APPENDIX Α.
AGRICOLA'S WORKS.
EORGIUS AGRICOLA was not only the author of
works on Mining and allied subjects, usually associated with his name, but he also interested himself
to some extent in political and religious subjects.
For convenience in discussion we may, therefore,
divide his writings on the broad lines of (i) works on
mining, geology, mineralogy, and allied subjects ; (2)
works on other subjects, medical, religious, critical,
political, and historical. In respect especially to the
first division, and partially with regard to the others, we find three principal
cases : (a) Works which can be authenticated in European libraries to-day ;
(b) references to editions of these in bibliographies, catalogues, etc., which we
have been unable to authenticate ; and (c) references to works either unpublished or lost. The following are the short titles of all of the published
works which we have been able to find on the subjects allied to mining,
arranged according to their present importance :—De Re Metallica, first
edition, 1556 ; De Natura Fossilium, first edition, 1546 ; De Ortu et Causis
Subterraneorum, first edition, 1546 ; Bermannus, first edition, 1530 ; Rerum
Metallicarum Interpretatio, first edition, 1546 ; De Mensuris et Ponderibus,
first edition, 1533 ; De Predo Metallorum et Monetis, first edition, 1550 ; De
Veteribus et Novis Metallis, first edition, 1546 ; De Natura eorum quae Eßuunt
ex Terra, first edition, 1546 ; De Animantibus Subterraneis, first edition, 1549.
Of the " lost " or unpublished works, on which there is some evidence,
the following are the most important :—De Metallicis et Machinis, De Ortu
Metallorum Defensio ad Jacobum Scheckium, De Jure et Legibus Metallicis,
De Varia Temperie sive Constitutione Aeris, De Terrae Motu, and Commentariorum, Libri VI.
The known published works upon other subjects are as follows :—Latin
Grammar, first edition, 1520 ; Two Religious Tracts, first edition, 1522;
Galen (Joint Revision of Greek Text), first edition, 1525 ; De Bello adver sus
Turcam, first edition, 1528 ; De Peste, first edition, 1554.
The lost or partially completed works on subjects unrelated to mining,
of which some trace has been found, are :—De Medicatis Fontibus, De Putredine solidas partes, etc., Castigationes in Hippocratem, Typographia Mysnae
et Toringiae, De Traditionibus Apostolicis, Oratio de rebus gestis Ernesti et
Alberti, Ducum Saxoniae.
REVIEW OF PRINCIPAL WORKS.
Before proceeding with the bibliographical detail, we consider it desirable
to review briefly the most important of the author's works on subjects related
to mining.
