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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Jean d’Espagnet

The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

A Fresh English Translation from the Complete 1623 Latin Arcanum

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The Secret Work of the Hermetic PhilosophyThe 138 Canons · English

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The 138 Canons · English

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Latin

Elixiris albi componendi ac perficiendi idem est ordo, eadem methodus, modò albis tantùm elementis in eius compositione vtaris: corpus autem ipsius ad decoctionis metam perductum in laminam candidam, splendentem, & quasi cristallinam desinet, quæ oleo suo albo incerata fusionis gratiam adipiscetur. De alterutro elixire pondus vnum proiice super decem pondera argenti viui abluti, & eius effectum attonitus miraberis.

English

The order and method for composing and perfecting the white elixir are the same, provided you use only white elements in its composition. When brought to the end of its cooking, its body will end as a white, shining and almost crystalline plate, which, cerated with its own white oil, will acquire the gift of fusibility. Cast one weight of either elixir onto ten weights of washed quicksilver, and you will marvel, astonished, at its effect.

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.