De Re Metallica. Leupold, Richter, Schmid, van der Linden, Mercklinus and Eloy
give an 8vo edition of De Re Metallica without illustrations, Schweinfurt, 1607. We have
found no trace of this print. Leupold, van der Linden, Richter, Schmid and Eloy mention
an 8vo edition, Wittenberg, 1614. It is our belief that this refers to the 1612 Wittenberg
edition of the selected works, which contains a somewhat similar title referring in reality
to Bermannus, which was and is still continually confused with De Re Metallica. Ferguson
mentions a German edition, Schweinfurt, 8vo, 1687. We can find no trace of this ; it may
refer to the 1607 Schweinfurt edition mentioned above.
De Natura Fossilium. Leupold and Gatter refer to a folio edition of 1550. This was
probably an error for either the 1546 or the 1558 editions. Watt refers to an edition of 1561
combined with De Medicatis Fontibus. We find no trace of such edition, nor even that the
latter work was ever actually printed. He also refers to an edition of 1614 and one of 1621,
this probably being an error for the 1612 edition of the subsidiary works and the De Re
Metallica of 1621. Leupold also refers to an edition of 1622, this probably being an error for
16l2.
De Orti* et Causis. Albinus, Hofmann, Jacobi, Schmid, Richter, and Reuss mention
an edition of 1544. This we believe to be an error in giving the date of the dedication instead
of that of the publication (1546). Albinus and Ferguson give an edition of 1555, which date
is, we believe, an error for 1558. Ferguson gives an edition of the Italian translation as
*559 I we believe this should be 1550. Draud gives an edition of 1621 ; probably this
should be 1612.
Bermannus. Albinus, Schmid, Reuss, Richter, and Weinart give the first edition as
1528. We have been unable to learn of any actual copy of that date, and it is our belief that
the date is taken from the dedication instead of from the publication, and should be 1530.
Leupold, Schmid, and Reuss give an edition by Froben in 1549 ; we have been unable to
confirm this. Leupold also gives an edition of 1550 (folio), and Jöcher gives an edition of
Geneva 1561 (folio) ; we have also been unable to find this, and believe the latter to be a
confusion with the De Re Metallica of 1561, as it is unlikely that Bermannus would be published by itself in folio. The catalogue of the library at Siena (Vol. III., p. 78) gives 7/
Bermanno, Vinegia, 1550, 8vo. We have found no trace of this edition elsewhere.
De Mensuris et Ponderibus. Albinus and Schmid mention an edition of 1539, and one
of 1550. The Biographie Universelle, Paris, gives one of 1553, and Leupold one of 1714, all
of which we have been unable to find. An epitome of this work was published at various
times, sometimes in connection with editions of Vitruvius ; so far as we are aware on the
following dates, 1552, 1585, 1586, 1829. There also appear extracts in relation to liquid
measures in works entitled Vocabula rei numariae ponderum et mensurarum, etc. Paul Eber
and Caspar Peucer, Lipsiae, 1549, and in same Wittenberg, 1552.
De Veteribus et Novis MetaUis. Watt gives an edition, Basel, 1530, and Paris, 1541 ;
we believe this is incorrect and refers to Bermannus. Reuss mentions a folio print of Basel,
1550. We consider this very unlikely.
De Natura eorum quae Effluunt ex Terra. Albinus, Hofmann, Schmid, Jacobi,
Richter, Reuss, and Weinart give an edition of 1545. We believe this is again the dedication
instead of the publication date (1546).
De Animantibus Subterraneis. Van der Linden gives an edition at Schweinfurt,
8vo, 1607. Although we have been unable to find a copy, this slightly confirms the
possibility of an octavo edition of De Re Metallica of this date, as they were usually published
together. Leupold gives assurance that he handled an octavo edition of Wittenberg, 1612,
cum notis Johann Sigfridi. We think he confused this with Bermannus sive de re metallica
of that date and place. Schmid, Richter, and Draud all refer to an edition similarly annotated,
Leipzig, 1613, 8vo. We have no trace of it otherwise.
UNPUBLISHED WORKS ON SUBJECTS RELATED TO MINING.
Agricola apparently projected a complete series of works covering the whole range of
subjects relating to minerals : geology, mineralogy, mining, metallurgy, history of metals,
their uses, laws, etc. In a letter8 from Fabricius to Meurer (March, 1553), the former states
that Agricola intended writing about 30 books (chapters) in addition to those already published, and to the twelve books De Re Metallica which he was about to publish. Apparently
a number of these works were either unfinished or unpublished at Agricola's death, for his
friend George Fabricius seems to have made some effort to secure their publication, but did
not succeed, through lack of sympathy on the part of Agricola's family. Hofmann* states on
this matter : " His intentions were frustrated mainly through the lack of support with which
" he was met by the heirs of the Mineralogist. These, as he complains to a Councillor of the
" Electorate, Christopher von Carlovitz, in 1556, and to Paul Eber in another letter, adopted
" a grudging and ungracious tone with regard to his proposal to collect all Agricola's works
" left behind, and they only consented to communicate to him as much as they were obliged
