whom we have no reason to be ashamed。 It was； in fact； through him that Philosophy first
appeared in Germany with a character peculiar to itself： Boehme stands in exact antithesis to
Bacon。 He was also called theosophus teutonicus； just as even before this philosophia
teutonica was the name given to mysticism。（1） This Jacob Boehme was for long forgotten and
decried as being simply a pious visionary； the so…called period of enlightenment； more particularly；
helped to render his public extremely limited。 Leibnitz thought very highly of him； but it is in
modern times that his profundity has for the first time been recognized； and that he has been once
more restored to honour。 It is certain； on the one hand； that he did not merit the disdain accorded
him； on the other； however； he did not deserve the high honour into which he was elevated。 To call
him an enthusiast signifies nothing at all。 For if we will； all philosophers may be so termed； even the
Epicureans and Bacon； for they all have held that man finds his truth in something else than eating
and drinking； or in the common…sense every…day life of wood…cutting； tailoring； trading； or other
business； private or official。 But Boehme has to attribute the high honour to which he was raised
mainly to the garb of sensuous feeling and perception which he adopted； for ordinary sensuous
perception and inward feeling； praying and yearning； and the pictorial element in thought； allegories
and such like； are in some measure held to be essential in Philosophy。 But it is only in the Notion；
in thought； that Philosophy can find its truth； and that the Absolute can be expressed and likewise
is as it is in itself。 Looked at from this point of view； Boehme is a complete barbarian； and yet he is
a man who； along with his rude method of presentation； possesses a deep； concrete heart。 But
because no method or order is to be found in him； it is difficult to give an account of his
philosophy。
Jacob Boehme was born in 1575 of poor parents； at Altseidenburg； near G？rlitz； in Upper
Lusatia。 In his youth he was a peasant boy who tended the cattle。 He was brought up as a
Lutheran； and always remained such。 The account of his life which is given with his works was
drawn up by a clergyman who knew him personally； from information given by Boehme himself。
Much is there related as to how he attained to more profound knowledge and wisdom by means
of certain experiences through which he passed。 Even when a herd tending the cattle； as he tells of
himself； he had these wonderful manifestations。 The first marvellous awakening that occurred to
him took place in a thicket in which he saw a cavern and a vessel of gold。 Startled by the
splendour of this sight he was inwardly awakened from a dull stupor； but afterwards he found it
was impossible for him to discover the objects of his vision。 Subsequently he was bound
apprentice to a shoemaker。 More especially “was he spiritually awakened by the words： 'Your
heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him' （Luke xi。 13）； so that； desiring to
come to a knowledge of the truth； and yet retaining the simplicity of his mind； he prayed and
sought； and knocked； fervently and earnestly； until； while travelling about with his master； he was；
through the influence of the Father in the Son； spiritually transported into the glorious pence and
the Sabbath of the soul； and thus his request was granted。 According to his own account； he was
then surrounded with divine light； and for seven days he remained in the supremest divine
contemplation and joy。” His master for this dismissed him； saying he could not keep in his service
“house…prophets such as he was。” After that he lived at G？rlitz。 In 1594 he rose in his trade to
be master； and married。 Later on； “in the year 1600； and in the twenty…fifth year of his age； once
more” the light broke upon him in a second vision of the same kind。 He tells that he saw a brightly
scoured pewter dish in the room； and “by the sudden sight of this shining metal with its brilliant
radiance” he was brought （into a meditation and a breaking free of his astral mind） “into the
central point of secret nature；” and into the light of divine essence。 “He went out into the open air
in order that he might rid his brain of this hallucination； and none the less did he continue all the
more clearly as time went on to experience the vision in this way received。 Thus by means of the
signatures or figures； lineaments； and colours which were depicted； he could； so to speak； look
into the heart and inmost nature of all creatures （in his book De signatura rerum this reason
which was impressed upon him is found and fully explained）； and for this he was overwhelmed
with joy； thanked God； and went peacefully about his affairs。” Later on he wrote several works。
He continued to pursue his handicraft at G？rlitz； and died at the same place in 1624； being then a
master shoemaker。（2）
His works are especially popular with the Dutch； and for that reason most of the editions are
issued from Amsterdam； though they were also surreptitiously printed in Hamburg。 His first writing
is the “Aurora” or “Morgenr？the im Aufgange；” and this was followed by others； the work “Von
den drei Principien；” and another “Vom dreifachen Leben des Menschen；” are； along with
several others； the most noteworthy。 Boehme constantly read the Bible； but what other works he
read is not known。 A number of passages in his works； however； prove that he read much —
evidently mystical； theosophic； and alchemistic writings for the most part； and he must certainly
have included in his reading the works of Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim； known as
Paracelsus； a philosopher of a somewhat similar calibre； but much more confused； and without
Boehme's profundity of mind。 He met with much persecution at the hands of the clergy； but he
aroused less attention in Germany than in Holland and England； where his writings have been often
printed。（3） In reading his works we are struck with wonder； and one must be familiar with his
ideas in order to discover the truth in this most confused method of expression。
The matter of Jacob Boehme's philosophy is genuinely German； for what marks him out and
makes him noteworthy is the Protestant principle already mentioned of placing the intellectual
world within one's own mind and heart； and of experiencing and knowing and feeling in one's own
self…consciousness all that formerly was conceived as a Beyond。 Boehme's general conceptions
thus on the one hand reveal themselves as both deep and sound； but on the other； with all his need
for and struggle after determination and distinction in the development of his divine intuitions of the
universe； he does not attain either to clearness or order。 There is no systematic connection but the
greatest confusion in his divisions — and this exists even in his tables；（4） in which three numbers
are made use of。
I。
What God is beside nature and Creation。
II。
Separability
God in Love
Mysterium
magnum
The first Principium。
God in Wrath。
III。
God in wrath and love。
Here nothing definite to hold the moments asunder is shown； and we have the sense of merely
doing it by effort； now these and now other distinctions are set forth； and as they are laid down
disconnectedly； they again come into confusion。
The manner and system which Boehme adopts must accordingly be termed barbarous； the
expressions used in his works prove this； as when； for example； he speaks of the divine Salitter；
Marcurius； &c。 As Boehme places the life； the movement of absolute existence in the heart； so
does he regard all conceptions as being in a condition of actuality； or he makes use of actuality as
Notion； that is to say he forcibly takes natural things and sensuous qualities to express his ideas
rather than the determinations of the Notion。 For instance； sulphur and suchlike are not to him the
things that we so name； but their essence； or the Notion has this form of actuality。 Boehme's
profoundest interest is in the Idea and he struggles hard to express it。 The speculative truth which
he desires to expound really requires； in order to be comprehended； thought and the form of
thought。 Only in thought can this unity be comprehended； in the central point of which his mind has
its place； but it is just the form of thought that is lacking to him。 The forms that he employs are
really no longer determinations of the Notion at all。 They are on the one hand sensuous； chemical
determinations； such qualities as acid； sweet； sour； fierce； and； on the other； emotions such as
wrath and love； and； further； tincture； essence； anguish； &c。 For him these sensuous forms do not；
however； possess the sensuous significance which belongs to them； but he uses them in order to
find expression for his thought。 It is； however； at once