Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography


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FORSIUS, Sigfrid Aronius.

(1550? – 1624)

(Born: Helsingfors, Finland, c1550; Died: Stockholm, Sweden, Before 24 June 1624) Finnish cleric, astronomer, naturalist & writer.

It is recorded that Forsius had a wide ranging knowledge of scientific subjects, especially astronomy. In April, 1595 he was among the first to enter the newly established University at Uppsala, but within a year he had entered the army. By 1605, he traveled to Germany to further his education. He returned to Uppsala in 1608 to accept an astronomical professorship. But within a few years he accepted a position at a local church. Forsius was a prolific and wide ranging writer, authoring numerous almanacs and scientific works.

Biographical references: Biographiskt Lexicon. Finsk Biografisk Handbok: 1, cols. 657-9. Frängsmyr, Geologi och Skapelsetro, 1969: 29, 46, 117, 119 & 125. ISIS, 1913-65: 1, 427. Lindroth, Paracelsismen i Sverige, 1943. Olsson, Kemiens Historia i Sverige, 1971: p. 31-4. Oma Maa, 1907-12: 4, 373-9 [by T. Rein]. Poggendorff: 1, col. 775. Rein, T., "Sigfrid Aronius Forsius", Oma Maa 4. Porvoo, 1907-1912, p. 373-9, 1 fig. Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, 1024. SBA: Scandinavian Biographical Archive: B-079, 234-260. Svenskt Biografiskt Handlexikon: 1, 350-1, portrait. Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon: 16, 328-32. WBI.

Minerographia, 1643

1. Swedish, 1643.
[In red:] Minerographia, | [in black:] Thet är | [in red:] Mineralers/ | [in black:] åthskillighe Jordeslags/ Me= | tallers eller Malmars och Ed= | le Steenars Beskrifwelse. | [in red:] Aff förnemlige Authoribus | [in black:] sammanhämptat/ och medh | flijt disponerat | [in red:] Uthi Tree Böker/ | [in black:] Aff | [in red:] M. Sigfrido Arono | [in black:] Forsio. | [in red:] Nu medh eghen bekostnade oplagdt | [in black:] och aff Trycket förfärdigat. | [ornament] | [in red:] J Stockholm/ hoos Ignattum | [in black:] Meurer/ Åhr 1643.

8°: A8 2A8 B-M8; 88l.; [16], [1]-160 (i.e., 190), [2] p., woodcut printer's device. Title page in red and black. Page size: 138 x 82 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso woodcut printer's device.; [4 pgs], Dedication, dated 9 October 1643.; [10 pgs], "Register på alle the Mineraler, och Edelsteenar | ..."; [1]-160 (i.e., 190), Text.; [1 pg], "Stockholm/ | [ornament] | Tryckt hoos Ianatium Meurer/ | medh eghen bekostning/ | Åhr/ 1643."; [1 pg], Blank.

Rare. The manuscript from which this book was printed was originally written in 1613, and the work itself appeared a few decades after Forsius' death. In all of his writings Forsius was devoted to the theories of Paracelsus. The Minerographia is an expansion of a chapter and other material that made its first appearance in the author's Physica (Stockholm, 1611), which was Forsius' description of creation. In this book he comprehensively explains his theories about minerals, rocks and stones, with particualar reference to their use in medicine. He presents a classification of minerals that follows in its essentials the system first proposed by Andrea Cesalpino and divides the subject into Terræ, Mineralia, Metalla, Mineralia a metallis nata, and Lapides.

Facsimile reprint: Edited by A. Laitakari. Forssa, 1973.

Bibliographical references: Beekman, Systematische Mineralogie, 1906: p. 27. BL [987.b.22.]. Borgstrom, Geschichte der Geologie in Finnland, 1942 [p. 415-6]. Collijn, Sveriges Bibliografi, 1600-Talet, 1942-6: 1, 272. Dana's 7th (Bibliography): p. 70. Forsius, A., "Sigfridus Aronus Forsiuksen Minerographia", Bibliophilos, 3 (1982), 65-70. Internet search. Laitakari, Geologische Bibliographie Finnlands, 1934: p. 43-4. Lindroth, Paracelsismen i Sverige, 1943. LKG: III 48. Oma Maa, 1907-12: p. 373-379, 1 fig. Wallerius, Brevis Introductio, 1779. Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 845.

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