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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 IMultiplication and the Eucharist · Manuscript 132r · Scan 299

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Multiplication and the Eucharist · Manuscript 132r · Scan 299

French

Ms. 132r

les plus solides et imprime non seulement sa forme métallique simple et plus parfaite, mais les élève au souverain degré de subtilité, de pureté et de permanence, séparée de toute matérialité et de toute corporéité mortelle. De même comme ils ont communiqué à leur matière un corps ils ont cru devoir le purifier de toute impureté pour le rendre meilleur, c’est-à-dire léger et volatil, et afin que dans la suite ce corps léger devienne fixe, car ce serait une affectation inutile de subtilité et de pénétrabilité s’il ne s’y trouvait de la fixité et de la permanence dans le feu qui retient la matière dans le feu aussi longtemps qu’il est nécessaire pour agir. Cette qualité n’est point encore une œuvre de l’art mais de la nature très prudente et très habile qui joint si bien selon les règles un soufre pur et clair avec un mercure homogène et très subtil qu’étant une fois unis ils ne se séparent jamais. Sans teinture où réside la forme et l’éclat métallique, et la subtilité, la pénétrabilité et la permanence dans le feu ne seraient d’aucun poids et

Ms. 132r

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: Multiplication and the Eucharist

Ms. 132r

of the greatest solidity. It impresses upon them not only its simple, more perfect metallic form, but raises them to the highest degree of subtlety, purity, and permanence, separated from all materiality and mortal corporeality. Likewise, having imparted a body to their matter, they thought it necessary to purify it of every impurity and make it better—that is, light and volatile—so that this light body might subsequently become fixed. For seeking subtlety and penetrability would be useless without fixity and permanence in fire, which retain the matter there as long as it needs to act. This quality too is the work of nature rather than art: nature, exceedingly prudent and skillful, unites pure, clear sulfur with homogeneous, very subtle mercury so well and according to the rules that once joined they never separate. Without tincture, in which metallic form and luster reside, subtlety, penetrability, and permanence in fire would carry no weight and

Ms. 132r

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.