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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 Third Operation and the Resurrection · Manuscript 107v · Scan 250

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French Page · Branch 242 of 351

The Third Operation and the Resurrection · Manuscript 107v · Scan 250

French

Ms. 107v

fournissent ensuite l’occasion d’une vie immortelle et incorruptible, puisque par la mort, les corps restent invulnérables aux traits des éléments, et incapables d’être tués par leur violence, ce qui fait que quelques-uns prétendent que les esprits d’ailleurs incorruptibles, sortent de la corruption pour avoir longtemps contracté un commerce impur avec les enveloppes de la matière ; c’est en quoi consiste tout le secret de la philosophie naturelle, que la corruption et la mort servent à spiritualiser, essencifier, et pour ainsi dire glorifier les choses, car tous les philosophes enseignent que ce qui ne connaît point les lois de la corruption et de la destruction, ne peut accomplir les devoirs de la génération comme certains corps à savoir métaux et minéraux, ont de la peine à se corrompre, et à être détruits, il ne faut leur demander ni attendre d’eux aucune rénovation ou génération, s’ils ne sont corrompus et ne meurent, à cause de la pureté, spiritualité et homogénéité de leurs parties, d’où il s’ensuit que tout ce qui est déchu de cette uniformité des substances, et est composé

Ms. 107v

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: The Third Operation and the Resurrection

Ms. 107v

then afford the occasion for an immortal and incorruptible life. For through death bodies remain invulnerable to the assaults of the elements and incapable of being killed by their violence. This leads some to maintain that spirits, otherwise incorruptible, emerge from corruption after having long contracted an impure association with the envelopes of matter. The whole secret of natural philosophy consists in this: corruption and death serve to spiritualize, essentialize, and, so to speak, glorify things. For all philosophers teach that what does not know the laws of corruption and destruction cannot fulfill the duties of generation. Since certain bodies, namely metals and minerals, are difficult to corrupt and destroy, no renewal or generation should be asked or expected of them unless they are corrupted and die, owing to the purity, spirituality, and homogeneity of their parts. It follows that everything fallen from this uniformity of substances, and composed

Ms. 107v

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.