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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 8

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Facing Pages · Branch 70 of 251

Book One · Chapter 8

French

1621 pp. 56–57 · scans FR076, FR077

Les mineraux sont suffisamment pourveuz de Sel, Soulfre, & Mercure. Les pierres, & tout ce qui se tire de la terre, à qui manque la fusion & l'extention soubs le marteau, ont bien quelque sel en elles, mais il est surmonté par l'adustion du soulfre corrompant qui intervient en la vitrification & endurcissement d'icelles. Les metaux, & toutes choses fondantes & ductiles, sont creées & condensees par le Sel & le Mercure, non sans vitrification, qui les endurcit & rend indocilles au marteau: selon toutesfois le plus ou le moins d'impurité & terrestreité adustible qui s'est rencontree à l'espaississement & coagulation de leur Mercure. Par ainsi nous pourrons veritablement dire que toutes choses sont faites, comme d'une triade, de Verre, de Sel, & de Mercure ou d'eau: le verre causant la dureté, le sel donnant la matiere, & l'eau faisant l'assemblage & condensation.

1621 pp. 56–57 · scans FR076, FR077

Sal Lumen and Spiritus Mundi Philosophici: Book One · Chapter 8

1621 pp. 56–57 · scans FR076, FR077

Minerals are sufficiently furnished with salt, sulphur and mercury. Stones and everything drawn from the earth which lack fusibility and the capacity to spread under the hammer do contain some salt, but it is overcome by the scorching action of corrupting sulphur which intervenes in their vitrification and hardening. Metals, and all things fusible and ductile, are created and condensed through salt and mercury, though not without vitrification, which hardens them and makes them unyielding to the hammer, according to the greater or lesser amount of impurity and combustible earthiness present when their mercury thickened and coagulated. Thus we may truly say that all things are made, as from a triad, of glass, salt and mercury or water: glass causes hardness, salt provides matter, and water effects the joining and condensation.

1621 pp. 56–57 · scans FR076, FR077

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.