Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 189 of 204
John French to the Reader · 1650 · Passage 6
Source reference
- Historical English witness
- 1650 PDF image 21, PDF image 22
Historical English · 1650
To these is added a Chymical Dictionary, explaining hard places, and words met withall in obscure Authors. But this, and the other I speak more sparingly in the commendations of, because if read they will speak more for them selves then I can speak for them: only I was willing for the English nations sake, whose spirits are much drawn forth after knowledge, to translate them into the English tongue. I did not doe it to multiply books, (for there are too many books already; and the multitude of them is the greatest cause of our ignorance, and in them is a great vanity) but to let thee see the light of Nature, by which thou maist judg of truths, and the better conceive of the God of Nature, of whom all naturall things are full, and whose goings forth in the way of Nature are most wonderfull, even to the conviction of the greatest Atheists.
Modernised English
A Chymical Dictionary is added to these, explaining difficult passages and words encountered in obscure authors. I am more restrained in praising it and the other work, because reading them will speak more on their behalf than I can. I wished to translate them into English for the English nation, whose minds are so drawn to knowledge. I did not do it to multiply books—there are already too many, and their multitude is the greatest cause of our ignorance, with much vanity in them—but to let you see the light of Nature. By that light you may judge truths and better conceive of the God of Nature, of whom all natural things are full, and whose activities in nature are so wonderful that they can convince the greatest atheists.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · John French to the Reader · 1650 · John French to the Reader · 1650 · 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.