Fetching
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.
1notre ame une ame humaine, et revélît l'ame d'un nouveau corps céleste, du premier corps glorieux avant la chule,el qu'il prît en outre le vieuxcorps terrestrequiy est suspendu; et cela, «on pas simplelucnl comme un vêlement, mais en propriété et dans le» essences, de façon qu'il y eût ainsi une créature qui fut le Dieu total avec tous les trois principes. i3. El alors l'un doit être séparé de l'autre, c'esta-dire , le royaume de ce monde doit être retranché lu, qui est une racine de la colère , ou bien le sli-' inulant de cette racine. Ainsi il éloit nécessaire que Dieu marchât avec le nouveau ccjjs dans la sépalion ce la racine et du royaume de ce monde, ou dans la mort de la colère; qu'il rompit la mortq» .1 .ourrdt par sa propre rertu au travers dâ la mon, comme une Heur au travers de la irrie, et retint ainsi la plus intérieure colère pri- «onnière dans la propre Pertu du nouveau corps. 14- C'est ainsi que nous concevons les choses au su,ct du Christ , qui est vraimeul entré de celle mamère dans la sévère colère, qui l'a prise prisonnière , et dans elle les démons. Il a poussé avec son sauii et .céleste corp. , au travers de la mort ; il a brisé la mort, en sorte que l'éternelle vie pousse au travers delà mort. La mon a donc été emprisonnée par le nouveau cor/„éternel , qui dès lorsest uneéleinelle prison, de façon qu'ainsi dans la mon, une éternelle viea poussé, et que le nouveau corpsa marché sur la léle de la colère et de la mort; car la source de la mort est dans la prison de l'éternelle nouvelle vie. l5. C'est ainsi que la femme, dans laqueUe a. il II ( 5io ) CM- *^'
2fleuri la nouvelle vie , est au - dessus de la lune terrestre , et qu'elle méprise ce qui est terrestre » car le terrestre passe , et il ne reste du terrestre , que la terrible mort. Ainsi la parole de Dieu est une source vivante, entrée dans la mort ; elle a engnndré l'ame en soi ; elle pousse de Tame au iravers de la mort , comme une nouvelle fleur , et la fleur est le nouveau corps en Christ. 16. Ainsi , comprends, i«. Comment le Christ a dispersé la mort , puisque rélcrnelle vie pousse dans la divinité au travers de la mort ; et com^ prends , 2". comment le nouveau corps tient Téter. Belle source de colère prisonnière dans Tamour de Dieu 1 car Tamour est la prison. En çlTet , la source de la colère ne peut pas entrer dans l'amour-, mais elle demeure seule avec soi , conmie elle Ta été dès l'éternité ; et en elle , les démons sont prisonniers, attendu que la lumière de Dieu les épouvante ; ils n'osent pas non plus regarder dans l'éternité; il y a un principe entre: car 1 amour croît dans le centre de l'ame , et dans cet amour brille la trinité sainte. 17. Nous avons donc reçu ainsi un prince de l é. lernelle vie , et nous n'avons sur cela rien à faire de plus , que de nous porter en lui avec assurance et une ferme foi ; alors notre ame reçoit de sou amour ; elle pousse avec lui au travers de la mort ; ^Ue s'élève au-dessus du terrestre ou de la chair et du sang ; c'est une plante dans le royaume de Dieu, dans le corps de Jésus-Christ , et elle plane tnom.. pha»t(î au-dçssus de la colère 5 car l'amour tient la "'• ^>'- C 3ii ) colère prisonnière , et c'est la honte de la mort ' comme dit Saint-Paul : Mort , oh est ton aiguillon l enfer , ouest ta victoire ? Louanges et grâces à Dieu qui nous a donné la victoire, par noire seigneur Jésiis-Clirtsi !
318. Quoiqu'il soif vrai que nous saisissions ceci , el que nous le comprenions clairement en esprit cepeadan, c'est un devoir pour nous de montrer 1,' unuere a ceux qui ne le comprennent pas , qui «ont a.ns. prisonniers dans la raison , et qui cher, client sans cesse dans le. détails circonstanciels . comment cela s'est passé 5 car la raison dit .-Falloit- «I donc que cela fût ainsi j que le Christ dût entrer dans la mor. , et briser la mort ; qu'il dût pousser au travers de la mort , et nons attirer ainsi à lui ? pomquoi falloit-il donc qu'il fô, ainsi méprisé , flal «elle , couronné avec une couronne d'épines, et enfin crucifié entre le ciel et la terre ? ne pouvoîl-il pas mourir autrement, et pousser au travers de la mort , avec son corps céleste ? 19. Ces points difficiles arrêtent les Juifs les Turcs et les P,j,ens , et les retiennent loin de la loi chrétienne. 20. Nous allons donc écrite au sujet de l'arbr. de la perle , et ne pas taire ce qui s'offre à nobs dans {es grandes merveilles. ='. Vois , toi , fils de l'homme , considère ce que lions posons ici 5 ne le déconcerte pas a., sujet de la ma.n qui tient cette plume ; autrement tu te Iromperois , et tu perdrois le trésor , ce dont t., pourrois te repentir éternellement. Considère-toi seulement ( 3i2) ' en. 2H. lu trouveras en toi toutes les raisons qui «ont écrites ici : car celte plume a été bien merveilleuse en les écrivant ; et ni toi , ni la main qui écrit , ne connoissent suffisamment celui qui la conduit. Quoique l'esprit la connoisse bien , cependant quant à celle plume, rhomme naturel est aveugle , et elle ne peut élre décrite avec des paroles terrestres. C'est pourquoi , considère-toi loi-même, et si lu cberclies dans.rhomme régénéré , alors tu trouveras la perle.
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.
1our soul a human soul, and clothed the soul with a new celestial body, with the first glorious body before the fall, and that he took besides the old terrestrial body which is suspended to it; and that, not simply as a garment, but in property and in the essences, so that there was thus a creature which was the total God with all the three principles. i3. And then the one must be separated from the other, that is to say, the kingdom of this world must be cut off from it, which is a root of the anger, or else the stimulant of this root. Thus it was necessary that God should walk with the new body into the separation of the root and of the kingdom of this world, or into the death of the anger; that he should break the death, that .1 he should run by his own virtue through the death, as a flower through the earth, and should thus retain the most interior anger prisoner in the proper virtue of the new body. 14- It is thus that we conceive the things on the subject of the Christ, who is truly entered in this manner into the severe anger, which he has taken prisoner, and in her the demons. He has pushed with his holy and celestial body, through the death; he has broken the death, so that the eternal life pushes through the death. The death has then been imprisoned by the new eternal body, which from thenceforth is an eternal prison, so that thus in the death, an eternal life has pushed, and that the new body has walked upon the head of the anger and of the death; for the source of the death is in the prison of the eternal new life. l5. It is thus that the woman, in whom a. il II ( 5io ) CM- *^'
2flowered the new life, is above the terrestrial moon, and she despises what is terrestrial; for the terrestrial passes, and there remains of the terrestrial, but the terrible death. Thus the word of God is a living source, entered into the death; she has begotten the soul in herself; she pushes from the soul through the death, as a new flower, and the flower is the new body in Christ. 16. Thus, comprehend, i«. How the Christ has dispersed the death, since the eternal life pushes in the divinity through the death; and comprehend, 2". how the new body holds the eternal source of anger prisoner in the love of God 1 for the love is the prison. In effect, the source of the anger cannot enter into the love; but she remains alone with herself, as she has been from eternity; and in her, the demons are prisoners, seeing that the light of God affrights them; they dare not either look into the eternity; there is a principle between: for 1 the love grows in the centre of the soul, and in this love shines the holy trinity. 17. We have then received thus a prince of the eternal life, and we have upon that nothing more to do, than to bear ourselves in him with assurance and a firm faith; then our soul receives of his love; she pushes with him through the death; she rises above the terrestrial or the flesh and the blood; it is a plant in the kingdom of God, in the body of Jesus-Christ, and she hovers triumphant above the anger 5 for the love holds the "'• ^>'- C 3ii ) anger prisoner, and it is the shame of the death; as Saint-Paul says: Death, where is thy sting? hell, where is thy victory? Praises and thanks to God who has given us the victory, by our lord Jesus-Christ!
318. Although it be true that we seize this, and that we comprehend it clearly in spirit, nevertheless it is a duty for us to show 1,'the light to those who comprehend it not, who are thus prisoners in the reason, and who seek without ceasing in the circumstantial details, how that came to pass 5 for the reason says: Was it needful then that that should be thus; that the Christ should enter into the death, and break the death; that he should push through the death, and draw us thus to him? why was it needful then that he should be thus despised, scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns, and finally crucified between the heaven and the earth? could he not die otherwise, and push through the death, with his celestial body? 19. These difficult points arrest the Jews, the Turks and the Pagans, and hold them back far from the christian law. 20. We are going then to write on the subject of the tree of the pearl, and not to be silent upon what offers itself to us in the great marvels. ='. See, thou, son of man, consider what we lay down here 5 be not disconcerted on the subject of the hand which holds this pen; otherwise thou wouldst deceive thyself, and thou wouldst lose the treasure, whereof thou mightst repent eternally. Consider thyself only ( 3i2) ' en. 2H. thou shalt find in thee all the reasons which are written here: for this pen has been very marvellous in writing them; and neither thou, nor the hand which writes, know sufficiently him who conducts it. Although the spirit knows it well, nevertheless as to this pen, the natural man is blind, and it cannot be described with terrestrial words. It is why, consider thyself thyself, and if thou seekest in the regenerated man, then thou shalt find the pearl.
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.