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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 56v · Scan 140

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English Page · Branch 133 of 351

Good and Evil Angels · Manuscript 56v · Scan 140

French

Ms. 56v

pure, à qui on attribue tout ce que la nature opère de grand et de merveilleux dans tout l'univers, et ils n'ont aucun commerce avec les choses corruptibles. Après eux, suivent les esprits mercuriels et ceux qui sont de leur même nature, qui opèrent dans leur royaume ce que font les Intelligences célestes qui gouvernent les neuf sphères. Ceux du troisième ordre, qui est le plus bas, sont tartarésiens ou quasi satyriens, c'est-à-dire les centraux qu'on croit destinés à dispenser les vertus des choses sensibles et matérielles.

Nous pouvons encore diviser cette triplicité en neuf distinctions, selon les neuf degrés ou familles assignées aux essences intellectuelles et aux planètes; nous accordons au premier mobile universel des choses qui sont à créer tous les privilèges des premiers anges et des premières intelligences du premier mobile; autant qu'il y a dans le ciel étoilé d'idées de formes dispersées confusément et infuses aux seconds esprits intellectuels, elles restent toutes cachées dans le monde de notre pierre. La sphère de Saturne contient la même chose que le troisième ordre des Anges, et même le plomb dans ce règne élémentaire.

L'étain opère entre les métaux ce qu'opère Jupiter

Ms. 56v

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

Ms. 56v

matter, to whom everything great and marvelous that nature works throughout the universe is attributed. They have no commerce with corruptible things. After them follow the mercurial spirits and those of their own nature, who perform in their kingdom what the celestial Intelligences governing the nine spheres perform. Those of the third and lowest order are Tartarean or quasi-satyr-like: that is, the central spirits believed destined to distribute the powers of sensible, material things.

We can further divide this triplicity into nine distinctions according to the nine degrees or families assigned to intellectual essences and planets. To the universal primum mobile of things to be created, we grant every privilege of the first angels and first intelligences of the primum mobile. All the ideas of forms dispersed confusedly within the starry heaven and infused into the second intellectual spirits remain hidden in the world of our stone. Saturn's sphere contains the same thing as the third order of Angels, and likewise lead in this elemental kingdom.

Tin performs among metals what Jupiter performs

Ms. 56v

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.