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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Abraham the Jew

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures

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The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume IGood and Evil Angels · Manuscript 60r · Scan 147

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French Page · Branch 140 of 351

Good and Evil Angels · Manuscript 60r · Scan 147

French

Ms. 60r

Quoique dans les essences mercurielles des métaux même les plus purs nous rencontrions de purs esprits qui par un bienfait de la nature sont utiles à quelque chose, chacun peut cependant dans ces parties sulfureuses en trouver d'impurs qui sont très nuisibles et qui sont comparés aux mauvais Démons de la troisième espèce, parce qu'ils tiennent de la nature des esprits de l'antimoine et du caractère du vif-argent; mais comme ils participent aux mauvaises inclinations de tous les esprits et de toutes les furies de l'enfer, surtout de ceux qu'on nomme Saturniaux, c'est-à-dire de plomb. On dit qu'ils sont les esprits, qu'ils soignent et examinent tous les métaux comme ces derniers examinent les crimes et qu'à la réserve du soleil et de la lune, qu'ils reconnaissent à cause de leur souveraine propriété, ils réduisent le reste en cendres, et parce que cet esprit renferme mercure et le soufre qui ressemblent fort au vif-argent et au soufre commun, il faut lui accorder à plus juste titre tout ce que nous avons accordé aux autres ci-dessus. Tout ce que les bons esprits de Saturne font soit dans le ciel, ou sur la terre, surtout pour

Ms. 60r

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: Good and Evil Angels

Ms. 60r

Although in the mercurial essences of even the purest metals we encounter pure spirits useful for some purpose through nature's beneficence, anyone can nevertheless find impure spirits in their sulfurous parts. These are very harmful and compared to evil Demons of the third kind because they share the nature of antimony's spirits and the character of quicksilver. But they participate in the evil inclinations of all spirits and all hell's furies, especially those called Saturnian, that is, of lead. They are said to be the spirits that attend to and examine every metal as those latter spirits examine crimes. Apart from the sun and moon, which they recognize because of their sovereign property, they reduce the rest to ashes. Since this spirit contains mercury and sulfur very like common quicksilver and sulfur, everything we have granted the others above must be granted to it with still greater reason. Everything that Saturn's good spirits do, whether in heaven or on earth, especially to

Ms. 60r

About This Reading Edition

The first manuscript in the Manly Palmer Hall collection at the Getty Research Institute: the Book of Hieroglyphic Figures, presented in French and English with 463 explanatory notes, 13 manuscript plates, 25 source details, an introduction, chapter outline, glossary, bibliography, and register of readings.

Historical Text and Translation

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures (Livre des figures hiéroglyphiques), attributed in the witness to Abraham the Jew. Getty Research Institute, Manly Palmer Hall collection of alchemical manuscripts, accession 950053, Box 1, Hogart manuscript 3; French witness catalogued circa 1800. Manly Palmer Hall is the collector, not the author.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The circa 1800 source manuscript is public domain. The supplied 2026 French reading transcription, English translation, introduction, notes, outline, glossary, register, and editorial arrangement are published with the site owner’s authorization. Source photographs are credited to the Getty Research Institute and Internet Archive in the supplied edition.