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.
1dans l'essence , suivant son pouvoir , avec les moeurs, les sens, les couleurs, et la manière d'être, selon ce qu'il est lui-même. Telle qu'est la constellation lorsqu'il tire sa respiration de l'air , soit que l'essence soit en mauvais ou en bon , comme pour mordre , frapper , battre, comme aussi pour la douceur,le tout selon que le ciel est en ce moment) tel', aussi , est l'esprit et la volonté de l'animal. »^^»»*i»^^^^*^ ^ )3 M»: ( "4 y CHAPITRE NEUVIEME. Du paradis, et de Tiostabilité de toutes les créatures; comment tout pi'end son commencement et sa fin, et pour quel but les choses se montrent ici. Za noble et très précieuse porte de Pâme raisonnable^ I. 1 1 n'y a ni or , nî richesse , ni arliHce, ni autorite qui puisse l'amener à Péternel repos de Téternelie douceur du paradis : cela n'appartient qu'à Ja noble connoissance ; tu as Je pouvoir d'en envelopper ton ame ; c'est là la perTe que la teigne ne mange point , et que les voleurs ne dérobent point : c'est pourquoi cherche-la , et tu trouveras un noble trésor. 2. Notre science et notre intelligence nous sont tellement retirées que nous n'avons plus aucune connoissance du paradis, à moins que nous ne soyons engendrés de nouveau par l'eau et l'esprit «aint : autrement le voile de Moïse reste toujours posé devant nos yeux quand nous lisons ses écrits, et quand nous pensons que le paradis est , ce dont Moïse dit : Dieu plaça Adam clans le jardin d'Edea qu'il avoit planté afin qu'il le cultivât. CH. 9. ( 125 )
23. Homme, mon ami, ce n'est point là le paradi», et aussi Moïse ne dit point cela : mais que dans Kden éloit le jardin où ils furent tentés , ce que tu trouveras lorsque nous traiterons de la chute d'Adam. Le paradis est la divine joie qui a été dans leu.r propre esprit lorsqu'ils étoient dans l'amour de Dieu. Mais lorsqu'ils devinrent désobéissans , ils furent chassés, et ils virent qu'ils étoient nuds 5 car à Tinstant ils furent saisis par l'esprit de ce monde dans lequel il n'y a qu'angoisse, indigence , fatigue et peine , et enfin la dissolution et la mort ; c'est pourquoi il étoit nécessaire que l'éternel verbe devint chair, et les ramenât dans le repos paradisiaque; ce dont il sera parlé en son lieu , quand nous en serons à la chute d'Adam. 4. Le paradis a un autre principe ; car il est la joie divine et angélique , mais il n'est pas hors du lieu de ce monde, bien qu'il soit hors de la puissance et de la source de ce monde; aussi l'eq)rit de ce monde ne peut nullement le saisir , encore moins cela est-il possible à aucune créature , car il n'est point dans la génération angoisseuse ; et quoiqu'il reçoive aussi son origine , cependant il est dans une pure perfection , dans un pur amour , dans la joie et les délices ; et dans ce paradis il n'y a ni crainte , ni mort , ni tourment ; aucun démon ne peut le toucher , ni aucun aninialy atteindre. 5. Mais si nous voulons parler de la source du paradis , de sa joie et de sa haute essence , et dire ce qu'il est, nous n'en pouvons trouver , dans ce lUQndcj aacune comparaison ; nous aurions besoin , C »^6 ) CIT. 9.
3pour cela , de la langue d'un ange et des connoissances angéliqueSjel quand même nous les aurions, nous ne pourrions pas cependant en parler avec cette langue [ de chair ^-^ nous le comprenons bien dans l'entendement quand Tame voyage sur le cliar marital paradisiaque ; mais nous ne pouvons le rendre avec la langue. Néanmoins nous ne voulons point rejeter cet a , i , r ; mais en balbutier avec les enfans , jusqu'à ce qu'il nous ait été donné une autre bouche pour eu parler. 6. Lorsque Dieu eut créé les animaux , il les amena à Adam , afin qu'il leur donnât leur nom a chacun selon son essence et son espèce, tel qu'ils avoiênt été inqualifiés. Alors Adam éloit dans le jardin d'Eden en Hibron , et aussi en même tems dans le paradis. Mais, aucun animal ne peut aller dans le paradis 3 car c'est le délice divin et angélique dans lequel il n'y a rien d'impur, aucune mort, aucune vie périssable, encore moins la connoissance du bien et du mal. Cependant, Moïse écrit que dans ce jardin d'Eden , il y avoit l'arbre de l'épreuve qui portoit la connoissance du bien et du mal , lequel toutefois n'étoit aucun autre arbre que de' ceux dont nous vivons encore , dans la corruptibilité , et il n'y avoit non plus aucun autre jardin , que ce que nous avons, encore , et où il croît des arbres terrestres bons et mauvais , comme cela est vis^e. 7. Seulement , le paradis est quelque chose de difî.'rent , et néanmoins il n'y a aucun autre lieu ; mais c'est dans un autre principe ; là où habiteut CH. 9. ( 1^7 )
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.
1in the essence, according to his power, with the manners, the senses, the colours, and the manner of being, according to what he is himself. Such as the constellation is when it draws its respiration from the air, whether the essence be in bad or in good, as for biting, striking, beating, as also for sweetness, the whole according as the heaven is at that moment; such, also, is the spirit and the will of the animal. »^^»»*i»^^^^*^ ^ )3 M»: ( "4 y CHAPTER THE NINTH. Of paradise, and of the instability of all the creatures; how all takes its beginning and its end, and to what end things show themselves here. The noble and most precious gate of the reasonable soul. I. 1 1 There is neither gold, nor riches, nor artifice, nor authority which can bring it to the eternal repose of the eternal sweetness of paradise: that belongs only to the noble knowledge; thou hast the power to envelop thy soul with it; it is there the pearl which the moth eats not, and which the thieves steal not: it is why seek it, and thou wilt find a noble treasure. 2. Our science and our intelligence are so far withdrawn from us that we have no longer any knowledge of paradise, unless we be begotten anew by the water and the holy spirit: otherwise the veil of Moses remains always set before our eyes when we read his writings, and when we think that paradise is that whereof Moses says: God placed Adam in the garden of Eden which he had planted in order that he might cultivate it. CH. 9. ( 125 )
23. Man, my friend, that is not paradise, and also Moses says not that: but that in Eden was the garden where they were tempted, which thou wilt find when we shall treat of the fall of Adam. Paradise is the divine joy which was in their own spirit when they were in the love of God. But when they became disobedient, they were driven out, and they saw that they were naked 5 for on the instant they were seized by the spirit of this world wherein there is nothing but anguish, indigence, fatigue and pain, and finally dissolution and death; it is why it was necessary that the eternal verb should become flesh, and bring them back into the paradisiac repose; whereof it shall be spoken in its place, when we shall be at the fall of Adam. 4. Paradise has another principle; for it is the divine and angelic joy, but it is not outside the place of this world, although it be outside the power and the source of this world; also the spirit of this world can in no wise seize it, still less is that possible to any creature, for it is not in the anguishing generation; and although it also receives its origin, nevertheless it is in a pure perfection, in a pure love, in joy and delights; and in that paradise there is neither fear, nor death, nor torment; no demon can touch it, nor any animal reach it. 5. But if we would speak of the source of paradise, of its joy and of its high essence, and say what it is, we can find of it, in this world, no comparison; we should have need, C »^6 ) CIT. 9.
3for that, of the tongue of an angel and of angelic knowledges; and even had we them, we could nevertheless not speak of it with this tongue of flesh ^-^ we comprehend it well in the understanding when the soul travels upon the paradisiac marital chariot; but we cannot render it with the tongue. Nevertheless we will not reject this a, i, r; but stammer of it with the children, until another mouth shall have been given us to speak of it. 6. When God had created the animals, he brought them to Adam, in order that he might give them their name each according to its essence and its species, such as they had been inqualified. Then Adam was in the garden of Eden in Hebron, and also at the same time in paradise. But no animal can go into paradise 3 for it is the divine and angelic delight wherein there is nothing impure, no death, no perishable life, still less the knowledge of good and evil. Nevertheless, Moses writes that in that garden of Eden there was the tree of the proof which bore the knowledge of good and evil, which nevertheless was no other tree than those whereof we still live, in corruptibility, and there was no other garden either than what we have, still, and where there grow terrestrial trees good and bad, as that is visible. 7. Only, paradise is something different, and nevertheless there is no other place; but it is in another principle; there where dwell CH. 9. ( 1^7 )
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.