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Eleven books by a shoemaker of Görlitz who wrote, by his own account, because he could not help it. Ten of them stand here in the seventeenth-century English of John Sparrow, who translated Boehme within a generation of his death and whose prose is itself now four hundred years old; where that English has drifted out of reach, the facing pane carries a modern register — the same text with archaic inflection and spelling normalised by rule, never paraphrased. Nothing is reworded, and where no register appears beside a passage it is because the rules found nothing to change.
The eleventh book is not in English at all, and it is the reason this note exists.
Des trois principes de l'essence divine, printed at Paris in 1802, is the same work as Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence, which stands here as the second book — the same twenty-seven chapters in the same order, opening `Du premier principe de l'essence divine` against Sparrow's `Of the first Principle of the Divine Essence`. Its translator was Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, who gave the last years of his life to putting Boehme into French, and who has a shelf of his own in this Lycaeum.
That makes a closed circuit inside this archive, and it is worth naming plainly. Saint-Martin translates Boehme. La Iniciación, printed in Montevideo a hundred and forty years later, traces its own descent through Saint-Martin. A reader can therefore follow one thread from a German mystic of 1619, through the French philosopher who carried him into another language, to a Spanish-language monthly of the 1940s that claimed them both — and read every step of it in the original.
The two are shelved as one work rather than two because that is what they are. They are not set as facing panes: an English translation of 1619 and a French translation of 1802 are two independent readings of a lost German original, and pairing them line by line would assert a correspondence neither translator ever claimed.
1n'avoit pas encore aperçu la vierge ; mais lorsqu'elle se réaperçut en arrière dans le cœur, dans les ténèbres ouvertes, et les trouva si agréables, alors d'abord , s'élevèrent en elle la joie , les délices et l'amabilité , et cela devint le paradis. Elle ne voulut plus avoir désormais sa région dans la langue mais dans la tête , hors de la source du cœur. C'est pourquoi on ne doit pas croire la langue en tout ^ car elle ne siège pas dans la région céleste comme la délicieuse et aimable puissance , mais elle a sa région et dans l'explosion et dans l'éclair. Eu ePTet l'éclair est aussi ptès de la région infernale que l'explosion, attendu qu'ils ont été engendrés tous deux dans le fort aigu , dans les essences ; et la langue profère le mensonge ou la vérité. Celui des deux dans lequel l'esprit s'arme , la langue s'en empare ; au4i elle profère souvent des mensonges dans les hommes puissans quand elle est armée des essences;' alors, dans son orgueil, elle s^asseoit sur la terreur comme un cavalier. La vie de Vante. La oor/e» 48. Lors donc que la puissance de la vie, et l'esprit du second principe naquirent dans la première origine du premier principe, ou dans les profondes ténèbres, rompues par la volonté de la puissance de la vierge soPHiE,dans le très important coup d'œil de la forte puissance de Dieu , et qu'ils s'établirenl dans la délicieuse joie ; alors les essences des étoiles et des élémens s'insinuèrent à l'instant-dans lecoup^ CH. iç. t 3i5 ) d'œil de l'ascension de la vie , c'est-à'dîre , aussitôt après la construction de l'aimable habitation.
249. Car l'habitation est l'élément , et la puissance de l'élément intérieur est l'amour du paradis , que les élémens extérieurs ou qui sont nés de l'élément , veulent puiser dans leur mère ; et le fiât aigu les poile dans l'habitation, où la lumière de la vie est réellement allumée ; ainsi toutes les essences vivent dans l'habitation, et le soleil des étoiles monte dans l'habitation , car , dans le commencement de la vie, chaque principe saisit la lumière. 50. Le premier principe, où les ténèbres saisissent l'éclair igné , colérique et rapide. Lorsque la volonté reconçue , s'aperçoit dans la première volonté des ténèbres attirantes et astringentes , et qu'elle brise les ténèbres dans ce coup d'œil , alors l'éclair de feu reste dans la première volonté des astringentes ténèbres; il est au-dessus du cœur dans le fiel , et il allume le feu dans les essences du cœur. 5i. El le second principe retient aussi sa lumière pour soi ; ce qui est l'aimable joie , qui brille là où les ténèbres sont dissipées. Là s'élève la très gracieuse et aimablie puissance : de là l'explosion ou la terreur, dans la forte puissance , devient ainsi un royaume de joie , et son grand déchirement se tourne eu un tressaillement joyeux ; car à cette explosion est suspendu l'éclair de feu du premier principe , ce dont elle est tremblante ; mais sa source est une amabilité et une joie que li ( 3i6 ) CH. 19 personne ne peut écrire , si ce n'est celui qui les éprouve.
352. Le troisième principe retient entièrement sa. lumière pour soi. Ce principe , quand la lumière de la vie s'élève , pénètre dans la teinture do Pâme jusqu'à l'élément , et tend après l'élément ; mais il n'atteint pas autre chose que ta lumière du soleil, qui est provenue de la quintessence et de l'élément. Ainsi les étoiles et les élémens dominent dans la lumière et la puissance de leur soleil : ils inqualifient avec l'ame , et apportent plusieurs vices et aussi des maladies dans les essences , d'où résultent en elles des élancemens , des déchiremens , des enflures , des démangeaisons , et enûn , leur dissolution et la mort. 63. Or donc , quand la lumière brille dans les trois principes, alors la noble teinture sort de tous les trois principes 5 et il est grandement à remarquer que le principe mitoyen ne reçoit aucune lumière de la nature : mais aussitôt que les ténèbres sont dispersées , alors il brille dans une joie très délicieuse ; la noble vierge sofhib habite dans les délices , ou dans cette même teinture ; et la divinité brille hautement et fortement dans l'homme, tellement que nulle part, dans aucune autre chose , nous ne la trouverions aussi brillante , quelqu'objet que nous considérions. 54, Dans le premier principe est l'éclair de feuj et sa teinture est la lumière effrayante du soleil , laquelle «'orj^*/iwe très rudement de l'élernellesourcei CH. i5. ( 317 )
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
1had not yet perceived the virgin; but when it perceived itself anew backward in the heart, in the opened darknesses, and found them so agreeable, then firstly there rose in it the joy, the delights and the amiability, and that became paradise. It would no more have henceforth its region in the tongue but in the head, out of the source of the heart. That is why one must not believe the tongue in all; for it sits not in the celestial region as the delicious and amiable power, but it has its region both in the explosion and in the flash. In effect the flash is as near the infernal region as the explosion, seeing that they have been begotten both in the strong sharp, in the essences; and the tongue utters the lie or the truth. Whichever of the two the spirit arms itself in, the tongue seizes upon it; al4so it utters often lies in powerful men when it is armed with the essences; then, in its pride, it seats itself upon the terror like a horseman. The life of the soul. The gate. 48. When then the power of the life, and the spirit of the second principle were born in the first origin of the first principle, or in the profound darknesses, broken by the will of the power of the virgin SOPHIA, in the very important glance of the strong power of God, and that they established themselves in the delicious joy; then the essences of the stars and of the elements insinuated themselves in the instant into the glance CH. iç. t 3i5 ) of the ascension of the life, that is to say, at once after the construction of the amiable habitation.
249. For the habitation is the element, and the power of the interior element is the love of paradise, which the exterior elements or those which are born of the element, will draw from their mother; and the sharp fiat bears them into the habitation, where the light of the life is really kindled; thus all the essences live in the habitation, and the sun of the stars mounts into the habitation, for, in the beginning of the life, each principle seizes the light. 50. The first principle, where the darknesses seize the fiery, choleric and rapid flash. When the reconceived will perceives itself in the first will of the attracting and astringent darknesses, and that it breaks the darknesses in this glance, then the flash of fire remains in the first will of the astringent darknesses; it is above the heart in the gall, and it kindles the fire in the essences of the heart. 5i. And the second principle retains also its light for itself; which is the amiable joy, which shines there where the darknesses are dissipated. There rises the most gracious and amiable power: thence the explosion or the terror, in the strong power, becomes thus a kingdom of joy, and its great rending turns into a joyous thrilling; for to this explosion is suspended the flash of fire of the first principle, whereat it is trembling; but its source is an amiability and a joy that li ( 3i6 ) CH. 19 no one can write, save he who proves them.
352. The third principle retains entirely its light for itself. This principle, when the light of the life rises, penetrates into the tincture of the soul even to the element, and tends after the element; but it attains nothing else than the light of the sun, which is proceeded from the quintessence and from the element. Thus the stars and the elements rule in the light and the power of their sun: they inqualify with the soul, and bring several vices and also maladies into the essences, whence result in them shootings, rendings, swellings, itchings, and finally, their dissolution and the death. 63. Now then, when the light shines in the three principles, then the noble tincture goes forth from all the three principles 5 and it is greatly to be remarked that the middle principle receives no light from nature: but as soon as the darknesses are dispersed, then it shines in a very delicious joy; the noble virgin SOPHIA dwells in the delights, or in this same tincture; and the divinity shines loftily and strongly in man, so much that nowhere, in any other thing, should we find it so shining, whatever object we consider. 54, In the first principle is the flash of fire; and its tincture is the frightful light of the sun, which originises itself very rudely from the eternal source CH. i5. ( 317 )
Our translation, period-faithful. Citable as our translation, never as the source.
Saint-Martin's French rendering of Boehme's 'Von den drei Principien göttlichen Wesens'. The same work stands in this estate in English as boehme:2. The title page also advertises 'L'Aurore naissante, du même Auteur' from the same booksellers — Saint-Martin's translation of the Aurora, whose English counterpart the estate holds as boehme:1. Reading the two versions against each other shows what a Martinist made of a German shoemaker's theosophy.
→ boehme:2
This work carries, in the author's own voice, both a set of hostile comparisons drawn against named peoples and an explicit refusal of any such boundary, and the Press publishes both rather than either alone. At Ch.25 §85 he calls the Jews blind; at Ch.17 §106 he warns of a coming visitation of the Jews and the Turks; and at Ch.26 §32-33, asked whence the Turks are grown, he answers "From thy perverted sense" — laying the rise of Mahomet at the door of christian pride and disputation. Against these stands Ch.25 §72, which opens the grace with no boundary at all: all men are invited to it, of whatever race, "whether Turks, Jews, Pagans, Christians", and no one is excluded. The same chapter that indicts turns the indictment inward at §105-106 — each believes not to dwell in Babel, and the author includes himself — and §33 concludes that God should be as near the one as the other. The contradiction is the author's, it is not resolved by him, and removing either half would misrepresent the work. Operator ruling, 2026-08-29.
This work carries, in the author's own voice, both a set of hostile comparisons drawn against named peoples and an explicit refusal of any such boundary, and the Press publishes both rather than either alone. At Ch.25 §85 he calls the Jews blind; at Ch.17 §106 he warns of a coming visitation of the Jews and the Turks; and at Ch.26 §32-33, asked whence the Turks are grown, he answers "From thy perverted sense" — laying the rise of Mahomet at the door of christian pride and disputation. Against these stands Ch.25 §72, which opens the grace with no boundary at all: all men are invited to it, of whatever race, "whether Turks, Jews, Pagans, Christians", and no one is excluded. The same chapter that indicts turns the indictment inward at §105-106 — each believes not to dwell in Babel, and the author includes himself — and §33 concludes that God should be as near the one as the other. The contradiction is the author's, it is not resolved by him, and removing either half would misrepresent the work. Operator ruling, 2026-08-29.
This work carries, in the author's own voice, both a set of hostile comparisons drawn against named peoples and an explicit refusal of any such boundary, and the Press publishes both rather than either alone. At Ch.25 §85 he calls the Jews blind; at Ch.17 §106 he warns of a coming visitation of the Jews and the Turks; and at Ch.26 §32-33, asked whence the Turks are grown, he answers "From thy perverted sense" — laying the rise of Mahomet at the door of christian pride and disputation. Against these stands Ch.25 §72, which opens the grace with no boundary at all: all men are invited to it, of whatever race, "whether Turks, Jews, Pagans, Christians", and no one is excluded. The same chapter that indicts turns the indictment inward at §105-106 — each believes not to dwell in Babel, and the author includes himself — and §33 concludes that God should be as near the one as the other. The contradiction is the author's, it is not resolved by him, and removing either half would misrepresent the work. Operator ruling, 2026-08-29.