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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 First Figure and Preparation · Manuscript 12r · Scan 41

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French Page · Branch 35 of 351

The First Figure and Preparation · Manuscript 12r · Scan 41

Book Mode

French

Ms. 12r

attachés fermement.

Quoique ce soufre volatil de Vénus ait la teinture de l'or, il n'en retient pas pour cela la fixité, et de même l'esprit volatil du vif-argent ne retient point la permanence de la lune dont il a l'éclat. Il faut donc les attacher à la baguette d'or, c'est-à-dire les joindre ensemble avec l'esprit fixe du soleil et de la lune si vous voulez les retenir et les fixer fermement.

L'artiste ayant parfaitement connu cette matière et fini cette opération, il ne lui reste plus que la cuisson, c'est-à-dire qu'il n'a plus besoin que de feu, de temps et de patience.

Le second septenaire de pages explique les sublimations réitérées du Mercure avec le vitriol et le sel, et le temps qui est nécessaire pour extraire la quintessence ou l'esprit, et pour résoudre les corps solaires, ce qui demande sept semaines, selon le nombre des sept feuilles, c'est-à-dire quarante-neuf jours. On le prend encore dans la septième page du troisième septenaire pour le temps requis

Ms. 12r

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: The First Figure and Preparation

Ms. 12r

firmly attached.

Although this volatile sulfur of Venus has gold's tincture, it does not thereby retain its fixity. Likewise the volatile spirit of quicksilver does not retain the permanence of the Moon, whose brilliance it possesses. They must therefore be attached to the golden wand—that is, joined together with the fixed spirit of the Sun and Moon—if you wish to hold them and fix them firmly.

Once the practitioner has thoroughly understood this matter and completed this operation, only the cooking remains: that is, nothing more is needed but fire, time and patience.

The second septenary of pages explains the repeated sublimations of Mercury with vitriol and salt, and the time necessary to extract the quintessence or spirit and to dissolve the solar bodies. This requires seven weeks, according to the number of the seven leaves—that is, forty-nine days. It is taken again, on the seventh page of the third septenary, as the time required

Ms. 12r

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.