CHIMERICAL SCIENCES. 591 



IX. (5.) Aeromancy was the art of divining by 

 the air. This vain fcience has alfo come to us 

 from the Pagans : but is rejected by reafon as well 

 as Chriftianity, as falfc and abfurd. (6.) Pyro- 

 mancy is a divination made by the infpection of 

 a flame, either by obferving to which fide it 

 turns, or by throwing into it fome combuftible 

 matter ; or a bladder filled with wine, or any 

 thing elie from which they imagined they were 

 able to predict, (j.} Hydronuwcy is the fuppofed 

 art of divining by water. The Perfians, accord- 

 cording to Varro, invented it ; Pythagoras and 

 Numa Pompilius made ule of it ; and we ftill 

 admire like wonderful prognoflicators. (8.) 

 Geomancy was a divination made by obferving of 

 cracks or clefts in the earth. Ic was alfo per- 

 formed by points made on paper, or any other 

 fubflance, at a venture ; and they judged of fu- 

 ture events from the figures that refulted from 

 thence. This was certainly very ridiculous, but 

 it is nothing lets fo to pretend to predict future 

 events by the inflection of the grounds of a dim 

 of coffee, or by cards, and many other like mat- 

 ters. Thus have defigning men made ufe of the 

 four elements to deceive their credulous brethren. 



X. (9.) Chiromancy, in the laft place, is the art 

 which teaches to know, by infpecting the hand, 

 not only the inclinations of a man, but his future 

 deftiny alfo. The fools or impoflors, who prac- 



thb art, pretend that the different parts, or 

 of the hand, have a relation to the in- 

 ternal 



