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.
13o. Son essence est Téclair dans l'expansion du cercle de la vie , lequel éclair fait dans l'eau l'éclat et la splendeur; sa racine est le feu , et la souclie est l'aslringence. Or , l'éclair sépare de l'eau l'amertume et l'astriugeuce, de façon que l'eau est douce et claire. Dans cette teinture est \a faculté de voir de toutes créatures , de façon que l'esprit dans l'éclair est dans la matrice de Teau. Car l'éclair est dans cette teinture comme une splendeur , et il remplit l'esprit des essences. L'essence tire de ceci puissamment à soi 5 car elle est l'astringence 9 et l'éclair sépare toujours les ténèbres de la lumière , et ce qui est impur de ce qui est pur ; mais alors il resîe la puissante divine ; et l'éclat divin se peint toujours dans le pur ; d'où il arrive que l'âpreté est séparée de la nature , et que la splendeur divine rend doux ce qui est pur , car elle se combine avec. 3i. Or ^le doux est comme une Imile ou une onc* en. 12. ( 2o3 ) luosilé dans laquelle Téclair s'enOamme- toujours ,' de f^^çon qu'il brille ; mais comme l'huile suave est mêlée avec la matrice aquatique, cela fait que la lumière brillante est constante el douce : néanmoins comme elle ne peut pas , dans la nature de l'eau , demeurer purement huile à cause de V inqualificaiion de l'eau , alors elle devient épaisse , et la nature du feu la colore en rouge. C'est là , dans chaque créature 5 le sang et la teinture , dans laquelle existe la noble vie. De la mort et du mourir. La porte de taJlficiion et des douleurs.
232. Cette noble vie qui est ainsi dans la teinture est dans un grand danger , et elle peut s'attendre à toute heure à la dissolution 5 car aussitôt que le sang dans lequel vit l'esprit , vient à disparoîlre , alors l'essence se brise , et dc-là la teinture s'envole comme une lueur ou une ombre , alors la source de feu est épuisée, et le corps devient roidc. 33. Ah î combien la vie a de puîssans ennemis , particulière ment de la part des clémensct des astres! Aussitôt cpi'un élément devient trop fort, la teinture s'en éloigne , et la vie prend fin. S'il est rempli outre n^csure par la première eau , alors il refroidit et c'ieint lo feu , et l'éclair s'en va comme une lueur ; s'il est nccablé par in terre , ou par une matière impure , alors l'éclair s'obscurcit et passe j s'il est , en ( 204 ) ^» ^^' troisième Heu, trop gonflé par l*air, jusqu'à s'arrêter, alors la teinture est étouffée , ainsi que les originelles essences , et l'éclair se brise en éclats , et s'en va dans son Elher-, mais , quatrièmement , s'il est trop rempli par le feu ou la chaleur , alors l'éclair s'enflamme , la teinture brûle , d'où le sang devient brunâtre et noir 3 et l'éclair s'éteint dans la douceur.
334. Ah ! combien la vie a d^ennemis dans les constellations qui inqualifient avec la teinture et les élémens! Lorsque les planètes et les étoiles sont dans leurs conjonctions, alors elles jètent leurs rayons^ empoisonnés dans la teinture , d'où il résulte des élancemens , des déchiremens , et des tourmens dans la vie de la douce teinture -, car la douce teinture , étant un aimable et agréable délice, ne peut rien souffrir d'impur. C'est pourquoi quand de tels rayons vénéneux sont lancés en elle , alors elle se défend et se nétoyecontinuellemeut. Aussitôt qu'elle est surmontée , de manière à être obscure , alors l'éclair s'éteint ; la vie se brise ; le corps périt et devient cadavre ou une carcasse morte , car l'esprit est la vie. 35. J'ai voulu exposer ceci très brièvement , comme un sommaire , et non point avec toutes les circonstances , afin que l'on puisse entendre ce que c'est que la vie. Cela sera plus amplement éclaire! en son lieu^ car il y a là-dedans beaucoup de choses, et on pourroit en faire de gros livres ; il suflit que l'on puisse comprendre comment Adam a été sub-^ jugué et est tombé dans le sommeiL Gfl. la. ( 2o5 ) 1. La porte de la céleste teinture ; comment elle a été en jidam avant la chute / et comment elle sera en nous après cette vie, 36. Ces secrets sont grands et importans , et celui qui les cherche et les trouve en retirera une véritable joie ; car ils sont le vrai pain céleste de l'ame. Si nous pouvons considérer et recevoir la connoissance de la céleste teinture , alors la connoissance du joyeux règne divin s'élève en nous , de façon que nous désirons d'être délivrés de la vanité , et de vivre dans cette sorte à^ engendrement , ce qui cependant ne peut pas être ; mais nous devons satisfaire à notre tâche journalière.
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.
13o. Its essence is the flash in the expansion of the circle of the life, which flash makes in the water the brightness and the splendour; its root is the fire, and the stock is the astringency. Now, the flash separates from the water the bitterness and the astringency, so that the water is sweet and clear. In this tincture is the faculty of seeing of all creatures, so that the spirit in the flash is in the matrix of the water. For the flash is in this tincture as a splendour, and it fills the spirit of the essences. The essence draws from this powerfully to itself 5 for it is the astringency 9 and the flash separates always the darkness from the light, and what is impure from what is pure; but then there remains the divine power; and the divine brightness paints itself always in the pure; whence it happens that the harshness is separated from nature, and that the divine splendour renders sweet what is pure, for it combines itself therewith. 3i. Now the sweet is as an oil or an unc- en. 12. ( 2o3 ) tuosity in which the flash always inflames itself, so that it shines; but as the suave oil is mingled with the aquatic matrix, that makes that the shining light is constant and sweet: nevertheless as it cannot, in the nature of the water, remain purely oil because of the inqualification of the water, then it becomes thick, and the nature of the fire colours it red. That is there, in each creature 5 the blood and the tincture, in which exists the noble life. Of death and of dying. The gate of affliction and of pains.
232. This noble life which is thus in the tincture is in a great danger, and it may expect at every hour the dissolution 5 for as soon as the blood in which the spirit lives, comes to disappear, then the essence breaks, and thence the tincture flies away as a gleam or a shadow, then the source of fire is exhausted, and the body becomes stiff. 33. Ah! how many powerful enemies has the life, particularly on the part of the elements and of the stars! As soon as an element becomes too strong, the tincture withdraws from it, and the life takes end. If it be filled beyond measure by the first water, then it cools and extinguishes the fire, and the flash goes away as a gleam; if it be overwhelmed by the earth, or by an impure matter, then the flash is obscured and passes; if it be, in ( 204 ) ^» ^^' the third place, too swollen by the air, even to stopping, then the tincture is stifled, as well as the original essences, and the flash breaks in splinters, and goes away into its Ether; but, fourthly, if it be too filled by the fire or the heat, then the flash inflames, the tincture burns, whence the blood becomes brownish and black 3 and the flash is extinguished in the sweetness.
334. Ah! how many enemies has the life in the constellations which inqualify with the tincture and the elements! When the planets and the stars are in their conjunctions, then they cast their poisoned rays into the tincture, whence there result shootings, rendings, and torments in the life of the sweet tincture; for the sweet tincture, being an amiable and agreeable delight, cannot suffer anything impure. That is why when such venomous rays are darted into it, then it defends itself and cleanses itself continually. As soon as it is overcome, in such manner as to be obscure, then the flash is extinguished; the life breaks; the body perishes and becomes a corpse or a dead carcass, for the spirit is the life. 35. I have willed to expose this very briefly, as a summary, and not with all the circumstances, so that one may understand what the life is. This will be more amply cleared up in its place, for there is therein much matter, and one could make of it great books; it suffices that one may comprehend how Adam has been subjugated and is fallen into sleep. Gfl. la. ( 2o5 ) 1. The gate of the celestial tincture; how it has been in Adam before the fall, and how it will be in us after this life, 36. These secrets are great and important, and he who seeks them and finds them will draw from them a veritable joy; for they are the true celestial bread of the soul. If we can consider and receive the knowledge of the celestial tincture, then the knowledge of the joyous divine reign rises in us, so that we desire to be delivered from vanity, and to live in this sort of begetting, which nevertheless cannot be; but we must satisfy our daily task.
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.