Postface, no date (1608), Anonymous (Israel Harvet) to Jacob Alstein (BP.Harvet.1610-01)
| Author: | Anonymous [Israel Harvet] |
| Recipient: | Jacob Alstein |
| Type: | Postface |
| Date: | no date [1608] |
| Pages: | 5 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2772 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Hermetis Trismegisti tractatus vere aureus, ed. Dominicus Gnosius, Leipzig: Valentin Am Ende for Thomas Schürer 1610, p. 272 [273]–276 [277] [BP.Harvet.1610-01]
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| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | The postface is a heartfelt expression of gratitude to Jacob Alstein, the author's mentor and guide. The author attributes his philosophical advancements to Alstein's insightful conversations, comparing their impact to the teachings of Alexander the Great. He discusses the pursuit of truth, the significance of faith, and condemns superficial learning, emphasizing that true wisdom is often sought by only a few. He reflects on the paradox of earthly pursuits versus divine wisdom, using alchemy as a metaphor. Citing the wisdom of philosophers Hermes and Alan, the author advises devotees to place their love for God above their pursuit of philosophical knowledge. He asks Alstein to carefully examine and refine his work, and cautions others not to dismiss the work due to complex linguistic aspects. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Israel Harvet |
[p. 272 [273]] Conclusio totius tractatus.
Hæc sunt, vir Nobilissime ac magnifice, fautor & Mecœnas observande, quæ de septem hujus tractatus capitulis, in tui gratiam commentari visum fuit. Utinam quid in me esset, quo grati erga te animi significationem quantulamcunque ponere possem: me haberes utique ad omnia paratissimum. In Galliam enim quoties te advenisse audiebam, toties summo perfusus gaudio ac lætitiâ, mihi unicè gratulabar. Ut enim de cæteris tuis meritis jam nihil dicam, quibus me multis tibi modis obstrinxisti: ex solâ tuâ conversatione & colloquio quitidiano, à quo me discendi avidum non tantùm non repellebas, sed amicè potiùs invitabas, & humanissimè insuper rogabas, in cursu meo Philosophico tantum hausi utilitatis, ut cum Alexandro Magno verè mihi nunc liceat dicere: vivendi me principium à patre, benè vivendi autem à te accepisse: ita ut generatus quidem à parentib[us] nunc verò per te ab Eliano quodam vel divino potiùs spiritu regeneratus planè videar. Hanc autem laudem quamvis tibi imprimis tribuam, nolo tamen inficiari, me quoque aliorum plurium adhûc virorum doctissimorum colloquijs interfuisse, tam in Gallijs, quàm in Germaniâ, quæ ubertate quidem & fertilitate maximorum & præstantissimorum ingeniorum, alias regiones in [p. 273 [274]] abstrusis ejusmodi artibus indagandis quodammodò langvidam, ne dicam pigram, & omnino torpescentem, longo post se intervallo relinquit, optandum sanè esset, ut alij, honestâ quâdam æmulatione perciti, hac in parte Germanorum industriam & solertiam summam imitarentur. Non enim honori & laudi tantùm, sed maximo quoque emolumento id futurum esset communi patriæ. Cum igitur, ut dixi, tibi imprimis acceptum feram omnem studiorum meorum frùctum; equum esse duxi, tibi eorundem quoque primitias, pro debitâ gratiarum actione consecratas atque dicatas offerre. Quicquid autem hoc tandem sit, rogoo ne patiaris in alienas incidere manus: antequam pro tuo, quo polles, ingenij acumine, & solidâ rerum experientiâ probè examinaveris, & limis tuis politissimis & exquisitissimis, splendidius & magis exornatum reddideris. Sin verò accidat, ut ad aliorum quoque manus perveniat, & aliquis existimet, non omninò sibi satisfactum in quibusdam vocabulis obscurioribus, barbaris, & exoticis explicandis: velim ne tàm severo id judicio malè vertat: sed culpam potiùs transferat in eum, qui scriptum hoc, ex nativo sermone, non latinius puriusvè traduxerit. Interim tamen operam pro ingenij nostrâ tenuitate sedulam navimus, ut Philosophiæ studiosis, veritatis fontem, si non in minutissimis syllabarum & dictionum apicibus, tamen in generali totius operis [p. 274 [275]] explicatione, satis apertè commonstraremus. Sin verò quis diluicdiorem rei demonstrationem postulat, iniquum hoc Philosophis videbitur postulatum. Secretissima enim est nostra scientia, nec nisi secretorum initiatis & Philosophiæ mystis propriè convenit. Ex his si unus fuerit per electionem divinæ providentiæ vocatus, nihil ampliùs morabitur qualescunq́ue locutiones, quantumvis maximè ambiguas & obscuras: sed in medijs his fallaciarum tenebris, illucescens solum veritatis lumen observabit, quo duce omnia ipsi succedent in bonum & exoptatum eventum. Viam ad hoc lumen unica parat pietas. Finge te tanquum ferrum, cupidum esse, per attractionem magnetis alicuius divini, in profundam hujus secretissimi mysterij scientiam descendendi: sed viam præ vitiorum multitudine, quæ tanquam corpus densum, inter Deum, verum piorum magnetem, & te, interponuntur, occlusam esse. Quid hinc aliud agendum censes, nisi ut vitiosum peccatorum corpus tollas, quo sublato radij hujus divini magnetis, statim te splendidissimo collustrabunt fulgore, mentemq́ue tuam nebulosam ab omnibus obscuritatibus, & errorum tenebris penitùs vnidicabunt. Ego enim, inquit Christus, Salvator noster, lux in mundum veni, ut omnis, qui credit in me, in tenebris non maneat. Ambula igitur in luce, dum lucem habes, ut filius lucis sis, nec te tenebræ comprehendant. Joan[nis] 12. Credere [p. 275 [276]] autem in Christum, non est tantùm ore fateri, Credo: quod potiùs temeraria quædam confidentia, quàm vera fides appellari meretur. Nisi enim cor simul cum ore, & opera cum confessione conspirent, fides hæc mortua & instar lucernæ, cujus lumen extinctum, inutilis & vana habetur. Quemadmodum enim è diametro inter se pugnant, lucere, & non lucere, sive lux & tenebræ ita fides vera distat ab orali sine operibus. Ex quibus differentia spectatur maxima inter Chymiæ studiosis veros & spurios. qui enim ambulant in veritate, veritatem consequuntur: qui verò luce hac relictâ, externam tantùm splendoris vmbram sectantur, ad veritatis lumen nunquam perveniunt. Quoniam igitur maximam hominum partem videmus, umbrâ potius, quàm rei essentiâ delectari, hoc est, delicijs hujus mundi caducis plures esse deditos, quàm perio pietatis studio: non mirum est, quin maxima sit raritas eorum, qui voti sui compotes fiant. Multi enim sunt vocati: pauci verò electi. Et sicut terra magnam copiam luti suppeditat, unde sit fictile: parvum autem pulverem, unde aurum sit: sic etiam est conditio præsentis seculi. Multi enim creati sunt: pauci autem salvabuntur. Esdra 4. cap[ut] 8. Quamobrem sicuti ab initio hujus tractatus exemplum Hermetis, hujus disciplinæ studiosis imitandum proposuimus: ita nunc in fine idem propositum alterius Philosophi, nempe Alani testimonio [p. 276 [277]] confirmatum volumus: qui in libelli sui, de lapide Philosophico, principio, ita artis alloquitur discipulos: Ad Deum, inquit, mi fili, & cor, & mentem convertito, quàm ad artem magis: ipsa enim donum Dei summum est, cuiq́ue beneplacitum fuerit, eam largitur. Deum igitur ex toto corde totaq́ue anima tua diligito[c1], atque in eo solo & spe & fiduciam omnem locato, sic procul omni dubio hac arte nobilissimâ cum gaudio perfruêre.
Deo Soli Gloria.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 13 July 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
Conclusion of the Entire Treatise.
These are, most noble and magnificent sir, patron and protector worthy of note, that which seemed necessary to comment on about the seven chapters of this treatise, for your pleasure. I wish I could show some small token of my gratitude towards you; you would indeed find me most ready for everything. For whenever I heard of your arrival in France, I was filled with extreme joy and happiness, congratulating myself uniquely. To say nothing of your other merits, by which you have bound me to you in many ways: from your conversation and daily dialogue alone, which you not only did not repel me from, an avid learner, but rather kindly invited me to, and very politely requested me to join, I have gleaned so much utility in my philosophical pursuits, that I can now truly say with Alexander the Great: I received the beginning of life from my father, but the art of living well from you: so that, though born of parents, I seem plainly reborn by you through a certain Elian or rather divine spirit. Although I mainly attribute this praise to you, I do not deny that I have also participated in the discussions of many other most learned men, both in France and in Germany, which with their abundance and fertility of great and excellent minds, leaves other regions languishing, or rather lazy, and entirely dull in the pursuit of such hidden arts, far behind, it would indeed be desirable, that others, spurred on by a certain noble emulation, would imitate the utmost diligence and skill of the Germans in this respect. For it would not only be an honor and praise, but also a great advantage to the common homeland. Therefore, as I have said, I owe to you first and foremost all the fruits of my studies; I thought it fitting to offer you the first fruits of the same, consecrated and dedicated for a due thanksgiving. Whatever this may finally be, I beg you not to let it fall into other hands: before you, with your sharp wit, and solid experience, have properly examined it, and with your very polished and exquisite refinements, have made it more splendid and decorated. But if it happens to fall into other hands, and someone thinks that he is not completely satisfied with the explanation of some darker, barbarous, and exotic words: I would like him not to turn this into too severe a judgment: but rather blame the one who did not translate this script from the native language, into more Latin or purer language.
In the meantime, however, we have endeavored diligently according to the weakness of our intellect to clearly demonstrate to students of philosophy the source of truth, if not in the tiniest points of syllables and words, at least in the general explanation of the entire work. But if someone requires a clearer demonstration of the matter, this will seem an unfair demand to philosophers. For our knowledge is most secret, and it is only properly suitable for those initiated in the secrets and mysteries of philosophy. If one of these is called by the choice of divine providence, he will not be further delayed by any expressions, however ambiguous and obscure: but in the midst of these shadows of deception, he will observe only the shining light of truth, by whose guidance all things will proceed to him for good and the desired outcome. The path to this light is prepared only by piety. Imagine yourself as iron, desiring, by the attraction of some divine magnet, to descend into the deep knowledge of this most secret mystery: but the path is blocked by the multitude of vices, which like a dense body, are interposed between God, the true magnet of the pious, and you. What else do you think needs to be done here, but to remove the vicious body of sins, which, once removed, the rays of this divine magnet will immediately illuminate you with the most splendid light, and completely clear your foggy mind from all obscurities, and the darkness of errors. For I, says Christ our Savior, came as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness. Therefore walk in the light, while you have light, so that you may be a child of light, and darkness may not overtake you. John 12. But to believe in Christ is not only to confess with the mouth, I believe: which deserves to be called rather rash confidence than true faith. For unless the heart agrees with the mouth, and works with the confession, this faith is considered dead and like a lamp, whose light is extinguished, useless and vain.
For just as they are diametrically opposed, to shine and not to shine, or light and darkness, so true faith is different from oral without works. The biggest difference between true and false students of alchemy is seen from these. For those who walk in truth, attain the truth: but those who, having left this light, only pursue the external shadow of splendor, never reach the light of truth. Since, therefore, we see that the majority of people are more delighted by the shadow than by the essence of the thing, that is, more are devoted to the fleeting pleasures of this world than to the study of true piety: it is not surprising that there are very few who attain what they desire. For many are called: but few are chosen. And as the earth provides a large amount of clay from which pottery can be made: but little dust, from which gold can be made: so is also the condition of this present age. For many are created: but few will be saved. Ezra 4, chapter 8. Therefore, just as we proposed the example of Hermes at the beginning of this treatise for the students of this discipline to imitate, so now at the end we want to confirm the same proposal with the testimony of another philosopher, namely Alan. He addresses the students of the art in his book, "On the Philosopher's Stone," saying: Turn to God, my son, with your heart and mind, more than to the art itself. For it is indeed the highest gift of God, and He bestows it on those who are pleasing to Him. Therefore, love God with all your heart and all your soul, and place all your hope and trust in Him alone, thus you will undoubtedly enjoy this most noble art with joy.
Glory to God Alone.
