The Power of Children in the Last Times (1709) - Page 2

The inside front cover and the facing flyleaf are covered in decorative marbled paper. The paper features a "combed" or "peacock" pattern with vibrant shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. This technique was often used in the eighteenth century to add elegance to a volume.

A white rectangular bookplate is pasted onto the marbled paper of the left board. It features a circular emblem in the center. The emblem shows a pelican in her piety. This is a traditional image of a pelican feeding her young with blood from her own breast. This act represents self-sacrifice. The bird sits on a nest above a heraldic shield that contains a cross and four roses. Lines of light radiate from behind the pelican. The emblem is encircled by a golden border with the Latin words for Hermetic Philosophy original: "PHILOSOPHIA HERMETICA".

Hermetic Philosophy original: "PHILOSOPHIA HERMETICA"

Hermetic PhilosophyA spiritual and philosophical tradition based on writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. It focuses on the relationship between the divine, the cosmos, and humanity. It is often associated with alchemy.
BookplateA printed label pasted into a book to indicate ownership.
Marbled paperPaper decorated with floating pigments. The patterns are created by dragging a comb through the ink before the paper is laid on top.
Pelican in her pietyA Christian and alchemical symbol of sacrifice. In alchemy, it represents the "feeding" of a substance during the transformation process.