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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 13v · Scan 44

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The First Figure and Preparation · Manuscript 13v · Scan 44

French

Ms. 13v

esprit dominant nous apprendra la magie, Jésus-Christ nous enseignera la cabale chrétienne. La nature nous instruira en opérant, les anges en nous parlant, et Jésus-Christ, en se communiquant à nous par la grâce accordée aux sacrements. Nous voulons comme notre philosophe rechercher véritablement cette science des juifs, être de vrais philosophes, de vrais astrologues et de sages médecins, nous faire admirer des hommes, mériter la familiarité avec les anges, et nous rendre très chers et très agréables à Dieu.

Qu'y a-t-il donc de surprenant, s'ils ont enveloppé de tant d'énigmes, de figures, ce qui sur le champ, sans discours affectés, sans science étudiée, découvre pleinement les fables, les figures hiéroglyphiques des Égyptiens, les théorèmes des philosophes et les secrets des chimistes, les connaissances de médecins, les secrets des physiciens, les aspects, oppositions, conjonctions et révolutions des astres, et enfin, tous les arts mécaniques.

Que celui donc, qui entrera dans cette voie, lorsqu'il sera arrivé, se garde de porter dès le commencement

Ms. 13v

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

Ms. 13v

presiding spirit will teach us magic, and Jesus Christ will teach us Christian cabala. Nature will instruct us by working, angels by speaking to us, and Jesus Christ by communicating himself to us through the grace granted in the sacraments. Like our philosopher, we wish truly to seek out this science of the Jews, to be true philosophers, true astrologers and wise physicians, to win human admiration, deserve familiarity with the angels, and become most dear and pleasing to God.

What, then, is surprising if they have wrapped in so many enigmas and figures that which at once, without affected discourse or studied learning, fully discloses the fables, the hieroglyphic figures of the Egyptians, the theorems of philosophers, the secrets of chemists, the knowledge of physicians, the secrets of natural philosophers, the aspects, oppositions, conjunctions and revolutions of the stars, and, finally, all the mechanical arts?

Let the person who enters this path, then, once he has arrived, beware of assuming from the very beginning

Ms. 13v

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.