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.
1cœur de Dieu ; et de tous les saints anges ; et il ne peut puiser en lui aucun autre volonté 5 ses anges et ses démons sont de plusieurs espèces , tous selon réternclle génération. Car dans le tems de sa création , il étoit dans l'éternelle génération dans le royaume céleste , dans la racine et la place où l'esprit saint, dans la génération du cœur de Dieu, ouvrit dans le paradis une multiplicité innombrable de centres. Dans cette même place il a été aussi corporifié , et il a pris son commencement dans l'ouverture des centres dans l'éternelle nature. 75. c'est pourquoi ( comme il est dit au troisième chap.) lorsque l'engendrement de la vie s'élève, chaque essence a de nouveau un centre en soi selon sa propre qualité , et elle figure une vie selon cette essence , savoir l'astringent , l'amer , le feu , le ton , et ainsi des autres , par la puissance de l'éternelle génération qui est confirmée dans le royaume céleste. 76. Or , puisque les anges de Lucifer étoient dans le ciel au tems de leur création , leurs qualités ont aussi été multiples , et ils auroient tous été et seroient demeurés des anges , si la grande fontaine Lucifer dont ils sont issus ne les avoit souillés. Mais aussi dans leur chute , chacun d'eux est demeuré dans son essence 5 seulement le second principe leur est fermé. Il en est de même de l'ame de l'homme quand la lumière de Dieu s'éteint en elle ; Mais tant qu'elle en est éclairée , elle est dans le paradis et se nourrit de la parole de Dieu 3 cç dont il sera parlé en son lieu. (6a) CHAPITRE CINQUIEME. Du troisième principe , ou de la création du inonde matériel , ainsi que des étoiles et des élémens ; on y fera entendre plus clairement le premier et le second principe.
2I. Vjomme je pourrois n*én*e pas assez entendu du désireux lecteur, et être tout-à-fait muet pour les impies^ car Téternelle indissoluble alliance dans laquelle se trouve l'essence de toutes les essences, ne se fait pas comprendre aisément, ni promplenient ; il est donc nécessaire au désireux lecteur de se considérer lui-même avec beaucoup d'attention , pour savoir ce qu'il est , d'où lui viennent sa raison et ses pensées dans lesquelles il trouve une image de Dieu 5 particulièrement l'orsqu'il reconnoît et sent ce qu'est son ame , qui est un éternel et impérissable esprit. a. Mais le lecteur ( pourvu toutefois qu'il soit ué de Dieu ) ne pénétrera jamais mieux ni plus avant dans la connoissance des trois principes^qu'en considérant la nouvelle génération; comment l'ame par l'amour de Dieu, est régénérée dans la lumière; comment, par une nouvelle naissance^ elle passe de la prison de ténèbres dans une éternelle lumière. CH. 5. ( 63 ) Si tu considères ces mêmes ténèbres où l'ame doit être sans la nouvelle naissance , et que tu examines ce que dit l'écriture , et ce que l'expérience apprend; savoir : que dans ceux qui tombent dans la colère de Dieu , on voit de terribles exemples, comment l'ame doit souffrir de pénibles tourmens dans la génération de sa propre vie , tant qu'elle est dans la colère de Dieu , tandis que si elle renaît de nouveau , elle s'exalt^î dans une joyeuse ascension , alors tu trouveras là clairement deux principes , comme aussi Dieu , le paradis et le royaume céleste.
33. Car tu trouveras dans la racine de l'origine de l'esprit de l'ame , en soi-même , dans la substance de l'éternelle alliance de l'ame , la source la plus ennemie et la plus épouvantable dans laquelle, comme tous les démons , elle est bors de la lumière de Dieu , et dans laquelle est leur éternel tourment, une inimitié en eux-mêmes , une opposition de volonté contre Dieu ; une baine de tout ce qui est bon et aimable ; un impétueux orgueil dans la puissance du feu ^ une fureur amère contre le paradis , contre Dieu , et le royaume céleste , et contre toutes les créatures qui sont dans le second et le troisième principe. Là ils s'arment eux-mêmes et seuls contre tout , comme le fait l'amertume dans le feu. 4. Au contraire , l'orsqu'elle ( Vame ) est régénérée dans la lumière de Dieu, tu trouves , comme l'écriture le témoigne par-tout , et comme l'éprouve lui-même l'homme régénéré , que l'ame est alors un être entièrement humble , doux , aimable , gracieux ) qui supporte toutes les croix et les persécuU'. ( Ô4 ) CH. 1 tîoîis ; qui préserve le corps des voies impies , qui ne s'arrête point aux opprobres qui lui viennent de la part du démon ou des hommes; qui met sa confiance , son assurance , et son amour dans le coeur de Dieu ; qui est plein de joie ; qui est nourri de la parole de Dieu daus laquelle il y a une jubilation et un triomphe que le démon ne peut pas atteindre 5 car celte ame est dans sa propre substance avec laquelle elle a été créaturelleraent dans le premier principe dans l'alliance indissoluble ; elle est éclairée par la lumière de Dieu , et l'esprit saint ( qui procède de l'éternelle nature du père dans le cœur et la lumière du cceur de Dieu ) s'élève aussi en elle , et la confirme pour enfant de Dieu.
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.
1heart of God; and of all the holy angels; and he can draw in himself no other will 5 his angels and his demons are of several species, all according to the eternal generation. For in the time of his creation, he was in the eternal generation in the celestial kingdom, in the root and the place where the holy spirit, in the generation of the heart of God, opened in paradise an innumerable multiplicity of centres. In that same place he was also corporified, and he took his beginning in the opening of the centres in the eternal nature. 75. it is why ( as it is said at the third chap. ) when the begetting of the life rises, each essence has anew a centre in itself according to its own quality, and it figures a life according to that essence, to wit the astringent, the bitter, the fire, the tone, and so of the others, by the power of the eternal generation which is confirmed in the celestial kingdom. 76. Now, since the angels of Lucifer were in heaven at the time of their creation, their qualities have also been multiple, and they would all have been and would have remained angels, if the great fountain Lucifer whence they issued had not defiled them. But also in their fall, each of them remained in his essence 5 only the second principle is closed to them. It is the same with the soul of man when the light of God is extinguished in it; but so long as it is enlightened by it, it is in paradise and nourishes itself of the word of God 3 whereof it shall be spoken in its place. (6a) CHAPTER THE FIFTH. Of the third principle, or of the creation of the material world, as well as of the stars and of the elements; there shall be made to be heard there more clearly the first and the second principle.
2I. AS I might not be heard enough by the desirous reader, and be altogether mute for the impious; for the eternal indissoluble alliance wherein is found the essence of all essences does not make itself comprehended easily, nor promptly; it is then necessary for the desirous reader to consider himself with much attention, to know what he is, whence come to him his reason and his thoughts wherein he finds an image of God 5 particularly when he recognises and feels what his soul is, which is an eternal and imperishable spirit. a. But the reader ( provided nevertheless that he be born of God ) will never penetrate better nor further into the knowledge of the three principles than in considering the new generation; how the soul, by the love of God, is regenerated in the light; how, by a new birth, it passes from the prison of darkness into an eternal light. CH. 5. ( 63 ) If thou considerest those same darknesses where the soul must be without the new birth, and examinest what the scripture says, and what experience teaches; to wit: that in those who fall into the anger of God, one sees terrible examples, how the soul must suffer painful torments in the generation of its own life, so long as it is in the anger of God, whereas if it is born anew, it exalts itself in a joyous ascension, then thou wilt find there clearly two principles, as also God, paradise and the celestial kingdom.
33. For thou wilt find in the root of the origin of the spirit of the soul, in itself, in the substance of the eternal alliance of the soul, the most inimical and most terrifying source wherein, like all the demons, it is out of the light of God, and wherein is their eternal torment, an enmity in themselves, an opposition of will against God; a hatred of all that is good and lovable; an impetuous pride in the power of the fire; a bitter fury against paradise, against God, and the celestial kingdom, and against all the creatures which are in the second and the third principle. There they arm themselves alone and against all, as the bitterness does in the fire. 4. On the contrary, when it ( the soul ) is regenerated in the light of God, thou findest, as the scripture testifies everywhere, and as the regenerated man himself experiences, that the soul is then a being entirely humble, sweet, lovable, gracious, which bears all the crosses and the persecu- ( Ô4 ) CH. 1 tions; which preserves the body from the impious ways, which stops not at the opprobriums which come to it on the part of the demon or of men; which puts its confidence, its assurance, and its love in the heart of God; which is full of joy; which is nourished of the word of God wherein there is a jubilation and a triumph which the demon cannot reach 5 for that soul is in its own substance wherewith it was creaturely in the first principle in the indissoluble alliance; it is enlightened by the light of God, and the holy spirit ( which proceeds from the eternal nature of the father into the heart and the light of the heart of God ) rises also in it, and confirms it for child of God.
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.