Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici

Name: Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici
Author: Clovis Hesteau de Nuysement

Treatises on the True Salt and the Universal Spirit of the World

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Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi PhilosophiciBook Two · Chapter 4

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English Page · Branch 163 of 251

Book Two · Chapter 4

Book Mode

French

1621 pp. 237–239 · scans FR257, FR258, FR259

Et veritablement ceux là se sont lourdement abusez qui ont suivy des chemins escartez & tortueux, s'amusant à la commune signification ou escorce des parolles des sages, & non à la vive moelle de leur intention. Ils devoient donc premierement sacrifier à l'infernalle Junon; car là estoit le chef & la source des choses. Les prudents & mieux entendus commencent toutes leurs œuvres par la racine, & non par les rameaux: Elisant (comme dit le docte Bacon.) une chose sur laquelle Nature a seulement commencé ses premieres operations, par l'assemblement & mixtion proportionnee d'un pur & vif mercure, avec semblable souphre; congelez en masse solide: O parolles sacrees, esquelles ce bon Anglois, ou plustost ce bon Ange, a clairement despeint cette unique & vraye matiere dont tous les Philosophes ont tant escrit de volumes sous diverses figures, & fabuleux enigmes: non pour la cacher malicieusement; mais pour reserver le privilege de cette cognoissance aux doctes & pieux; qui l'ayant une fois descouverte par leur assiduelle estude, & cheres experiences, la desguisent & ornent à leur tour. Et pour ne laisser aux maistres l'opinion que par ignorance j'apporte ce passage en cet endroit improprement, & prenne Martre pour Renard; voulant entendre que cette matiere si ingenieusement representee par Bacon soit ce premier & general Esprit que j'ay pris pour subiect de ce livre: je les supplieray de croire que je sçay bien quelle difference il y a entre le pere & le fils; ou entre l'engendreur & producteur & ce qu'il a produit & engendré: Osant dire sans vanité que je cognois l'un & l'autre par raison & experience. Car le sage a voulu instruire les inquisiteurs des principes mineraux pour la confection de la pierre des Philosophes; leur descouvrant la premiere matiere metallique preparee, composee, & specifiee par Nature: Et je traitte de la matiere universelle non encore specifiee; qui se peut proprement dire matiere premiere de cette premiere matiere metallique; comme estoit ce generalissime genre des genres tant celebré par Raymond Lulle: mais je me suis servy de cette sentence pour exemple & authorité, sans toutefois qu'il y ayt rien d'absurde, puisque cet Esprit universel est pere commun du mercure & du souphre contenus & proportionnez par Nature dans cet unique subiect des maistres.

Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici: Book Two · Chapter 4

1621 pp. 237–239 · scans FR257, FR258, FR259

Those who followed remote and winding paths have indeed gravely deceived themselves, attending to the ordinary meaning or outer bark of the sages’ words rather than the living marrow of their intention. They should first have sacrificed to infernal Juno, for there lay the head and source of things. The prudent and better informed begin all their works with the root rather than the branches, choosing—as the learned Bacon says—something upon which Nature has only begun her first operations, through the proportioned gathering and mixture of a pure and living mercury with a similar sulphur, congealed into a solid mass. Sacred words! In them this good Englishman, or rather this good angel, has clearly depicted that unique and true matter about which all the Philosophers have written so many volumes beneath diverse figures and fabulous enigmas. They did so not to conceal it maliciously, but to reserve the privilege of this knowledge for the learned and devout, who, once they discover it through constant study and costly experiments, disguise and adorn it in their turn. To prevent the masters from thinking that ignorance makes me introduce this passage improperly here, taking a marten for a fox, as though the matter so skilfully described by Bacon were that first and universal spirit I chose as this book’s subject, I ask them to believe that I know the difference between father and son, or between the generator and producer and what it has produced and generated. Without vanity, I dare say that I know both by reason and experience. For the sage wished to instruct those investigating mineral principles for making the Philosophers’ stone, revealing to them the first metallic matter prepared, compounded and determined to a species by Nature. I discuss universal matter, not yet determined to a species, which may properly be called the first matter of that first metallic matter, like that most general genus of genera so celebrated by Raymond Lull. I have used this saying as example and authority, without any absurdity, since this universal spirit is the common father of the mercury and sulphur contained and proportioned by Nature within this unique subject of the masters.

About This Reading Edition

The complete French text of 1621 with a new English translation, all three books, preliminary texts, nine concluding sonnets, original errata, 299 annotations and the complete supplied study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Clovis Hesteau de Nuysement, Traittez de l’harmonie et constitution generalle du vray sel, secret des Philosophes, & de l’Esprit universelle du Monde. Paris: Jérémie Périer and Abdias Buisard, 1621. The governing witness is the BnF/Gallica reproduction, ark:/12148/bpt6k656273. The reproduced privilege is dated 6 November 1620; the separate eighty-page Poème philosophic of 1620 is outside this edition.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text printed in 1621 is in the public domain. The supplied 2026 French reading text, new English translation, introduction, notes and complete study apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization.