The More Select and Obscure Dogmas of the Kabbalists

that I have carried out what was laid upon me. Therefore, know
that I have spared no expense (which I also
judged would be to the benefit of scholarship).
And that I have complied with the will of your brother,
a most learned man, and have seen to it that his
most holy late-night studies original: "lucubrationes", referring to scholarly work produced by burning the midnight oil, which repeatedly
reveal the secrets of the Kabbalists Kabbalists: followers of Kabbalah, a school of Jewish mysticism. In this period, some Christian scholars studied these texts to find "hidden" Christian truths.,
be published in copper type original: "typis æneis", referring to movable metal type printing;
and I did this all the more gladly because I
thought it would be most pleasing to you,
a most erudite man, who was his brother.
Especially since I did this at the urging of most
learned men, before whose most faithful eyes,
before they were published, I placed these writings.
They were only shuddering at the phrasing,
which was not particularly Ciceronian Ciceronian: a style of Latin that strictly imitated the elegant, rhythmic prose of Marcus Tullius Cicero. Renaissance scholars often looked down on any Latin that didn't meet this standard.,
and many things were closer to barbarism
than to pure Latinity. But, I ask,
to whom among us is this an obstacle? Do we not
see that the Hagiographers Hagiographers: the authors of the books of the Bible; sacred writers. everywhere
despise the seductive allure of words? And whatever
comes to the mouth The Latin phrase "quod in buccam venit" is an idiom meaning "whatever comes to mind" or "speaking plainly."