of the teaching of Greek it to Leipzig in 1513. had brought scholar and promoter both of Greek scholarship and the both of Greek scholar and promoter between disputation the who opened of Greek, teaching Catholicthe (defending Eck, Johann theologian leading the thein Leipzig in Luther and Karlstadt and quo) status into apushing Luther succeeded in Eck summer of 1519. had maintained position than he extreme more much of the defined him as an enemy one which now previously, Church. whole western master in his own time and whose works were still the were whose works time and his own master in did How later. centuries primary than two authority more about? this come an provides translation to the Hoover The introduction of which some further life details are Agricola’s account of in Prescher. given attracted the humanist scholar to medical study we do not attracted the humanist scholar to medical study we perhaps long; last not did education medical his but know, At a time when the professional it did not need to. ofstudy on exclusively based was physicians of education an already was he start; head a had Agricola texts, ancient as the scholar – a rarity – as well accomplished Greek Not much had to be. physician competent Latinist that any seemingly Agricola’s of the details of seems to be known brief medical education except that he studied in more to By 1526 he had returned than one Italian university. at physician town and in 1527 was appointed settlement in – now a mining Joachimsthal, whose pitchblende in the Czech Republic – from Jáchymov And 20th century. the Curies isolated radium in the early While in Italy, no means desertedhe had by his humanism. on the preparation Agricola was one of those who worked in 1494, graduated in Arts from the University of Leipzig the University Arts from in graduated in 1494, first and Latin, then taught Greek 23, when he was about About . at school a of principal as then master a as In 1522 he a shortthis time he published grammar. Latin he lodged with the at Leipzig where became a lecturer Auerbach. von Stromer Heinrich of medicine, professor Ex libris

started Agricola’s profound studies of mining and metallurgy. woodcuts and their legends are a great help in understanding Agricola, then, was no mere village doctor who happened what Agricola means by the often rather general terms in to take an interest in the industries practised in his his text; it is very strange that the Hoovers do not mention community and the diseases related to them; his humanist this in their discussion of the difficulties of translation. scholarship which had made him a member of the most revered scholarly circle in Europe was an essential part of Hoover’s training, accomplishment and experience in the character of a man of whom his contemporaries mining , and his detailed technical knowledge of expected much. the physical contexts of its descriptions and operations, put him in a uniquely favourable position to be able to The Hoover translation extract exact meanings from the obscure terms in Agricola’s text and often to replace them by modern We need to consider not one but two books: Agricola’s De technical words. Equally, and more importantly, they re metallica and its Hoover translation11 – itself a remarkable enabled him to add a set of detailed, and often very piece of work which was first published by The Mining illuminating, footnotes clarifying many points and providing Magazine on behalf of the translators in 1912. These additional information. Add to this the appendices translators were the future US President Herbert Clark containing a detailed annotated bibliography, an account of Hoover, who was a mining engineer by profession, and his earlier writings on similar subjects and one on the wife Lou Henry, a geologist and Latinist. Lou had seen a difficulties of interpreting Agricola’s weights and measures, copy of De re metallica in London in 1905 and, for the next and it becomes apparent that the Hoover translation is five years, she and her husband worked on translating it. much more than a translation of a text, it is a considerable Having been a distinguished and very successful mining tour de force. engineer, Hoover played a large part in humanitarian relief after the First World War – notably in Belgium in 1916. In In the next part of this article I shall consider the contents 1921 he accepted a post in President Harding’s of De re metallica and the Hoover translation. administration and, in 1928, was nominated by the Republican party as its presidential candidate. He served as IML Donaldson President from 1929–1933 during the worst years of the Honorary Librarian, RCPE great depression. For more details about the Hoovers and (email [email protected]) the circumstances of their translation of De re metallica 12 see Dibner. References The translators say in their introduction that they believe 1 Agricola G. De re metallica libri XII. Basel: Apud Hieronymum the lack of any previous successful translation of Agricola’s Frobenium et Nicolaum Episcopium; 1556. book was principally because he had had to invent Latin 2 Bloch E Erasmus and the Froben press: the making of an editor. Libr Q 1965; 35: 109–20. words for technical terms in mining and metallurgy since 3 Förstemann J, Günther O. Briefe an Desiderius Erasmus von the classical language had never had such words. This is Rotterdam herausgegeben von Joseph Förstemann und Otto Günther. true of course. But, much more relevantly, mediæval and Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz; 1904. p.125. writers did not forge such words because they 4 Erasmus D, Estes JM. The Correspondence of Erasmus: Letters 2204- had no need of them; they did not write about the details 2356 (August 1529-July 1530): 16 (Collected Works of Erasmus). Toronto: Toronto University Press; 2015. Letter 2274. of mining or -working crafts. There was effectively no 5 Prescher H. Dr. 1494–1555. A European learned literature of technology and so no Latin vocabulary Scientist and Humanist from Saxony. GeoJournal 1994; 32: 85–9. for it. Obviously there were vernacular oral vocabularies 6 Hannaway O. Agricola as Humanist. J Hist Ideas 1992; 53: 553–60. used within the crafts but even these were rarely used in 7 MacCulloch D. Reformation: Europe’s House Divided 1490-1700. writing; they would have hardly been spread beyond the London: Penguin Books Ltd; 2004. p.127. 8 Wilsdorf, H quoted by Varani B Agricola and Italy. GeoJournal 1994; craft communities and would have been unlikely to have 32: 151–60. much presence in literary vocabularies even in the 9 Förstemann J, Günther O. Briefe an Desiderius Erasmus von vernaculars. Rotterdam herausgegeben von Joseph Förstemann und Otto Günther. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz; 1904. p. 44. The problem for the translators, they say, was that the 10 Perilli L. A Risky Enterprise: The Aldine Edition of Galen, the Failures of the Editors, and the Shadow of Erasmus of Rotterdam. exact meanings – and occasionally even the general sense Early Sci Med 2012; 17: 446–66. – of Agricola’s technical words were often obscure. Similar 11 Agricola G, Hoover HC, Hoover LH. Georgius Agricola: De Re difficulties arising from the lack of any, or of any consistent, Metallica. Translated from the first Latin edition of 1556 with Latin or vernacular technical vocabulary are not uncommon Biographical Introduction, Annotations and Appendices upon the in other fields but are usually a matter of disentangling Development of Mining Methods, Metallurgical Processes, , and Mining Law from the earliest times to the 16th century. exact detail rather than general meaning. Nevertheless, By Herbert Clark Hoover and . London: Published history sometimes the exact meaning is essential to understanding for the Translators, by The Mining Magazine, Salisbury House, the text and the problems of understanding it are then London, E.C.; 1912. very far from trivial. In De re metallica, however, the 12 Dibner B Hoover and Agricola. Technol Cult 1972; 13: 417–25.

182 J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2015; 45: 180–2 © 2015 RCPE A water-driven ventilation engine for mines from Agricola’s De re metallica of 1556, see pages 180–2. One of several types of ventilating described and illustrated by Agricola. These were variously hand-driven, driven by a wind-mill, by a water-wheel or by a horse-treadmill.

A: hollow drum; B: entrance hole for air; C: shaft carrying fan blades; D: drum made up of segments [lantern pinion]; E: lower shaft; G: waterwheel.

The hollow drum contains a fan with blades that extend out close to the casing. The unlabelled open box shown projecting above ground is perhaps an inlet air duct for the below the surface. The unlabelled horizontal box running from the drum past the miner on the right is the duct leading the air blown from the fan into the shaft or adit beyond the miner.