The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

Name: The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy
Author: Attributed to Jean d’Espagnet

A Fresh English Translation from the Complete 1623 Latin Arcanum

Explore the Lexicon

The Secret Work of the Hermetic PhilosophyThe 138 Canons · English

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

English Page · Branch 18 of 244

The 138 Canons · English

Book Mode

Latin

Scientiae huius lumen donum Dei est, quod, quibus placet, per gratiam largitur: nemo itaque ad eius studium animum convertat, nisi mundato prius & defaecato corde rerum mundanarum amore ac desiderio vacuum se Deo totum voverit.

English

The light of this science is a gift of God, which he bestows by grace on those he chooses. Let no one therefore turn his mind to its study unless, having first cleansed and purified his heart, he has emptied himself of love and desire for worldly things and vowed himself wholly to God.

About This Reading Edition

The complete anonymous 1623 Arcanum, conventionally attributed to Jean d’Espagnet, with Latin and a fresh English translation, 138 canons, original marginalia and errata, 88 modern annotations, separately identified historical reception documents, and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Arcanum hermeticæ philosophiæ opus. Paris: Nicolas Buon, 1623. Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon copy, digitised by Google Books, uJNr_M9LDGgC. Conventionally attributed to Jean d’Espagnet; the original title page is anonymous.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

Historical texts are public-domain works. The supplied 2026 fresh English translation, Latin reading transcription and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization. The historical Signifer is credited to the Getty Research Institute copy and Internet Archive.