(2.) "Theosophic Letters, or Epistles of the Man from God enlightened in
Grace, Jacob Behmen, of Old Seidenburgh, wherein everywhere [are?] Divine
Blessed Exhortations to true Repentance and Amendment, as also Plaine
Instructions concerning the highly worthy and precious Knowledge of the
Divine and Natural Wisdome; together with a Right Touchstone or Triall of
these Times, for an Introduction to the Author's other Writings: published
in English for the good of the sincere Lovers of true Christianitie, by
I. S.[2]" (I have only a MS. copy of this publication.)
(3.) A beautiful MS. translation of "The Way to Christ." This is hardly so
accurate as the one already referred to, though some of the expressions are
better chosen. The date of this MS. is about 1730, or earlier.
(4.) A fair MS. translation of Jacob Behmen's treatise called "A
Fundamental Instruction concerning the Earthly and concerning the Heavenly
Mystery; how they two stand in one another, and how in the Earthly the
Heavenly becometh manifested or revealed, wherein then you shall see Babell
the great citty upon Earth stand with its Forms and Wonders; and wherefore,
or out of what, Babell is generated, and where Antichrist will stand quite
naked. Comprised in Nine Texts. Written May 8, 1620, in High Dutch." (I
have seen no printed translation of this treatise.)
(5.) MS. translation of the fourth treatise of "The Way to Christ," viz.
"of the Supersensual Life." This is a less accurate rendering than either
of the others above mentioned.
Perhaps your mystic correspondents will kindly furnish lists of other
publications and MSS. of {14} "the Teutonick Theosopher." There are sixteen
more of his works, of which fifteen are now extant in High Dutch. As old
Behmen is but little known in this country, save by ill-repute, as having
led astray William Law in his old age, and, through him, having tinctured
the religious philosophy of Coleridge, it way be worth noting, that no less
a philosopher than Schelling (to whom, as we know, Coleridge stood so
greatly indebted) stole from the Lusatian shoemaker the corner-stones of
his _Philosophy of Nature_.