Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
A New Light of Alchemy
With the Dialogue of Mercury and the Treatise of Sulphur
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Facing Pages · Branch 14 of 204
Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Passage 8
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1611 pp. 7
Latin
Quod reliquum est, filios artis unice rogo, ut meum bene de ipsis merendi studium animo grato accipiant, et cum occultum fecerint manifestum, atque Dei nutu, constanti labore in optatum portum Philosophicum appulerint, Philosophico more omnes indignos ab hac arte excludant, amorisque erga proximum egenum in timore Dei, postposita vana ostentatione, memores, Optimo ter Maximo pro speciali hoc munere, sine abusu, in tacito et pie gaudenti sinu sempiternas gratitudinis laudes decantent. Simplicitas veritatis sigillum.
English
Finally, I earnestly ask the children of the art to receive gratefully my desire to serve them well. When they have made the hidden manifest and, by God’s will and steadfast labour, reached the philosophical harbour they desire, let them follow the philosophers’ custom and exclude all the unworthy from this art. Let them remember love for their neighbour in need, in the fear of God, and put aside empty display. Without abusing this special gift, let them sing everlasting thanks to the supremely good and thrice greatest God, silently and with devout joy in their hearts. Simplicity is the seal of truth.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Preface to the Reader · 1611 · Passage 8
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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.