ntlr. V.] JUTURAL MAGIC, 145 



metaphysics which treats of forms, it follows that natural 

 magic, which is relative to it, must also be wanting. 



We here understand magic in its ancient and honourable 

 sense, among the Persians it stood for a sublimer wisdom, 

 or a knowledge of the relations of universal nature, as may 

 be observed in the title ot those kings who came from the 

 East to adore Christ. And in the same sense we would have 

 it signify that science, which leads to the knowledge of hidden 

 forms, for producing great effects, and by joining agents to 

 patients setting the capital works of nature to view. The 

 common natural magic found in books gives us only some 

 childish and superstitious traditions and observations of the 

 sympathies and antipathies of things, or occult and specific 

 properties, which are usually intermixed with many trifling 

 experiments, admired rather for their disguise than for them 

 selves; but as to the truth of nature, this differs from the 

 science we propose as much as the romances of Arthur of 

 Britain, Hugh of Bordeaux, or other imaginary heroes, do 

 from the Commentaries of Caesar in truth of narration. 

 Caesar in reality performed greater things, though not by 

 romantic means, than such fabulous heroes are feigned to do. 

 This kind of learning is well represented by the fable of 

 Ixion, c who, thinking to enjoy Juno, the goddess of power, 

 embraced a cloud, and thence produced centaurs and chi- 

 mseras ; for so those who, with a hot and impotent desire, 

 are carried to such things as they see only through the 

 fumes and clouds of imagination, instead of producing works, 

 beget nothing but vain hopes and monstrous opinions. This 

 degenerate natural magic has also an effect like certain 

 sleepy medicines which procure pleasing dreams; for so it 

 first lays the understanding asleep, by introducing specific 

 properties and occult virtues, whence men are no longer 

 attentive to the discovery of real causes, but rest satisfied in 

 such indolent and weak opinions; and thus it insinuates 

 numberless pleasing fictions, like so many dreams. 



And here we may properly observe, that those sciences 

 which depend too much upon fancy and faith, as this dege 

 nerate magic, alchymy, and astrology, have their means and 

 their theory more monstrous than their end and action. 

 The conversion of quicksilver into gold is hard to conceive, 



c Find. Pyth. ii. 21. 

 o 



- L 



