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One moment.
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.
1de îaîtrfriièw , alors elle se rejouît dans ^sa |wcïnre qualité, et elle trâvaiUe dans sa propre -qualité as* tringente pour réengendrer, et dans sa propre qualitj^ il s'élève de nouvéan une vie dan» laquelle lise rouvre un centre; et la vie en est de nouveau engendrée eu sextuple Ibrrhe , non pli^syilest vrai , en une telle angoisse que daiis Torigime , mais dans utie grande joie. ' m: 12. Car la source de la grande angoisse, quî, dans Porigirie , étoil datts rastringence avant la lumière , et dont l'aiguillon anaer étoit engendré , est maintenant changée en une douce source d'amour dans la* lumière , par l'esprit d'eau ; et de l'amertume , et de l'aiguillon provient alors la isôurce et relèvement de la joie dans la lumière ; ainsi l'éclair de feu est désormais le père de la lumière, et la lumière brille en lui , et c'es4 là Tunique cause de la mobilité de la production 5 et la génération d'amour, qui dans l'origine étoit une source angoisseuse , est maintenant èul ou l'huile de l'aimable source qiri perce par toutes les sources*, c'est d'elle et par elle que la lumière s'enflamme. i3. Et le ton ou le retentissement dans la roue tournante, est maintenant le promulgateur qui pul)lie , dans toutes les sources , que l'enfant chéri est lié; car il vient avec son bruit devant toutes les portes , et dans toutes les essences , afin qu'ayant Am£c réveillé toutes les puissances, elles soient en activité'; qu^elles se voient, se sentent, s'entendent, s'odorent et se goûtent les unes et les autres dans la lumière*, car toute la génération se. nourrit dans *i
2k' rigide essence ) c'est-à-dire-^ dans sa première mère -5 mais comme elle est ainsi devenue atténuée , humble, douce et joyeuse , alors toute la généra tiou est grandement dans l'allégresse , l'amour , l'huniW lité et la douceur , et n'est plus qu'un aimable goût^ un voir joyeux, un agréable odorement , un ouïr dé" Hciemet un àotxx sentir ; et c'est ce qu'aucune lan-^ gue ne peut exprimer. Comment n'y auroit-4l pa« joie et amoup yiàoù l'éternelle vie est née au milieu de la mort ? là où il n'y a nj ne peut y avoir nulle crainte qu'il y ait jamais de fin ? 14. Ainsi, dans l'astringence il y a encore une nouvelle génération ; entendez là oii l'astringence aiUnméf tient le premier rang dans celte même génération , et là oîi le feu n'est pas allumé selon l'ai-» guillon amer , ni selon le sourcement de l'angoisse. Mais la joie qui s'élève est maintenant le centre et Venflammement de la lumière 5 et l'astringence a désormais en sa propre qualité , le siil , 1 huile et la lumière du père j c'est pourquoi V engendrement de la branche du premier arbre est entièrement inqua» lifié selon cette même nouvelle source astringente ; et dans cet engendrement , le feu est un feu astringent, l'amertume est uife amertume astringente , le ton un ^o» astringent , l'amour un amour astringent, et le tout est dans une entière perfection , dans un amour et une joie cordiale. . i5. Ainsi le premier aiguillon amer , ou la première amertume (après que la lumière est allumée et que le premier engendrement est dans la perfection}) réengendre de sa propre qualité une essence. \ \
3^ns laquelle îl y a uti ceqtre. Là aussi' uA9 nou^ velle source s'élève en une vie.i|ouve|le , ou un nouveau feu , avec touies ses qualités, conditions, et propriétés ; et cependant, dafàs cette nouvelle production , raroertuœe est la premiàre parmi toutes les formes ; c'est-à-dire, une «mère amertume -, une «mère astriogence ; un Amer esprit d'eau 5 an tan foierj un feu amer; un amour amer; mais le ^ul est parfait et ressent l'impression, d'une grande ioie. 16. El le feu engendre aussi un feu selon la propriété de toutes lesqualités.Ilestastringentdans l'esprit astringent j amer dans l'amer; dans l'amour il est un cordial enflammemenl de l'amour , un très ehaud enflammement , et un très violent désir ;dans le ton il est un feu sonnanttrès clair , dans lequel tout est nettement et distiHCteroenl particularisé ; là le tan représente dans toutes le» qualités , comme avec une bouche ou une langue , tout cequies4 dans toutes les sources-esprits : il peint la joie , la puissance , l'essence et la propriété j et dans l'eau il est un feu desséchant. 17. Remarquez sur-tout l'expansion de l'amour } c'est la plus douce et la pfus délicieuse de toutes^ Quand Pengendretnent de l'amour produit de nouveau de soi , une entière génération , avec toutes Ie« sources des essences originelles, en sorte que dans cette même nouvelle génération , l'amour soit le premier dans toutes les sources , et qu'il y ait là un centre qui se manifeste ; alors la première essence ou l'astringeBce e»C entièrement désireuse , entier CH. 8. '{17 ) rement douce , entièrement lumineuse ; elle s'élenÛ pour la nourriture de toutes lès sources-esprits , avec une cordiale afTectîon pour toiites , cpnime une tendre mère fait pour ses enfàns.
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.
1of the light, then it rejoices in its first quality, and it labours in its own astringent quality to beget again, and in its own quality there rises anew a life wherein a centre opens itself; and the life is anew begotten in sextuple form, not, it is true, in such an anguish as in the origin, but in a great joy. m: 12. For the source of the great anguish, which, in the origin, was in the astringency before the light, and whereof the bitter sting was begotten, is now changed into a sweet source of love in the light, by the spirit of water; and of the bitterness, and of the sting proceeds then the source and the raising of joy in the light; thus the flash of fire is henceforth the father of the light, and the light shines in it, and it is4 there the only cause of the mobility of the production 5 and the generation of love, which in the origin was an anguishing source, is now the sul or the oil of the lovable source which pierces through all the sources; it is of it and by it that the light inflames itself. i3. And the tone or the resounding in the turning wheel is now the promulgator who publishes, in all the sources, that the cherished child is born; for it comes with its noise before all the gates, and into all the essences, in order that, having thus awakened all the powers, they may be in activity; that they may see one another, feel, hear, smell and taste one another in the light; for the whole generation nourishes itself in *i
2the rigid essence ) that is to say, in its first mother -5 but as it is thus become attenuated, humble, sweet and joyous, then the whole generation is greatly in gladness, love, humility and sweetness, and is nothing more than a lovable taste, a joyous seeing, an agreeable smelling, a delicious hearing and a sweet feeling; and it is what no tongue can express. How should there not4 be joy and love there where eternal life is born in the midst of death? there where there is not nor can be any fear that there be ever an end? 14. Thus, in the astringency there is yet a new generation; understand there where the kindled astringency holds the first rank in that same generation, and there where the fire is not kindled according to the bitter sting, nor according to the sourcing of the anguish. But the joy which rises is now the centre and the inflaming of the light 5 and the astringency has henceforth in its own quality the sul, 1 the oil and the light of the father; it is why the begetting of the branch of the first tree is entirely unqualified according to that same new astringent source; and in that begetting, the fire is an astringent fire, the bitterness is an astringent bitterness, the tone an astringent tone, the love an astringent love, and the whole is in an entire perfection, in a love and a cordial joy. i5. Thus the first bitter sting, or the first bitterness ( after the light is kindled and the first begetting is in perfection ) begets again of its own quality an essence. \ \
3wherein there is a centre. There also a9 new source rises into a new life, or a new fire, with all its qualities, conditions, and properties; and nevertheless, in that new production, the bitterness is the first among all the forms; that is to say, a bitter bitterness, a bitter astringency; a bitter spirit of water 5 a bitter tone; a bitter fire; a bitter love; but the sul is perfect and feels the impression of a great joy. 16. And the fire begets also a fire according to the property of all the qualities. It is astringent in the astringent spirit; bitter in the bitter; in the love it is a cordial inflaming of love, a very warm inflaming, and a very violent desire; in the tone it is a very clear sounding fire, wherein all is neatly and distinctly particularised; there the tone represents in all the qualities, as with a mouth or a tongue, all that is4 in all the source-spirits: it paints the joy, the power, the essence and the property; and in the water it is a desiccating fire. 17. Remark above all the expansion of love; it is the sweetest and the most delicious of all. When the begetting of love produces anew of itself an entire generation, with all the sources of the original essences, so that in that same new generation love be the first in all the sources, and that there be there a centre which manifests itself; then the first essence or the astringency is entirely desirous, entirely CH. 8. '{17 ) sweet, entirely luminous; it extends itself for the nourishment of all the source-spirits, with a cordial affection for all, as a tender mother does for her children.
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.