RESOURCES OF THE ANCIENT MAGIC. 



the subjugation of the great mass of society. An 

 acquaintance with the motions of the heavenly 

 bodies, and the variations in the state of the 

 atmosphere, enabled its possessor to predict as- 

 tronomical and meteorological phenomena with a 

 frequency and an accuracy which could not fail 

 to invest him with a divine character. The power 

 of bringing down fire from the heavens, even at 

 times when the electric influence was itself in a 

 state of repose, could be regarded only as a gift 

 from heaven. The power of rendering the human 

 body insensible to fire was an irresistible instru- 

 ment of imposture ; and in the combinations of 

 chemistry, and the influence of drugs and soporific 

 embrocations on the human frame, the ancient 

 magicians found their most available resources. 



The secret use which was thus made of scientific 

 discoveries and of remarkable inventions, has no 

 doubt prevented many of them from reaching the 

 present times ; but though we are very ill informed 

 respecting the progress of the ancients in various 

 departments of the physical sciences, yet we have 

 sufficient evidence that almost every branch of 

 knowledge had contributed its wonders to the 

 magician's budget, and we may even obtain some 

 insight into the scientific acquirements of former 

 ages, by a diligent study of their fables and their 

 miracles. 



The science of Acoustics furnished the ancient 

 sorcerers with some of their best deceptions. The 

 imitation of thunder in their subterranean temples 

 could not fail to indicate the presence of a super- 

 natural agent. The golden virgins whose ravish- 

 ing voices resounded through the temple of Del- 

 phos ; the stone from the river Pactolus, whose 

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