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.
118. Mais s'il arrivoit que ces écrits fussent lus , et que, par hasard , le peuple de Sodôms et autres semblables pourceaux se présentassent pour fouiller dans mon jardin de délices, et n'y pussent rien voir, ni comprendre, et n'y épluchassent que des vices et de l'ojjgueil, et ne se connussent ni eux, ni Dieu, ni encore moins ses enfans ; ce n'est point pour ceux-là que je veux rien écrire ; et je ferme mon livre avec un mur épais et des barres pour ces sauvages génisses du démon , et pour ces idiots qui sont enfoncés jusqu'aux oreilles dans les sépulcres de l'enfer , et ne se connoissent point euxniénies , mais font ce que fait le démon , leur professeur , et demeurent enfans de la sévérité i'î j^j^ PRÉFACE. colérique de Dieu. Si je désire donc d'écrire avec quelque clarté , c'est pour les enfans de Dieu. Le monde et le démon peuvent tempêter et rugir jusque dans Tabîme : car leur sablier est dressé. Alors chacun récoltera ce qu'il aura semé, et plusieurs seront chauffes par le feu de renfer , pour leur orgueil dédaigneux et insensé, quoiqu'ils ne l'aient pas cru en ce monde. ,9. En outre, je ne dois pas négliger de mettre ces choses par écrit , parce que Dieu demandera compte des dons de chacun , et comment il les a employés : car il exigera , avec usure , le talent qu'il aura* livré , et le donnera à celui qui auia beaucoup gagné. Mais comme je ne peux pas à présent faire plus pour lui , je me laisse gouverner à sa volonté , et je continue d'écrire selon mes connoissances.
220. Quant aux enfans de Dieu , ils apercevront bien ce que sont mes écrits ; car c'est un excellent témoignage ; et l'on en peut voir la preuve dans toutes les créatures ; oui , dans toutes'choses , et particulièrement dans lliomme , qui est l'image et la ressemblance de Eieu. Mais cela demeure caché aux enfans de la perversité, et est fortement fermé par un sceau. Quoique le démon puisse pressentir le coup , et exciter des tempêtes depuis rOiient jusqu'au D E l'a U T E U r/ XXJ Nord j néanmoins , dans l'arbre colérique , il croît un lys avec une racine , qui va aussi loin que larbre s'étend avec ses branches , et qui porte son parfum jusque dans le paradis de Dieu, 21. Un tems plein de merveilles s'avance; mais il commence dans la nuit : peu d'hommes ici bas le verront à cause de leur sommeil et de leur grande ivresse ; toutefois le soleil brillera pour les enfans au milieu de la nuit. Ainsi je recommande le lecteur au tendre amour de Dieu, >m^ %i^M^i^<^ *i tm mm DES TROIS PRINCIPES DE L'ESSENCE DIVINE. CHAPITRE PREMIER. Du premier principe de Tessence divine.
3I. r uisQxTE nous nous proposons ici de parler de Dieu et d*exposerce qu'il est , et où il est , nous devons dire qu'il est lui* même l'essence de toutes les essences. Car, c'est de lui que tout est engendré, créé, et provenu ; et toute chose prend sa première origine de Dieu. C'est ce que témoigne la sainte écriture qui dit que : Ve lui , par lui , eu en lui sont toutes choses; de plus : Le ciel , et tous les deux des deux ne peuvent te suffire; de plus : Le ciel est mon trône ^ et la terre est mon marche -pie d ; et on trouve dans le pater : A toi est le règne et la puissance (entendez la toute-puissance), e^ le pouvoir et la sainteté , d* éternité en éternité, [ On ne trouve point littéralement dans le pater les mots qui sont ici, V auteur étend^ par V intelligence^ le sens de la lettre. ] 2. Mais comme il y a celte différence que la mal ne peut ni s'appeler ni élre Dieu, ce n'est que dans le premier principe [ séparé intellectuellement dit second principe , ou de la lumière et de V amour ] ^ire i'on doit coi^idércr le mal. C'est là , en effet, que se conçoit la première source de l'âpreté, selon laquelle Dieu se nomme un Dieu colérique, sévère , et jaloux. Car , dans Tâprelé se trouve l'origine de la vie , et de toute mobilité j mais lorsque cette même source rigide et angoisseuse de Tâprelé est considérée comme étant embrasée de la lumière dé Dieu , elle n'est plus âpre , mais la rigide angoisse se cbange en joie.
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.
118. But if it happened that these writings were read, and that, by chance, the people of Sodom and other like swine presented themselves to rummage in my garden of delights, and could see nothing there, nor comprehend, and picked out there nothing but vices and pride, and knew neither themselves, nor God, nor still less his children; it is not for those that I will write anything; and I close my book with a thick wall and with bars against those savage heifers of the demon, and against those idiots who are sunk to the ears in the sepulchres of hell, and know not themselves, but do what the demon does, their professor, and remain children of the choleric i'î j^j^ PREFACE. severity of God. If I desire then to write with some clearness, it is for the children of God. The world and the demon may storm and roar even into the abyss: for their hourglass is set up. Then each shall reap what he shall have sown, and several shall be warmed by the fire of hell, for their disdainful and senseless pride, although they did not believe it in this world. ,9. Moreover, I must not neglect to put these things in writing, because God will demand account of the gifts of each, and how he has employed them: for he will exact, with usury, the talent he shall have delivered, and will give it to him who shall have gained much. But as I cannot at present do more for him, I let myself be governed by his will, and I continue to write according to my knowledges.
220. As for the children of God, they will well perceive what my writings are; for it is an excellent testimony; and one may see the proof of it in all the creatures; yes, in all things, and particularly in man, who is the image and the likeness of God. But that remains hidden to the children of perversity, and is strongly closed by a seal. Although the demon may have a presentiment of the blow, and excite tempests from the East even to the OF THE AUTHOR. XXJ North, nevertheless, in the choleric tree, there grows a lily with a root, which goes as far as the tree extends with its branches, and which bears its perfume even into the paradise of God. 21. A time full of marvels advances; but it begins in the night: few men here below shall see it because of their sleep and their great drunkenness; nevertheless the sun shall shine for the children in the midst of the night. Thus I commend the reader to the tender love of God, >m^ %i^M^i^<^ *i tm mm OF THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE. CHAPTER THE FIRST. Of the first principle of the divine essence.
3I. SINCE we propose here to speak of God and to set forth what he is, and where he is, we must say that he is himself the essence of all essences. For it is of him that all is begotten, created, and proceeded; and every thing takes its first origin from God. It is what the holy scripture testifies which says that: Of him, by him, and in him are all things; further: Heaven, and all the heavens of heavens cannot suffice thee; further: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; and one finds in the pater: Thine is the reign and the power (understand the omnipotence), and the might and the holiness, from eternity to eternity, [ One does not find literally in the pater the words which are here, the author extends, by the intelligence, the sense of the letter. ] 2. But as there is that difference that the evil can neither be called nor be God, it is only in the first principle [ separated intellectually from the second principle, or of the light and of love ] that one must consider the evil. It is there, in effect, that is conceived the first source of harshness, according to which God names himself a choleric, severe, and jealous God. For, in harshness is found the origin of life, and of all mobility; but when that same rigid and anguishing source of harshness is considered as being kindled by the light of God, it is no longer harsh, but the rigid anguish is changed into joy.
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.