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The third edition of Michael Maier's famous book Secretioris naturae secretorum scrutinium chymicum, per oculis et intellectui accurate accomodadata...(=Atalanta Fugiens). The author, German physician, alchemist and advocate of the Occult Michael Maier, worked in the court of Rudolf II in Prague in 1608 to 1610. Maier was primarily concerned with the medical aspects of alchemy and tried to invent a panacea. He dedicated his most important work, Atalanta Fleeing, to an alchemist interpretation of mythology and divided it into 50 alchemistic allegories. It was first published in 1617 and again in 1618 in Oppenheim. The series of 50 emblematic copper engravings, created by Matthäus Merian d.A., made Atalanta one of the most beautiful Renaissance books about alchemy. The third edition, abridged by a musical fuge, was published under a changed name in Frankfurt am Main in 1687; it is illustrated with Merian's original engravings. The copy on offer here is complete and features the original paperboard binding. Slightly damaged - water spot. Between pp. 88 and 89 there is a bound insert of a contemporary drawing depicting Salamander, the symbol of fire, who is discussed in the previous (29th) chapter. All editions of Atalanta Fugiens are rare and seldom appear on the antiquarian book market.