Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 104 of 204
Preface to the Treatise of Sulphur · Passage 4
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · unnumbered preface 4–5
Latin
Sis ergo bono animo, Lector candide, et tibi quoque hanc gratiam non denegabit, si in illo spem integram posueris, illum adorabis et invocabis, ille tibi aperiet naturae ianuam, ibi videbis quomodo natura simplicissime operatur. Scias pro certo, quod natura simplicissima est, nec delectatur nisi in simplicitate; et crede mihi quicquid in natura nobilius est, eo etiam et facilius, ac simplicius; quoniam omnis veritas simplex est.
English
Take courage, honest reader. He will not refuse you this grace either, if you place your entire hope in him, worship him and call upon him. He will open nature's door to you. There you will see how simply nature works. Know for certain that nature is utterly simple and delights only in simplicity. Believe me: whatever is nobler in nature is also easier and simpler, since all truth is simple.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Preface to the Treatise of Sulphur · Preface to the Treatise of Sulphur · Passage 4
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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.