APPENDIX B

611

undoubtedly the first work on mining geology, and in consequence we have spent some effortin endeavour to find the date of its first appearance. Through the courtesy of M. Polain,who has carefully examined for us the Niitzlich Bergbuchlein described in Marie Pellechet’sCatalogue General des Incunables des Bibliotheques Publiques de France , 5 we have ascertainedthat it is similar as regards text and woodcuts to the Erfurt edition, 1527. This copy in theBibliothtque Nationale is without typographical indications, and M. Polain considers itvery possible that it is the original edition printed at the end of the fifteenth or begininng ofthe sixteenth centuries. Mr. Bennett Brough, 6 quoting Hans von Dechen, 7 states that thefirst edition was printed at Augsburg in 1505, no copy of which seems to be extant. TheLibrarian at the School of Mines at Freiberg has kindly furnished us with the following notesas to the titles of the copies in that Institution :—(1) Eyn Wolgeordent und Niitzlich Bergbuch-lein, etc., Worms, 1512 8 and 1518 9 (the place and date are written in) ; (2) the same as ours(1527) ; (3) the same, Heinrich Steyner, Augsburg, 1534 ; (4) the same, 1539. On comparingthese various editions (to which may be added one probably published in Niirnberg by Fried-rich Peypus in 1532 10 ) we find that they fall into two very distinct groups, characterised bytheir contents and by two entirely different sets of woodcuts.

Group I.

{a) Eyn Niitzlich Bergbuchlein (in Bill. Nat., Paris) before 1500 (?).

(b) Ditto, Erfurt, 1527.

Group II.

(c) Wolgeordent Niitzlich Bergbuchlein, Worms, Peter Schofern, 1512.

(d) Wolgeordent Niitzlich Bergbuchlein, Worms, Peter Schofern, 1518.

(e) Bergbiichlin von Erkantnus der Berckwerck, Niirnberg, undated, 1532 (?).

(/) Bergwerckbuch & Probirbuch, Christian Egenolph, Frankfurt-am-Meyn, 1533.

(g) Wolgeordent Niitzlich Bergbuchlein, Augsburg, Heinrich Steyner, 1534.

(h) Wolgeordent Niitzlich Bergbuchlein, Augsburg, Heinrich Steyner, 1539.

There are also others of later date toward the end of the sixteenth century.

The Biichlein of Group I. terminate after the short dialogue between Daniel and Knappiuswith the words : Mitt welchen das kleinspeissig ertz geschmeltzt soli werden ; whereas in those ofGroup II. these words are followed by a short explanation of the signs used in the woodcuts,and by directions for colouring the woodcuts, and in some cases by several pages containingdefinitions of some 92 mining terms. In the editions of Group I. the woodcut on the title pagerepresents a miner hewing ore in a vein and two others working a windlass. In those ofGroup II. the woodcut on the title page represents one miner hewing on the surface, another tothe right carting away ore in a handcart, and two others carrying between them a heavytimber. In our opinion Group I. represents the older and original work of Calbus ; but as wehave not seen the copy in the Bibliotheque Nationale, and the Augsburg edition of 1505 has onlyso far been traced to Veith’s catalogue, 11 the question of the first edition cannot be consideredsettled at present. In any event, it appears that the material grafted on in the second groupwas later, and by various authors.

The earliest books comprise ten chapters, in which Daniel delivers about 6,000 wordsof instruction. The first four chapters are devoted to the description of veins and the originof the metals, of the remaining six chapters one each to silver, gold, tin, copper, iron,lead, and quicksilver. Among the mining terms are explained the meaning of country rock(zechstein), hanging and footwalls ( hangends and liegends), the strike ( streichen ), dip {fallen),and outcrop (ausgehen). Of the latter two varieties are given, one of the “ whole vein,”the other of the gesteins, which may be the ore-shoot. Various veins are illustrated, and alsofor the first time a mining compass. The account of the origin of the metals is a muddleof the Peripatetics, the alchemists, and the astrologers, for which acknowledgment to AlbertusMagnus is given. They are represented to originate from quicksilver and sulphur throughheat, cold, dampness, and dryness, and are drawn out as exhalations through the veins, eachmetal owing its origin to the special influence of some planet; the Moon for silver, Saturn forlead, etc. Two types of veins are mentioned, “ standing ” (stehendergang) and flat (flach-aang). Stringers are given the same characteristics as veins, but divided into hanging, foot-wall, and other varieties. Prominence is also given to the geschick (selvage seams or joints ?).

5 Paris, 1897, Vol. 1. p- 5 01 -

6 Cantor Lectures, London, April 1892.

7 Hans von Dechen, Das dlteste deutsche Bergwerksbuch, reprint from Zts. fur BergrechtBd. xxvi., Bonn, 1885.

8 Panzer’s Annalen, Niirnberg, 1782, p. 422, gives an edition Worms bei Peter Schofern,

1512.

*The Royal Library at Dresden and the State Library at Munich have each a copy,dated 1518, Worms.

10 Hans von Decken op. cit., p. 48-49.

xx Annales typographiae augustanae ab ejus origine, mccclxvi. usque ad. an. m.d.xxx.Accedit dom Franc. Ant. Veitli. Diatribe de origine . . . artis typographicae in urbe augusta

vindelica edidit . . . Georgius G. Zapf., Augsburg, 1778, x. p. 23.