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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 ILucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being · Manuscript 117v · Scan 270

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French Page · Branch 262 of 351

Lucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being · Manuscript 117v · Scan 270

French

Ms. 117v

s’effacer, et enfin par la nature de l’âme et les inclinations de notre esprit qui sont incorruptibles, et par les instincts qui nous font pressentir l’immortalité. Mais la raison ne se voit point seulement dans ces mêmes formes et opérations des formes, mais dans la matière même, soit la glorification et résurrection des corps ou les moyens de cette résurrection ou glorification et afin de les découvrir, faisons comme nous avons fait dans les difficultés précédentes, recourons à l’expérience et laissons-nous guider par la nature qui nous montre le chemin, et par ce moyen nous découvrirons qu’il y a quelques vestiges d’immortalité et d’incorruptibilité dans les choses mêmes insensibles et dans la matière dépouillée de toutes sortes de formes ; car si quelque composé est résolu et dépouillé de sa substance et de sa forme accidentelle, comme ce qui est réduit en cendre par le feu, prend la première espèce du premier élément savoir de la Terre et qu’il ne reste que la chaux ou de la cendre inutile et qui ne sert à rien, car l’esprit germinatif qui suit la forme essentielle où est le principe le plus puissant de prolonger sa vie et de

Ms. 117v

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: Lucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being

Ms. 117v

be effaced; and finally through the nature of the soul, the inclinations of our spirit, which are incorruptible, and the instincts that make us anticipate immortality. But the reason is seen not only in these forms and their operations, but in matter itself: either the glorification and resurrection of bodies or the means of this resurrection or glorification. To discover them, let us do as in the preceding difficulties: have recourse to experience and let ourselves be guided by nature, which shows the way. By this means we shall discover certain vestiges of immortality and incorruptibility even in insensible things and in matter stripped of every kind of form. For if a compound is dissolved and stripped of its substance and accidental form, as when reduced to ash by fire, it assumes the first species of the first element, namely Earth; and nothing remains but calx or useless ash serving no purpose, because the germinative spirit accompanying the essential form, in which lies the most powerful principle of prolonging its life and

Ms. 117v

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.