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 1

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Facing Pages · Branch 82 of 251

Book Two · Chapter 1

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French

1621 pp. 70–71 · scans FR090, FR091

Mais pour faire entendre cecy plus facilement, & le toucher au doigt, afin que par la connoissance de la derniere matiere de ce corps on en connoisse la premiere: Mettons le dans le feu vulgaire, nous verrons aussi tost qu'il a je ne sçay quoy d'inflammable qui le consomme presque tout, & le reduit en un peu de cendre; laquelle nous voyons de nature ignee, & nourrir en son dernier subject & matiere un pur sel, dont le feu seul est l'unique pere & multiplicateur. Et quelque bruslement que l'on en puisse faire, n'en reussit rien que du sel, qui dedans son interieur a son feu caché, lequel se resjouit avec son semblable. C'est pourquoy les Spagiriques ont experimenté que dans le sel il y a une incombustibilité ou secret element de feu qui a les mesmes actions de ce feu primitif, estant pour cette cause appellé baulme des corps: d'autant qu'il a dans luy ce qui donne, augmente, & conserve la vie: qui n'est sinon une vapeur humide, accompagnee de chaleur temperee. Jean de la Fontaine en son Romant Philosophique tesmoingne qu'il n'ignoroit point ce mystere, quand il fait dire à Nature: Aucuns disent que feu n'engendre De son naturel fors que cendre: Mais leur reverence sauvee Nature est dans le feu antee: Et si prouver je le vouloye Le Sel à tesmoing je prendroye.

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

1621 pp. 70–71 · scans FR090, FR091

But to make this more easily understood and practically evident, so that knowledge of this body’s final matter may disclose its first matter, let us put it in ordinary fire. We shall immediately see that it contains something inflammable which consumes almost all of it and reduces it to a little ash. We see this ash to be fiery in nature, nourishing within its ultimate subject and matter a pure salt, of which fire alone is the sole father and multiplier. However much it may be burnt, nothing results from it but salt, which has its fire hidden inwardly and rejoices in its like. For this reason the spagyrists have found by experience that salt contains an incombustibility or secret element of fire which has the same actions as that primitive fire. It is therefore called the balm of bodies, because it contains what gives, increases and preserves life: nothing other than a moist vapour accompanied by temperate heat. Jean de la Fontaine, in his Philosophical Romance, testifies that he was not ignorant of this mystery when he makes Nature say: Some say that fire by its nature Engenders nothing except ash; But, with all due respect to them, Nature is grafted within fire; And if I wished to prove it, I would call salt as my witness.

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.