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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Clovis Hesteau de Nuysement

Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici

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

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Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi PhilosophiciThe Original Preface

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Facing Pages · Branch 25 of 251

The Original Preface

French

1621 Unnumbered preliminary pages · scans FR018

Je ne doute point que ce livre arrivant en public ne soit rejetté de plusieurs, & receu de peu: car les esprits humains estans communément offusquez du brouillas d'ignorance, & la multitude des aveugles surmontant beaucoup le nombre des clairvoyans, les plus rares sciences ont de tout temps esté les moins connues & les plus mesprisees; soit par la negligence, ou par l'avidité du gain, preferant l'utile à l'honneste. De sorte que telles gens croyans estre nez pour avoir, non pour sçavoir, s'adonnent entierement à la suitte du lucre; & different fort peu des animaux qui n'ont soin que de la pasture. Mais s'ils rentroient quelquefois en eux mesme, illuminez de ce rayon divin de cognoissance, ils trouveroient que l'aliment leur est donné pour soutien de la vie; & la vie pour s'employer à l'inquisition de verité: pour le respect de laquelle ils sont douez de la ratiocination.

1621 Unnumbered preliminary pages · scans FR018

Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici: The Original Preface

1621 Unnumbered preliminary pages · scans FR018

I do not doubt that, when this book appears in public, many will reject it and few will receive it. Human minds are commonly darkened by the fog of ignorance, and the multitude of the blind greatly exceeds the number of those who see clearly. The rarest sciences have therefore always been the least known and most despised, either through neglect or through greed for profit, which prefers advantage to what is honourable. Such people believe they were born to possess rather than to know, give themselves wholly to the pursuit of gain and differ very little from animals concerned only with feeding. Yet if they sometimes returned within themselves, illumined by that divine ray of knowledge, they would find that food is given them to sustain life, and life to be employed in the search for truth. It is for the sake of truth that they are endowed with the power of reasoning.

1621 Unnumbered preliminary pages · scans FR018

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.