Les Elémens de Chymie de Me. Iean Beguin. Reveus, augmentez, & illustrez de nouvelles lumières, & de remarques curieuses, recueillies sur les plus fidèles originaux, & enrichis de Figures necessaires aux distillations & à la chymie par le sieur Rault.

New and final edition illustrated with twelve woodcuts, one on the title page and the others in-text. The first edition of this text, which enjoyed great success, dates from 1615.
Contemporary full vellum binding, smooth spine with the author's name in manuscript. Manuscript gift inscriptions on the pastedown and first endpaper. Library stamps of the city of Gannat (Allier) and "Legs du Docteur Cartier" on the title page. Vellum somewhat soiled and upper corners of second cover missing.
Some worming not affecting text in the lower margin of the first gathering as well as a few other scattered instances. Loss of some letters without hindering reading in gatherings Aa and Cc. Small angular lack to leaf Gg4 (index) with loss of letters, inherent to poor paper formation. A few leaves reinforced in the lower margin at the beginning of the volume.
First chemistry work written in a language comprehensible to all and marking a break with the hermetic principles of traditional alchemy. Béguin describes chemistry as an experimental science, "an art that teaches to dissolve natural mixed bodies, and to coagulate them being dissolved, to make medicines more agreeable, wholesome and assured".
A good copy of this chemistry course, a genre that remained very popular throughout the 17th century.