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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 PhilosophiciBook One · Chapter 1

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French Page · Branch 35 of 251

Book One · Chapter 1

French

1621 pp. 9–11 · scans FR029, FR030, FR031

Or le mouvement (j'entens naturel) est tousjours accompagné de vie: comment donc produira en autruy & vie & mouvement, celuy qui n'a ny mouvement ny vie en soy? Le mouvement n'abandonne jamais ce que la vie n'a point encore abandonné: & ce qui est tousjours agité & mouvant ne peut estre estimé sans vie. L'ame de l'univers se mouvant de soy mesme, est source & origine de tout corporel mouvement, estant ordinaire compagne du corps; qui fait que la tresubtile partie de cette ame du monde cherchant le haut, & habitant en haut, d'un rouër continuel tourne avec les globes celestes, qu'elle conduit d'un mouvement propre & sans fin orbiculairement: & pour cette cause toutes choses superieures sont plus vitales, parfaites, & participantes de l'immortalité, que les autres inferieures: parce que ce qui est pourveu d'une vie non defaillante, doit necessairement estre agité d'un mouvement retournant à soy mesme. Et par ainsi, que ce qui est meu sans fin est consequemment doué de vie perpetuelle & indeterminable. Il paroist donc par ces raisons que le monde universel est universellement remply de vie. Tellement que la vie de chacune espece individue n'est sinon une vie participee de cette generalle vie du monde; qui seul peut veritablement estre dit animal. Aux elemens corporels duquel sont encloses les occultes semences de toutes les choses visibles & corporelles. Car nous voyons naistre plusieurs corps sans expresses semences precedentes; comme les plantes, & sans conjonction de masle & de femelle: Comme certains animaux engendrez de corruption.

1621 pp. 9–11 · scans FR029, FR030, FR031

Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici: Book One · Chapter 1

1621 pp. 9–11 · scans FR029, FR030, FR031

Now movement—I mean natural movement—is always accompanied by life. How, then, can something produce both life and movement in another when it possesses neither movement nor life in itself? Movement never abandons what life has not yet abandoned, and what is continually stirred and moving cannot be considered lifeless. The soul of the universe moves of itself and is the source and origin of all bodily movement, being the body’s constant companion. Hence the most subtle part of this world soul, seeking the heights and dwelling on high, revolves continually with the celestial globes, which it guides in an endless circular movement of its own. For this reason all higher things are more living, perfect and participant in immortality than lower ones: whatever is endowed with unfailing life must necessarily be stirred by a movement that returns upon itself. Thus what moves without end is consequently endowed with perpetual, unbounded life. These reasons therefore show that the universal world is universally filled with life. The life of each individual species is nothing but a life shared in this general life of the world; the world alone can truly be called an animal. Enclosed in its bodily elements are the hidden seeds of all visible, bodily things. For we see many bodies arise without distinct seeds preceding them, as plants do, and without the union of male and female, as do certain animals generated from corruption.

1621 pp. 9–11 · scans FR029, FR030, FR031

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.