Author: SCHOTT, CASP.
Title: Schola Steganographica, in classes octo distributa, Quibus, praeter aliamulta, ac jucundissima, explicantur Artificia Nova, Queis quilibet, scribendo Epistolam qua libet de re & quorunque idiomate, potest alteri absenti, eorundem Artificiorum conscio, arcanum animi sui conceptum, sine ulla secreti latentis suspicione manifestare; & scriptam ab aliis eâdem arte, quancunque linguâ, intelligere, & interpretari. ... cum figuris aeri incisis, ...
Description: Herbipoli [Wurzburg], Sumptibus Johannis Andreae Endteri & Wofgangi Junioris Haeredum. Excudebat Jobus Hertz Typographus Herbipol., 1665. 4to. W. engr. front. title (Signed 'J.F.F. sc'), engr. full page heraldic emblem ['Ferdinandus Maximilianus' signed 'J.F.F. sc'], 1 fold. printed table [at p. 88], 1 single page engr. plate ['Abacus Numeralis' at p. 77, browned], 4 engr. fold. pls. [at pp. 27, 91, 197& 201], 4 engr. fold. tables [at pp. 115, 151, 195 & 200] & 5 textills. [at pp. 95, 99, 179, 182 & 260]. Woodc. musical notation at pp. 323 - 326. Many small printed tables in the text. Fine contemp. full overlapping vellum, title in ink on spine. [)(4-4)(4, 5)(2, A-Z4, Aa-Xx4, Yy2]. (XXXVI, 346, IV (Index), II (errata), II ['Lectori meo'], II (adverts and booklist Schott containing 14 titles] pp.). (Some foxing, sometimes some light yellowing; Plate at p. 77 and quire Qq heavy browning.). (Owner's signature 'Octaviano ....?' in ink on half title).. First edition. Dünnhaupt, 121: Caillet, item 10 007: Rosenthal, Bibl. Magica, 3054, 6086: Poggendorff, vol. II, p. 838: De Backer-Sommervogel, vol. VII, 910: Sommervogel, c 1377: Ferguson, Bibl. Notes Books of Secrets, comp. vol. I, I 14, 17: Ferguson, Bibl. Chemica, vol. 2, see pp. 339 - 341: Gmelin, Gesch. der Chemie, i.l.c : Biogr. Universelle, vol. 18, p. 23 : Thorndike, History of Magical and Experimental Science, vols. 7 & 8, esp. ch 21 vol. 7: Schott's classic work on cryptography, secret writing and communication, edited by Schott from the works of his teacher Athanasius Kircher, Trithemius and many others. In it we find a veritable storehouse of knowledge pertaining to the coding and decoding of secret writing. The publication appeared one year before Schott died and pre dates the posthumously published 'Organum Mathematicum' [or: The Learning Machine] by 4 years. [1668, 2 years after Schott's death]. The book has many encription samples: DSB vol. XII, pp. 210 - 211: Gaspar Schott (1608 - 1666). Mathematics, physics, technology. 'In 1627 he entered the Society of Jesus and was sent to Würzburg University, where he studied philosophy under Athanasius Kircher. ... Schott's chief works, the "Magia universalis", ... "Physica curiosa" and "Technica curiosa", are huge, uncritical collections, mines of quaint information in wich significant nuggets must be extracted from a great deal of dross. Like many of his time Schott believed that the principles of nature and art are best revealed in their exceptions.. This makes him a useful source on the history of scientific instruments and mechanical technology; ... All this writing about magic, both natural and supernatural involved him in slight difficulties with the censors.': Norman Coll. vol. II, see notes items 1910 & 1911: 'The success of 'Mechanica...'caused Schott to become the center of a network of correspondence from both jesuit and lay scientists, who wrote to inform him of their inventions and discoveries; this material formed the basis of Schott's later publications ... although encumbered by Schott's taste for the supernatural, his work contains much usueful knowledge, descriptions of scientific instruments and mechanical technology...': For further reading on Kircher and Schott see 'Spurensuche' and 'Magie des Wissens 1602-1680,...' Exhibition catalogues and essays, University of Wurzburg, 2002, esp. chapter 5, pp. 101-117, 'Das Organum mathematicum' by Schott, more specifically the pages 110-111 on secret writing or 'Steganographie'.

Keywords: Plesch library sj Jesuits superstition witchcraft demonology demons Brk