The Marrow of the Soul

Ludwig Rapp Manuscript book Latin abbreviation: "L. ms." stands for "liber manuscriptus". 80.- W.O. 8609 d M

A central printed bookplate or emblem features an oval green border containing an Ouroboros, which is a snake biting its own tail. Inside the oval, a white pelican is depicted in her piety, perched upon a nest or crescent, feeding her young with blood from her breast. Below the pelican is a square shield or pedestal featuring four red roses arranged around a central cross. Gold rays emanate from a sun at the top of the oval. Surrounding the central emblem is the circular inscription in pale yellow capital letters: Hermetic Philosophy original: "PHILOSOPHIA HERMETICA".

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Ludwig Rapp A previous owner of the book, likely the priest and historian Ludwig Rapp who lived in the nineteenth century.

Hermetic Philosophy A tradition of knowledge based on the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, often involving alchemy and mysticism.

Ouroboros An ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail, representing the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Pelican in her piety A Christian and alchemical symbol of self-sacrifice where the mother bird feeds her young with her own blood.

Rosicrucian imagery Symbols associated with the Rose Cross order, combining the cross of the material world with the rose of the soul.