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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 IThe Two Natures of Natural Spirits · Manuscript 74r · Scan 175

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Facing Pages · Branch 168 of 351

The Two Natures of Natural Spirits · Manuscript 74r · Scan 175

French

Ms. 74r

séminales, le nom de quintessence élevée au-dessus des forces des éléments et de la nature, et toutes les choses créées emploient toute leur contention pour l’obtenir et la nature même ne se donne point de repos jusqu’à ce qu’elle y ait conduit son ouvrage ; c’est ainsi que Dieu clarifiera ses ouvrages dans le dernier jour ; c’est ainsi que les âmes exemptes de péché, et les corps des bienheureux après la résurrection obtiendront cette clarification avant d’être rendus heureux pour l’éternité, et avant qu’ils soient réunis et joints par le premier principe de toute pureté d’un lien qui sera indissoluble pendant tous les siècles.

Cela n’est que trop prouvé par la corruption l’altération et mort des choses introduites dans ce qui lui est sujet, qui tâchent de toutes leurs forces à séparer d’elle ce qui leur cause la corruption et la mort, pour les conduire enfin à cette incorruptibilité ; il en est ainsi de la terre, de l’air de l’eau, et du feu, lorsqu’il arrive qu’ils se raréfient, et qu’ils se sont débarrassés des ordures et excréments de leur matière ténébrante

Ms. 74r

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: The Two Natures of Natural Spirits

Ms. 74r

the name of quintessence, raised above the powers of the elements and of nature. All created things employ all their effort to obtain it, and nature herself takes no rest until she has brought her work to it. Thus God will make his works radiant on the Last Day; thus souls free from sin and the bodies of the blessed after the Resurrection will obtain this radiance before being made blessed for eternity, and before they are united and joined by the first principle of all purity in a bond that will remain indissoluble throughout all ages.

This is only too well proved by corruption, alteration, and the death of things introduced into what is subject to it, which strive with all their strength to separate from it what causes them corruption and death, so as at last to lead them to this incorruptibility. So it is with earth, air, water, and fire, when they become rarefied and have rid themselves of the filth and excrements of their darkening matter

Ms. 74r

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.