Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 12 of 204
Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Passage 6
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1611 pp. 6
Latin
Porro praesentes hos Tractatus, mea experientia conscriptos, scientiae filiis offero, ut dum omni cogitatione motuque animi in naturae occultis operationibus inquirendis versentur, inde rerum veritatem ipsamque naturam perspiciant et cognoscant: in qua re sola totius sanctissimae artis Philosophicae perfectio consistit, modo via Regia, quam natura in omnibus operationibus praescribit, progrediantur. Ideo hic candidum Lectorem admonitum velim, ut scripta mea non tam ex verborum cortice quam e naturae viribus intelligat, ne postea tempus, laborem et sumptum frustra expensum deploret.
English
I therefore offer these treatises, written from my own experience, to the children of this knowledge. As they devote every thought and movement of mind to investigating nature’s hidden operations, may they discern and know from them the truth of things and nature herself. In this alone lies the perfection of the entire most sacred philosophical art, provided that they advance along the royal road nature prescribes in all her operations. I would therefore caution the honest reader to understand my writings through nature’s powers more than through the outer bark of words, so that there may be no later lament over time, labour and money spent in vain.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Passage 6
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The complete supplied Latin–English edition of the Twelve Treatises, Epilogue, Enigma, Parable, Dialogue of Mercury and Treatise of Sulphur, with original preliminaries, John French’s historical English address and its separately labelled modernisation, 101 annotations and the complete study apparatus.
Historical Text and Translation
The Twelve Treatises and their concluding texts follow the selected 1606 Herzog August Bibliothek witness. The Dialogue uses the 1607 Cologne printing; the author’s preface and Alsted epigram use Frankfurt 1611. Sulphur uses the 1616 Munich and Rome witnesses. John French’s 1650 address is separately identified as historical English reception.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The historical Latin texts and John French’s 1650 English address are in the public domain. The new translation, modernisation and editorial apparatus were prepared with AI assistance for Diotimos Editions in 2026 and are published with the site owner’s authorization.