Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici
Treatises on the True Salt and the Universal Spirit of the World
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Book One · Chapter 4
French
1621 pp. 30–31 · scans FR050, FR051Mais il faut que ceux qui auront desir de se confirmer en cette verité s'employent à lire les bons livres: car ce n'est pas mon dessein d'en parler icy davantage: parce que je pretens faire cognoistre seulement que le divin Hermes a d'un mesme doigt voulu toucher l'une & l'autre corde; ainsi qu'il le declare assez quand il dit qu'il est appellé Mercure trois fois grand, comme ayant les trois parts de la sapience de tout le monde: voulant dire qu'ayant anatomisé cet esprit general, qui est autheur materiel & principe des trois genres, qui font le tout de ce grand monde, il avoit la sapience & science universelle, par laquelle rien ne luy estoit plus incogneu. Apres avoir aussi dit dés le commencement; & comme toutes choses procederent d'un par la meditation d'un, ainsi toutes choses sont nees de cette chose unique par adaptation. Or cet un dont procederent toutes les choses, est l'Esprit general duquel je veux traicter: Et cette chose unique de laquelle il dit que seront perpetrez les miracles, est la vraye matiere mineralle de la pierre, de laquelle j'ay parlé cy dessus: qui est procreée par Nature dans la terre de cette premiere matiere generale: ou esprit universel: lequel esprit contenant en soy toutes les vertus celestes en puissance, en a communiqué à cette matiere mineralle autant qu'il estoit necessaire pour luy donner l'estre parfait auquel elle estoit destinee.
Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici: Book One · Chapter 4
1621 pp. 30–31 · scans FR050, FR051Those who desire confirmation of this truth must apply themselves to reading good books, for I do not intend to speak further of it here. My purpose is only to make it understood that divine Hermes intended to touch both strings with the same finger. He makes this sufficiently clear when he says he is called Mercury thrice great because he possesses the three parts of the wisdom of the whole world. He means that, having anatomised this general spirit, the material author and principle of the three kinds which make up the entirety of this great world, he possessed universal wisdom and knowledge, through which nothing remained unknown to him. At the beginning he had also said: “And as all things proceeded from one through the meditation of one, so all things were born from this single thing by adaptation.” Now this one, from which all things proceeded, is the general spirit of which I wish to treat. And this single thing, through which he says wonders will be performed, is the true mineral matter of the stone, of which I spoke above. Nature produces it within the earth from this general first matter, or universal spirit. Containing all celestial powers potentially within itself, this spirit has communicated to that mineral matter as much as was necessary to give it the perfect being for which it was destined.
Socrates
Reading Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici · Book One · Chapter 4 · Book One · Chapter 4 · Unit 4
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.
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This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
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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.
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