68 A NATURAL HISTORY 



Nullus perturbet aut impediat canem trafantem, aut homines tran- 

 fentes cum ipfo adfequendum latrones aut ad capiendum malejaclores. 



N. B. Trafantem is a Word latiniz'd from the old French 

 Tracer or Trajfer, fignifying to follow by the Track. 



I F any fhou'd iuggeft, That this derogates from the Wifdorti 

 and Goodnefs of the Creator, who has given to fome Beads 

 ftronger Perceptions, Nerves more exquilitely fine and delicate 

 than he has beftow'd upon Man : 



I A N s WE R, this is fo far from derogating from divine Wif- 

 dom and Goodnefs, that it is an admirable Inftance and lUuftra- 

 tion of both ; for were our olfadlory Nerves fufceptible of fuch 

 quick Senfations as Dogs and fome other Animals, we fhou'd be 

 continually annoy'd with pefliferous Fumes and Exhalations, fo 

 as not only to render moft Situations troublefome, but even Life 

 it felf miferable and wretched. 



Such quick Senfations may be very ufeful to carnivorous Ani-- 

 mals, fo as to direil them to their Prey, but to human Beings it 

 wou'd be very vexatious, if not peftiferous and deadly. I fhall 

 only add to this Digreffion, a fhort Hint about the Magic Art, 

 the moft furprifing of all Arts, and in its firft Appearance mofb 

 innocent and ufeful. 



Among the antient Chaldeans, Babylonians, and Perjians, 

 ■where the Art-magic was firft and principally cultivated, it fig- 

 nified no more than Wifdom -, and hence the Sophi, or Wifemen 

 of the Greeks were by them call'd f/.c».yoi, that is, Magicians ; who 

 being acquainted with many of the hidden Powers of Nature, di- 

 rected them in fuch manner, as to produce Effects, whofe Caufes 

 being unknown to the Vulgar, were attributed to Dismons. 



Hence the Art in procefs of Time came into Difrepute, and 

 Magicians have been cenfur'd, as working by Compadl with the 

 Devil : But this is invidious ; for in the Gofpel we find, the Magi 

 or Magicians, are faid to come from the Eaft to Jerufalem, faying, 

 where is he that is born King of the Jews P^or we — are come to ivor- 

 Jhip him. No body can imagine this to be underftood of thofe that 

 ~ have been called Sorcerers, Wizards, Conjurers, Witches or Magi- 

 cians, in the modern Senie of that Word * ; for thofe who were 

 familiar with the Devil, would fcarce come to enquire after him, 

 who came to deftroy his Works. 



The 



* Matt. ii. I, 2. 



