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A Table Containing the General Heads of Natural Magick
Natural
Magick
(Magiae naturalis)
(Giambattista della
Porta)
(1535-1615)
"The Preface To The
Reader"
Courteous Reader,
F this work made by me in my youth, when
I was hardly fifteen years old, was so generally received and with so great
applause, that it was forthwith translated into many Languages, as Italian,
French, Spanish, Arabic; and passed through the hands of incomparable men:
I hope that now coming forth from me that am fifty years old, it shall be
more dearly entertained. For when I saw the first fruits of my labors received
with so great alacrity of mind, I was moved by these good omens; and therefore
have adventured to send it once more forth, but with an equipage more rich
and noble.
From the first time it appeared,
it is now thirty five years, and (without any derogation from my modesty
be it spoken) if ever any man labored earnestly to discover the secrets of
Nature, it was I; For with all my mind and power, I have turned over the
monuments of our ancestors, and if they wrote anything that was secret and
concealed, that I enrolled in my catalogue of rarities. Moreover, as I traveled
through France, Italy, and Spain, I consulted with all libraries, learned
men, and artificers, that if they knew anything that was curious, I might
understand such truths as they had proved by their long experience. Those
places and men, I had not the happiness to see, I wrote letters to, frequently,
earnestly desiring them to furnish me with those secrets, which they esteemed
rare; not failing with my entreaties, gifts, commutations, art and industry.
So that whatsoever was notable, and to be desired through the whole world,
for curiosities and excellent things, I have abundantly found out, and therewith
beatified and augmented these, my endeavors, in
"NATURAL MAGICK", wherefore by earnest
study and constant experience, I did both night and day endeavored to know
whether what I heard or read, was true or false, that I might leave nothing
unassayed; for I have oft thought of that sentence
of
Cicero, It is fit that they who desire for the good of mankind,
to commit to memory things most profitable, well weighted and approved, should
make trial of all things. To do this I have spared no pain nor cost, but
have expended by narrow fortunes in a large magnificence. Nor were the labors,
diligence, and wealth, of most famous nobles, potentates, great and learned
men, wanting to assist me; especially whom I name for his honor the illustrious
and most reverend
Cardinal
of Estings: All which did afford there voluntary and bountiful
help to this work. I never wanted for in my house an academy of curious men,
who for the trying of these experiments, cheerfully disbursed their money,
and employed their utmost endeavors, in assisting me to compile and enlarge
this volume, which with so great charge, labor, and study, I had long before
provided.
Having made an end thereof, I
was somewhat unwilling to suffer to appear to the public view of all men
(I being now old, and trussing up my
Fardel) for there are many most
excellent things fit for the worthiest nobles, which should ignorant men
(that were never bred up in the secret principles of philosophy) came to
know, they would grow contemptible, and undervalued; As
Plato
said, to
Dionysius,
"They seem to make Philosophy ridiculous,
who endeavor to prostitute Her excellence to profane and illiterate men."
Also here are conceived many hurtful
and mischievous things, wherewith wicked and untutored men may mischief others;
what must I do? Let envy be driven away, and a desire to benefit posterity,
vanquish all other thoughts; the most majestic wonders of nature are not
to be concealed, that in them we may admire the mighty power of God, his
wisdom, his bounty, and therein reverence and adore him. Whatsoever these
are, I set them before you, hat you may discern my diligence and benevolence
towards you; had I withheld these things from the world, I fear I should
have undergone the reproach of a wicked man; for
(Cicero derives his from
Plato) we were not born from ourselves alone,
but our country will challenge a part, our parents and our friends require
their parts also from us. Wherefore such things as hitherto lay hid to the
bosom of wondrous nature, shall come to light, from the store-houses of the
most ingenious men, without fraud, or deceit. I discover those things that
have been long hid, either by the envy or ignorance of others, nor shall
you here find empty trifles, or riddles, or bare authorities of other men.
I did not think fit to omit anything by erring honestly, or following the
best leaders, but such as are magnificent and most excellent, I have veiled
by the artifice of words, by transposition and depressions of them; and such
things as are hurtful and mischievous, I have written obscurely; yet not
so, but that an ingenious reader may unfold it, and the with of one that
will thoroughly search may comprehend it. I have added some things that are
profitable, and rarely known, because they are most rare. Sometimes from
things from most known, and meanly esteemed, we ascend to things most profitable
and high, which the mind can scarce reach unto: One's understanding cannot
comprehend high and sublime things, unless it stand firm on most true principles.
The mathematical sciences, rise from some trivial and common axioms, to most
sublime demonstrations. Wherefore I thought it better to write true things
and profitable, than false things that are great. True things be they ever
so small, will give occasions to discover greater things by them. The infinite
multitude of Things is incomprehensible, and more than a man may be able
to contemplate.
In our method I shall observe
what our ancestors have said; then I shall show by my own experience, whether
they be true or false, and last of all my own inventions that learned men
might see how exceedingly this later age has surpassed antiquity. Many men
have written what they never saw, nor did they know the
Simples that were the
ingredients, but they set them down from other men's traditions, by ignorance
and importunate desire to add something, so errors are propagated by succession
and at last grow infinite, that not so much as the prints of the former remain.
That not only the experiment will be difficult, but also a man can hardly
read them without laughter. Moreover, I pass by many men, who have written
wonders to be delivered to posterity, promising golden mountains, yet write
otherwise then they thought. Hence most ingenious men, and desirous to learn,
are detained for a very long time (and when they despair of obtaining what
they seek for, they find that they spend their time, pains, and charge in
vain) and so driven to desperation, they are forced to repent by leisure;
others grown wise by other men's harms, learn to hate those things before
they know them. I have divided these secrets into several classes, that every
man finds what he likes. Lastly, I should willingly pass by the offending
of your ear, if I had no care to retell the calumnies of detractors and envious
men, that most immodestly wound me, calling me a
Sorcerer,
a
Conjurer,
which name from my tender youth I have abhorred. Indeed I always held my
self to be a man subject to errors and infirmities; therefore desired the
assistances of many learned men, and that if I had not faithfully interpreted,
they would reprove me; but what I always feared cam to pass, that I should
fall into the hands of some vile and hateful men, who by doing injury to
others, justly or unjustly, labor to win the popular and base approbations,
and applause of the vulgar, by whose venomed teeth, hose that are wounded
do not consume, but by resorting the venom back upon them, they overthrow
their own honor.
A
certain Frenchman in his book called
"Daemonomania"
( terms me a
Magician,
a Conjurer, and thinks this book of mine,
long since printed, should be burned, because I have written of the
"Fairies
Ointment," which I set forth only in detestation of the frauds
of devils and witches; that which comes by nature is abused by their
superstitions, which I borrowed from the books of the most commendable divines.
What have I offended herein, that they should call me a
Conjurer? But when I inquired of many
noble and learned Frenchmen. that were pleased to honor me with their visits,
what that man was, they answered he was a heretic, and that he had escaped
from being cast headlong from a tower, upon
Saint
Bartholomew his day, which is the time appointed for the
destruction of such wicked men. In the meantime I shall desire the grate
and good God (as it becomes a noble and Christian man to do) that he may
be converted to the Catholic faith, and may not be condemned while he lives.
Another Frenchman who unworthily reviled all the learned men of his age,
joins me among them, and holds, that only three physicians are his friends,
are praise-worthy, as the most learned of all men of our times; and among
them he reckons up himself; for the book is published in his name, it is
a wonder what inventions that man has found out to win praise, who having
no man to commend him, nor is he worthy of commendations, yet he has undertaken
to commend himself. I pass over other men of the same temper, who affirm
that I am a
Witch
and a Conjurer, whereas I
never wrote here nor elsewhere, what is not contained within the bounds of
nature. Wherefore, studious readers, accept my long labors, that cost me
much study, travel, expense, and much inconvenience, with the same mind that
I publish them; and remove all blindness and malice, which are wont to dazzle
the sight of the mind, and hinder the truth; weigh these things with a right
judgment, when you try what I have written, for finding both truth and profit,
you will think better of my pains. Yet I am assured there will be many ignorant
people, void of all serious matters, that will hate and envy these things
and will rashly pronounce, that some of these experiments are not only false,
but impossible to be done; and while they strive by arguments and vain disputes,
to overthrow the truth, they betray their own ignorance; Such men, as vile,
are to be driven from the limits of our NATURAL
MAGICK For they that believe not natures miracles, do, after a manner,
endeavor to abolish Philosophy. If
I have over-passed some things, or not spoken so properly of them as I might;
I know there is nothing so beautiful, but it may be adorned; nor so full,
but it may be augmented.
END OF
"The Preface To The
Reader"
"Wherein are searched out
the causes of things which produce wonderful
effects"
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