OF

.flDaotc

Jncantattona,

TRANSLATED

FROM

THE

LATIN

OF

CHRISTIANDS

PAZIG.

(Circa

lyoo.)

*"6^^
" "

EDMUND

GOLDSMID,

F.R.H.S.,

F.S.A.

(Scot.)

PRIVATELY

PRINTED,

EDINBURGH.

1886.

HARVARD

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

This

fiiilton

is

limited

ta

ajs

siitall-paper
copus.

capui,

and
"

T^

largefafer

TO

THE

KIND

READER.

"TTTE

place V
adumbrated,

before you

Magic

Incaniaimts

the
as

saying

with
goes,
an

untrained

pencil.

Should

they

fail

to

supply

that

agreeable

entertainment

which
you

perhaps

cipate, anti-

do

not,

I
pray you,

be

surprised,

seeing

that

they,

being

usually

recited

with
a

murmur

grating

harshly

the
on

thrill
ear,

the

hearers

with

emotions

of

dread

rather

than

of

pleasure.

Still,

however,

since

mortals

differ

amazingly

in

their

tastes

and

inclinations
"

for
one,

instance,

ing delight-

in

the

flexible

and

subtle

harmonies

of
song,

and

another

finding

soothing

influence

in

the

hoarse

clang

of

the

trumpet

and

drum
we
"

cherish
no

small

hope

that
some

portions

of

the

work
we

have

produced

will

pleasantly

entertam

You you.

will

yourself

see

that,

from

the

ness Copious-

of

the

matter

to

be

discussed,

it
were

better

by

far

for
us

to

review

in

detached

sections

the

impostures

practised

by

the

ancients
;

for

should

we

choose of
nol

to

place

berore has

you

all

that
a

Itie whole
a

supcistiIliad, sheets,
But that

lion and would jaix has

the
a

modems dissedalion had

lo

inventei!, filling
but

few

have may been

be

composed
on

by plan

us.

understand put about into the

;

what

this

Irealise
some

together, Magic
name,

Chapter
in

I. contains
;

statements

general

Chapter
and the salves

tl.

enquires
of of

origin, object,
III. examines

mode powers
some

Incantation words
;

Chapter

and which

Chapter
seem

IV., capable

Bnally,
of

objections against Kindly

these
our

being

advanced reader
t

my
excuse

thesis.
errors,

Farewell,
and !

courleoos

receive

with

favour

youthful

efforts

TREATYSE

OF

^^adtc

^ncantattone.

CHAPTER

I.

"

I.

"yX
J-

is
a

peculiarity

of

human

aflairs

that

they

do

not

for

long

keep

themselves

within

their

ordinary

bounds,

but

that,

impelled

by

the

doom

of

their
own

instability,

they

very

readily

rush

headlong

into
one or

other

of

opposite

extremes.

The

human

mind

itself,

forgetful

too

often

that

its

nature

is

but

finite,

wanders

beyond

its proper

sphere,

and,

obedient

only

to

its
own

impulses,

strives

either

to

gain

an

exact

knowledge

of

what

requires

boundless

research,

or

even

to

achieve

what surpasses

the

limits

of

nature.

Each

of

these

aims

tends

with

greater

certainty

to

dull

rather

than

to

brighten

the up

edge

of

the

intellect,

and

to

depress

rather

than

to

exalt

the

force

of

nature.

And

thus due

the

Intellect, while
and the

pushing

iLi

cuiiosity beyond
itching
them
cannot to

bounds,
of

Will, while
of

do
an

a.

multitude

novelties, fell both

from the their torch which of
a

into

abfss

of

errors,

they
holier

possibljr eraei^
before them

unless for

light shines

guidance.

8 It.

MONG many it
was

the

be^hen

nations whose and

and to

great

-XA.
ambition
were

individuals,
U

greatest
dg

inaiii

much
waves,

naiek,

carried
a

away

by these
of
no

professed,
^

therefore,
which others.
to to

science

vulgar
aloof all the

stamp,
from

but all

one

appeanmce

stood above of

the

They
to
a

were,

things,
divine
was

solicitous

attain

knowledge
this

will, beii^
not

of

opinion
with

that

knowledge
of
a

patible incomBut Will of

science

more

solid find
out

kind. the

inasmuch
the
so

as

they

wished the of

to

Deity
many discover entrails all which
to

without

Ddty

bifnself, they fell into

that

whirlpools
that of Will

superstition
from the and
screams

they
of

tried

to

fowb,
of birds

tbe
"

brute

beasts,

the

Sight
more

indications, and
under studies there for
were

many ol

besides,

came

them vain

the did

name

divination. find
recourse

These with other Ibe

not,
some

however,
who had

favour
to

all, for
means

spreading
they
and

their

reputation
into the

among
secret

vulgar.
of

Hence nature,

pried

chambers

lealonsly

investigated

the

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

properties
substances.

of

herbs

and

metals

and

other

natural

They supplied

also

sometimes

by
of

their

art

and

ingenuity
the

the

defects

nature,

and

since

knowledge
to

of

these

matters

was

strictly
multitude

confined

the

adepts,
with

the

untutored

regarded

them

overpowering

admiration

and

awe,

accepted
oracles,

their

utterances

as

if

they

were

inspired

and

greeted Magi,
and

them

with

peculiar

name,

calling

them

their

art

Magic.

"

"

III.

T3UT -X3
most

although
authors

we

do

not

deny
the

that

under

name

of

Divination

have

included

Magic
read

also,
has

together
been
done

with

its

different

varieties,

as

we

by

Caspar

Peucer,*
distinction

yet between

still,

since

there

is

this

leading
former

the

two
"

that

the

consists

in

speculation

and

the

latter

mainly

in

practice, Magic

while,

moreover,

there

are

many

sorts

of

which

have

no

connection

with

tion Divina-

"

we

have

thereby
while

been

led

to

think

that

it

would

be

worth

to

separate
between

the

one

from

the

other,

and

to

distinguish

them

with

some

precision.

"

IV.

rpiHE
-L
over

name,

then,
from

of

Magiy Persia, just

has

passed
for
the

to

us

Persians

call

their

sages

Magi,

as

the

Greeks

*In

the

book of

which

he

hasVritten

Concerning

the

Principal

Sorts

Devinations.

10

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

call

9uch

men

philosophets,
bards,
the

the

Latins

wise

men,

theGaulsdruidsand Ihe the these

moal
men

Egyptians
end

prophets,
and which
a

Indians

gymnosophists
ChaidEcans.

Brabmans,
name

Assyrians
men
weie

The
was

by
Che

designated
one,

in

oulsel
were

highly
who

honourable

since

they
of

the

conducted the also

sefiets

the
of

worship
the of natural the

the

gods,
and

unfolded observed from

seasons

world,

the

motions

heaven!;
of the

bodies,

wbicb and studied

they predicted the

the destinies of
as

nature

coming

men.

They

sometimes

also them.* who powers Philo

art

medicine,
Ibe with
and

Mantuanus
Ihe

represents

"Among
is

Persians Che the

to

Magiin
who of real knows the and

is

one

acquainted
of herbs
not

stars,

the

worship
call the
'on

gods."
natui:il

does

scruple
men

which
scans

these

professed
works of

optical science
in after of
to

which

the

nature

their

most

marvellous in and power of of Ihe the

to
course

manifeslalions."t
of time their
to

But be
covetous

they began vainglory,

boast of
a

parade whereby
certain dead
CO

knowledge

and

they sought, through

sacred Che
to

the

ance performChe

rlCes, nether

Co

summon

spirits
force

from reveal
nature
"

world,
of

and
an

to

these and

them nay,

Chings
when

abstruse

secret

they osCenCaliously,

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

II

though
words and

untruthfully,
acts

boasted

that

by

impious
and could

they
then

k\iew

everything
became

do

everything
"

their

name

infamous,

and

they
had

were

commonly dealings
condemns

regarded
with the

as

impostors,
himself.*

who

secret

devil

Apuleitts,
and

therefore9

Magic f*"
"

as

an

impure
far

bastard

art,
is
a

for

he

says:

Magic,
the
laws

so

I
as

hear,

thing

consigned
beeu

to

for

punishment, by
the Twelve

having
Tables,
of

Trom

of

old

interdicted

on

"ccoun-

of

the

incredible

enticements

its

profits;
it is

wherefore,
foul

also, horrible,

it

is

not

less

secret

than

and

being
thrust

an

art

practised
into

in

the

night-watches
witnesses

sind

away

darkness,

with

no

to

see

its

abominations

or

hear

its

muttered

spells."

"

V.

UT

just
forth

as

we

often

enough
and

see

gushing spring,
by
the

J-^

from

pure
and

crystal

streams

that

are

polluted
channel
in

empoisoned they
that

foulness

of

the

which

run,

so

also

it

very

frequently
excellent

happens
attracts unto

an

ar^

in

itself

most

itself

through
is

the

fault

of

its

practitoners,
know,
has been

much

that

Vicious,

and

such,

we

the

lot

of

Magic,
view,

which*

when

considered

from

this

point

of

emerges

into

two-fold

art,

the

one

commendable

and

See

Barnab. Dtmonstrat,

Brissonius

de

Regno
fropoi,
4,

Persarum
}

also,

Huetius

Evangel.
,

c.

5.

In

Apol.^

p.

493.

natural, of which
to treat al

however other be^des

as

it

is not

large, the
to

again
other
are
so

disallowed

and of the

inbmons,
fondest

which,

ju^leiies
often and

superstition, such
dexterous Incantations
use

practised belong
to

by
also the

the

of the

hands

e;es,

commonly
of which
we

called
now

Magical,

consideration

straightway

CHAPTER

II.

S I.

TNCANTATION

which

is the

called Germans

by

the hit

-L

Greeks
or

MpSdi,
even

and

by

SNCfltaltniBf
Stn. either of
we

semetimes be
an

bai

Vnffirrc
wherein

describe

to

act

of

Magic,
the

by

words

alone,
and

or

also

by

introduction labour
thin
we

certain
some

things

ceremonies effect. every

are

they
From

to at

produce
once

marvellous that
or

learn few

in many, and

Incantation, required
in
to

words uttered
we

whether

be

[verin prophBrieii\,
discard inscribed without
on

hence notice

these

pages with and

further

amulets

words other

them,
of

marks,
this kind

ceremonies

superstitious acts
as

perfonDedindlence,

is often

the

case.

gll.

rr^HAT -1-

the fraudulent

origin
art

of is

this

superstitious enough,

and
is

ancient

attested

alike

by

sacred

and

by

profane

literature.

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

God

himself

more

than

once

inculcates

on

the

Jews
that

that

they

must

hot

by

superstitious
of

rites

of

kind

expose

to

the

derision

the

Gentiles

his

most

holy
writer,

name.*

And

if

you certain

would

hear

profane

the

author

of
a

old

work

on

Etymology
is of

says

"The
:
"

worship
We do

by
not

Incanta-

tation

ancient

date."

wish

to

notice

here

the

vaunts

which

writerst

have

made

about

Zoroaster,
of

Orpheus,
whom is

the

two

men

called

Osthanes

(one

said

to

have

infected

with

this

art

King quite Magic

and

Xerxes

himselO
if

and

many

others,
ascertain

being
where

content,

we

can

merely
had its

appears in
what

to

have

earliest

cradle,
from

manner

it

has

been

propagated
of

nation

to

nation.

Ham,
his

the

son

Noah,

is

said

to

have

inscribed

arts

on

metallic

plates might
be

and

the

hardest

stones,
in

so

that

they
of the

preserved being

from

injury perhaps
him

the

time

deluge,
it would

influenced

by
to

the

fear

that

not

be

allowed

take

into

the

ark

book

filled

with

these

vanities.

But

Deut.

xviii.

lo,

ii,

etc.

-f Plin.

bk.

XXX.,

H.

C.

Justin,

about

the his

hepnmng
on

of

his

Efit,
p.

Hist, ;

Nicol.
Peucerus

Perottua

in

Comment,

Martialy Polyd.
M.

647
de

in

Divinat.^
bk.

p.
22.

m.

146

Virgil.,
Hilscher adduces

Rer.

hvent.y

i,

c.

in

his

Dissert,
on

the

Study

of
and

Gentile

Phihsopky,
Cassianusy

these Deacon.

from

Peter

Comestor

John

the

ielf

iilaui

not

of

dcabc

je( tbme
to

I bait:

ff.iid ftoaad
be
id

fcjf "hid) aikj

(kabcine
Sctbs 2o03i3i. ioberited

wftccbn is sud

^diui
aeetci
sotioJ

the

amc

hare the b'Jwf'i

Joaepfe*
wko afieilack
an

Mimim,
ail

iba

Ha^

follj
wsnb
extent

bis (hk
mm

vickednm,
i?''r-(Ts
to

impoited
thai mu^
ID

an

(o

of
and
Bi

Migksini
Pcna. tbe

lull

thck

ippcmcc"
a*

Egjpt
of

Ftoa

tfaetc,

if

bf

son

oxmsioD,
tbe Pcniam

miscliirf

1"*V"
"W
woe

tu

creep
oeai

'Xissid

losairls
co

Heb(""n,
^ch]

oeigiiboais
lite inU"

ih; of

Egn'*'*'^
the
maaj
nace

""

BikaB.t
of the

Eodoc,
"

Manaoek grrat

Ki^
otbcn Haay

Je"Vt bf
their Ckcd
to

and

pcthaiH

ICM^
of tbe

esamplc. plukeopbcn

Accooitngty
nhienoo):

fceqaat
it
oae

jutunejk
poB uiot
ram

the

Je"s
letuiupl
and

and

EgjpiiuB,
borne infected tbe

to

that of
an

they
ihk amoog
nee,

*iih seei above of

Ac Ae

tcatloed aatioos. and np abo, ^ its

othei of
to

Bat.

tU,
Bwij die

"hen boa vaUs

tbe the of

g)o"7
Greeks

ait

u"mmg
hs abode like
an

paned
withiii

lake

Rome,
apoo

Magic ibem,
in thai ofsDoie with

iU-oaicoed loilowed

atteodaot

jogglaics,
as

siamhxaeoatdj
asBuned

tnin, and,

it

eitifheie
of

OeeoisB

pecoKaifoiai

idigMB,

"Book *Ntm.Ka.

^tKifm.

JmU.^ fFint

c.

4.

Book

of

Kinn

nriii.

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

it

was

thereby
into

the

mure

easily
where

enabled

to

win

its

way

people's
that

hearts,

it

struck

its

roots

so

deep,

even

to

this

very

day,
those

you

can,

alas

detect

various

traces

of

it

in

who

have

been

instructed

in

the

principles

of
a

better

religion.

"

III.

13

UT

the

rage

for

incantation

claimed

-"^

for

that

art

so

great
needs

superiority
wbh
rule

over

all

the

others

that

it

must

to

universal

nature,

and

to

deal

therewith

according actually only

irrational,
the

to

its

sovereign
to

pleasure, subject
whether
to

since

it

forsooth

aspired
creatures,

its

will,

not

living
but

rational
or

inanimate

objects
of
natural

also,

yea

even

very

perties pro-

objects,
Lucan

so

that

would
you

not

wonder

if,

"

**

as

says

The

world,

on

"

hearing
arrested
in

an

incantation,
its
course."

would

instantly

be

"

IV.

(^\P
V^

Jupiter
Gentiles,

and

the

other

gods
nevertheless

of

the

whom

they
arbiters

professed
destinies,

to

regard
asserts

as

the

of

human

Plato

that

they

can

be

fast

bound

in

the

fetters

of

incantations,

for

he

says

Book

vi.,
ii.

PharsaL, 0/
tie LawiJ^

463

Book

This
or

oassage the

(which Laws)
has
Transl.

occurs

in

the

xd

Dook

of

the be

Republic, unmeaning.
text

and

not

is

so

incorrectly
been
made

quoted,
from

as

to

The the

translation

therefore

the

accepted

of

Republic"

"

They

peisuade granted
and and and
can

theit

dupes

thai of
tn

(hey possess

power, sacri6c"E

by

the

gods,

eipiatii^
the midst hnve
to

by
a(

incantations,

pleasures
committed,
enemy well
as

feastings,
that
at

wrongs
one

that wishes

been hurt his

as

if any

they
the

small

expense certain [be

injure the
blandishments

just

unjust

by

and say,
to

magic
succour

ties, persuading
them."

gods,

as

they
the

And,

according
the with

to

testimony
of Ihe
was

of

Livy,"

TuUus

Ifostilius,
been with
evoke

King

Romans, burned,

having (rather
to

struck his

lightning,
because,

horse,

when

endeavouring
to

Jupiter
in the

Elicius,

according
of ofiice
an chaste un-

the

roles he

laid had

down
not

Commentaries the sacred

Numa, properly.

performed
notices that
a

Pliny +

Tuccia,

Vestal constrained the

water

Virgin, gods
in
a

by
to

certain her In which their the

invocation,
power of with

give

drawing
this when
to
are

sieve.

connection the

those

prayers, Ihe the cities

by
of

Romans,

be^eging
call forth because

enemies,
of the those

sought
cities,
could could
act

Tutelary
believed
or

gods
that

either
not

they
be

place
if

otherwise

talten,

because,
it would

they
an

capture

it, they
to

though!
the

be

of

impiety

take

gods

prisoners.

Mactobius

"B..kl,..

,1.

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

quotes these

an

invocation

of

this

nature,

conceived

in

terms:*

**0

Power

Divine,

whether

god
the

or

goddess

under

whose

guardianship
State,
the and Thou

are

Carthaginian
all,
who hast

people
received

and

before

guardianship
and beseech

of

this

city

and

people,
forsake

reverently
the

pray

of

you

that

ye

people temples, depart

and

and

the

State

of

Carthage, city inspire

fear
and

the

localities,
that

solemnities,
therefrom

the

itself,
the

and

and

ye

may

city,
and

the

people,
that

the

State,

with

dread,
Rome

being
and

surrendered,
and

ye

may

come

to

to

me

mine,

that

our

localities,
find

temples,
acceptance

solemnities,
and

and

our

city

may

more

favour

in

your under

eyes.

May
direction

ye

moreover

be

pleased
the Roman

to

take

your

myself
know and

and

people,
If ye shall

that

we

may

understand.

so

do,

then

vow

to

rear

temples

and

celebrate

games

in your

honour."

"

V.

11

UT

just
classes

as

the

Ancients

had

two

1/

of

gods,
rank,
certain

those

of

superior
followers

and

those

of

an

inferior

so

also

the

of

Magic
of

approached
their

of

their

gods
of

in

the

chants

ritual,

with
some a

show

reverence,

but

others

with

good
added

deal

of

freedom,
if forsooth

yea

they
the

even

sometimes

threats,

Book

iii.,

Saturnal,
B

c.

9.

l8

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

demons

refused

to

comply
from

with

their

requests.
enchanter

Kircher

instances

Porphyry
in

an

of

this

description,
the demons

who

an

access

of anger

against
his
behests

for

not

being
them

obsequious
from

to

scattered

against
these

the

phials
'*

of

his

wrath

blasting
desire I shall

thunderbolts
:

Unless

you

do

as

shatter

the

heavens,

or

disclose

the

mysteries
in

of

Isis,

or

divulge
the

the

secret

known

the

abyss,
boat

or

disperse
carries

on

blasts

of

the

hurricane

the

that

the

dead

(held
The

sacred

in

Egypt),
this ridiculous

or

the

limbs

of

Osiris."

reason

of

commina-

tion

we

can

learn

from

Psellus
:

**

It

is

because

many

of

the

demons

are

wonderfully
that

timid,

and

are

so

bewildered

by
it

their

terror

they
commination,

cannot

discern

who

is

that

utters

the

even

were

it

nobody
add,

but

some

sorry

old

hag."
tion incanta-

Seneca,

J
of

we

may

supplies
that
"

with
us

an

this

description
the

in

which

Medea

inveighs

against
written

infernal

gods,

and
we

may

see

one

in

our

own

tongue

"

in

the

Tragedies

of

Dan.

Casp.

Lohenstein.||

"

VI.

TT JL

is

said

in
a

well-worn

proverb,
And

"

Man

is
a

wolf

to

man."

sure

enough
is
not

experience

daily

teaches

us

that

the

remark

QSdip.
operat.
German.

/Egypt, Daemon^

vol.

ii.,
21.

pt.

ii.,

c.

5.
/h Medea
v.,

De

c.

J
the

739.

"

l| In

Tragedy^

entitled

Nero.

30

UAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

morphoui,
ihe passage the heard

and where shores the

we

further he of

learn

Iroin Mae""
"

Virgil *

in

represeQti realm,
lions

couling
that thence

along
were

Ciice'i of

growls
and and

in in

their the

wrath,
dead in ol

refiising theic

chains,

roatning
bears wolres

night, bristly boars,

dens,
"

raging

their

and

shapes
which

of

huge
the

fiercely howling
Circe the had human hide." that the
was

creatures

fell

goddess
fiom
a

iransformed mien Nor famous the

to
a

by

her

magic visage

drugs
and

beast's there of

beast's but is

does

remain

any

doubt it

Medea of

Colchis,
and

who,

alleged,
the lafhei

sister

Circe,

boiled the
nurses

."son,
aC

of and her

Jason,
thus skill

t"^tber
him

with
to

Bacchus,
vaunted

restored in the and

were

pristine youth,
arts.

same

See

Ovid.f by

Natalia which

Come3,t
witches into my is
lo

others.
wont lo

Of

Lycaathtopy,

change themselves,
into
cows,

not

only

wolves,
purpose

but here

also
lo

cats,

hares,

it is not of this

speak,

because
lo
we

the

origin
and
not

properly

attributed

partly

disease,

partly
that
a

imagination,
sometimes,
and tbis

although by
of kind the

deny
of has

demon of have

agency

incantations, pretended
Comto

characters,
effected

unquents
of

traoslbriDatioii.

"

JEatii,
referred

Book
to.

vii., i
Book "i

"age

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

21

pare

Vossius*

**

On

the

Idolatry
"

of

the

Gentiles,"
"

"

Remigiusjf
also B.

Frommanus

On

Fascination

and

Thomasius

inhis

*'

Dissertation

concerning

the

transformation

of

men

into

brutes."

VII.

13

UT

it

was

not

merely
to

the

whole

man

"X^

that

was

subject
essential

be

affected

by
of

incantations,

but

also

any

part

his

person

apart

by
call

itself.

For,
the

firstly,
soul

the

magicians
the

wished

to

forth

out

of

body. long

In

Virgil,"
the

for

example.
of certain

Dido

recounts

in

series

arts

Massylian
undertook

priestess, by
and her

who,

among

other

things,
souls

spells
Lucan,||
of

to

release

at

her

pleasure by
if charmed

in

the

soul,

though

uncorrupted perishes

the

taint

poisoned body by

draught, spells. by
the For

out

of

the

thus

in

hellish

rites

there

was

set

up

witches,

in

the

likeness

of

the

poor

wretch

whom

they

devoted

to

death,
fashioned

waxen

image
his

of

him,

or

even

thin

plates

into

likeness,

which

were

called

ipsullices,
(leaves
of

or

rather

ipsiplices, together

or

even

auriplices
human

gold

wreathed

in

shape),

as

Taubmann

Book

iii.,

p.

542.

f X "
II

Book

ii.,

c.

5.
also
;

Book

iii.,c.

Book

iii.,

c.

23.

JEn,

Book

iv.,
Book

v.

487.

Pharsalia,

vi.,

v.

457.

notes

in

his

annolalions remains of
a

on

Virgil.'
sort
were

Hence found
was

was

that, when
house the ol

this

in

ihe in off says in

Gecmanicus,
o[ the

suspicion
thai he

crea,[eil been
cut

minds

people
*'

had

by

incantations. "was the walls with ol

J human

remarkable Under collection and

was

discovery,"
the
was

TacilUB,+
niches in

made.
a

floor found

and ol

human
verses.

remains,
The
name

charms Germanicus

imprecatory engraved

on

plat*soflead ashes,
were

bodies,
in
a

not

quite reduced
;

to

found

putrid

condition

and
lo

other

mali^ant belief, the

infernal in may of

spells, whereby,
souls of In the released her the words the the

according
are

popular
lo

living
second

devoted

the

gods."
makes been

place,
that, though
the the
have

witch souls embrace

to
"

Horace]:
have the

boast from have

close power left. their of

body,
re-enter

make I

them she

body
the

ihey
dead the
at

can,"

says,

"wake

from instance the

ashes."

Lucan,
a

loo,

supplies
wiich.

Erichtho,
of had the Cneius

Thessalian

who,
to

request who him

Pompey,

recalled he of

life

soldier from

just been
issue of

slain, that
the
battle

might

learn

Phais.ilia.^

Tibullus,

"

On

JEn.,

Book

iv., joS.

Compare,

rigariBng

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

23

also,*^
of

undoubtedly
the

refers

to

this

presumptuous

folly
of

sorceress

when

he

thus

depicts
her

the

arts

certain

witch
:
"

**

She

by
entices

magic
the dead

strains

cleaves

the

ground,
and recalls

and

from

their

tombs

the

ashes

to

life

from

the

yet

warm

funeral

pile." accompanied
incantations,

Thirdly,
almost

with

great

array

of

sacrifices,

invariably
that the

with

spells
for

and

they
the

hoped spiri's brought they they owing

manes,

so

they
after

designated
death,
could

which

remain

alive

be

back

from

the

nether

world
"

thing
since

were

suaded perbelieved

could

easily spiirts
of

be

done,

that

the

the

dead,
continued

to

their

affection

for

their

bodies,

to

wander

for

some

time

round

about

their

tombs.

f
Homer

To

say

nothing excellently represented

he

of

six

hundred

others,
it

X
the

hath

well,
the

and,

as

were,

to

life,
where

nature

of

these

ceremonies,

exhibits

Ulysses
from

as

summoning
nether abodes.

the

shades

of

the

dead

their

Apion
of
his love

the

grammarian, display,
avowed Tiberius

whom,

on

account

of

called

the

Cymbal
the shades

of

the

world,

that

he

had

evoked

of

the

dead

in

order

to

question

Homer

in

what

country

and

Book

i., eieg,
Book

a.

f
X
Horat.

Lactant.

ii.,
a4

c.

a.

Odyss,
Sat.y

xi.,
Book

v.

Virg.,
v.

EcL

viii.,

v.

955

i.,

8,

23.

34 of what

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

parents
affiims

he

was

bom.*

And

of

Nero,

Sueloniusf "aciifice
summon

that, by oflering a propitiatory br

the

performed
the her words
to

Magi,
of

he

sought

to

departed pajdon.
various the it. In

spirit

Agrippica

and that

supplicate

Lastly, they thought

aSectiooi could could
verse

by magic
be

cot

only
be
:
"

imparted
from

mind,
Lucan's

but

again
we

eradicated
"

read

By

the the in of

spellsof
obdurate the
course

Thessalian heart of ftod

a

witches love that Above

there

flowed
not

into there

entered

nature." Theocritus read. In

all, those
Pkarmalove-sick

idylls
ciulria maidens
10

Vii^

called

deserve endeavour
a

to

be

these,
and

by
for them
sre

philters
in the

incantations of
a man

excite whom

love

breast Dido for

by

they
for her

spumed.
in herbs
to

seeks
we
arc

remedy

love

spells,
the

she,

told, combining Hippomaoes,

from the the love wife

with desired of of

love-charm

called her heart

liberate

thereby Tacitus||

i^neas. Plautius her

"

In

Numanof

tina,

Sylvanus,
husband's

is accused brain

having distempered
and

by drugs

m^ic
"

spells.
Hilt.

Plin.,

N.,

Book

m.,

c.

i.

fL,th^Ufi(fNiro,c. PJtarul, Book "i.,V.

*

34. 451.

g Virgil, iEn.,

Book

ir.,47.-

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

2$

"

VIII.

rrillAT

domicile

the
moreover,

body
wise

of

_L
man,

which

the

supremely skilfully
of the

Architect

of

the

Universe

has

most

framed

and

appointed
I do think

to

be

the

habitation

human

mind,

he

has

given
the

us

to

know

is

in

some

manner

exposed
But the

to

of power

tions, Incanta-

(" 6.)
affect it
in

Magicians
and ways,

did

not

hesitate

to

various

to

corrupt
restore

it

with

diseases,

and

when

corrupted
of power

to

it

again
This,

to

health

by
events,

the

their

spells.

at

all

leads

us

quite
not

freely
actuated

to

ledge acknow-

that

the

ancients

were

by
of

this

madness

to

such

an

extent

as

the

men

our

own

day,
human

since

they body

preferred
rather
than

to

take

good
work
it

care

of

the

to

harm.

In

the

intermediate

period,

however,

find
we

traces

of

this

abominable

superstition,
Poet

even

in

Propertius,*
that

where

the

conjures
the mind

the

Magi
his mistress

they
with

would

charge spells,
But

of

Cytseanf

and

make

her

countenance

become

more

wan.

in

particular
in

they
could

believed

that

the

of

organs
debilitated

generation by twining
while

be

abused

man

and

knots

on

the

fringe

of

some

kind

of

garment, words,

simultaneously
which Maro

ing mutter-

certain

rite

to

makes

reference,

'*

Twine

in

three

knots,

Amaryllis"

in

Eleg.,

Book

i.,
a

i
.

-fFrom

GtCy

Colchlan

town.

Eel.

viii.

26

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

ihree

colours,

Iwine

(hem,

Amaryllis,
sort are

Jo, and
said
to

say, be
too

Detestable^eiemonies

of this
at to

frequently practised even application

water.

the
a

present lock

day by the
immersed in persons in

of

pressure harvest

A
sex

copious
is de
a

of

examples Joh.

of either in and his

supplied

by D.

Gerg.

Simon,

work,

Impotent.
many

Conjugal.,*
more.

Bodinus,-)it on the

perhaps

good

We

have

testimony
and Turks
can

of Erasmus

Francisici,t that the

mere

Persians of the

by the lay

raising
that of
are

ot

lowering
betrothed
all
are

finger

those

under

spells, in consequence
to A
are

which

enjoined fingers. spells

of the
to

assist
mote

the
common

espoused

by unclasping
for and
no

their

purpose alleviate For if

which

magic
diseases have

used,

is to

expel
doctors

human resist

body.
the
come

power

malady,
into

Dardanian

arts, and doctors

nature

craft) (i.e., witchhave herself the of

to
a

play, ^
to

unblushing
the what
cure

effrontery
of lelts hei

accuse

feebleness

power.

So,

according
sought
for

Pliny
to

us,|| Theophrastus
Cato for
a

his

sciatica,

cure

to his dislocaled

"C. 1. vi.,Thetii4,n. tDacmon., Bookii., c. i. t in bft Inttignt |bc|ail-6nt|nf' (Comic Theatre)

CoK.iii, p.

S34.

2$

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

nature

when the for

fascinated wife she

the

with the

(he

sound

of oF

magic

words, shows,*
(he

of
was

Picus,
wont

King
voice
to

Lalium,
to anest
on

by her
beasts air. and

soften the the

fury of
the of

savnge

fl^htof

vagrants

of the

Schottus.t
that the

authoriCj'
ate

VillaniontiuE, alleges by
leave the

crocodiles

constrained
to

singing
Nile for of
a a

of
allow

Egyptian
themselves markets. had But been the

fi"bennen
to

the

and

be

led off and

exposed
like song story in

sale bull

in the that way. is the

Debrio bscinated
most

]: tells
with

similar in

remarkable in all

instance its the manifold power that

point

serpent
which is
an

brood reduced
extreme

varieties of music
no

by

to

such

stupefaction
itself of all the away
a

it has

aversion and

to to

divest
cast

ferocity of its nature,

virulence in of its

the

deadly

poison.

In
can

reading fancy

certain

passage

Seneca, " you

the

yourself actually
which

beholding
exhibit
:"

obsequious
those

deference who enchant

serpents
for there

towards

them,

"attracted
comes

by the
into
our

magic
midst

strains, the
from their

scaly

throng

solitary hiding

places.

The

Mil., Book riv.,v. 331. Book iv., c. 1. tP. i!., Mag. Uni-atr,., JBookii,p. 136. 684. iv,, v. ^"1 Meiia, Act Compare
"Ovid,
Eel.

Yiii.,v,71.

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

29

fierce

brute

here

in

amazement

drags
its

along
tongue,
and

its

monstrous

coils,

brandishes

three

forked

and

while

seeking
becomes

victim

to

pounce

on,

strike

death,
of

fascinated

on

hearing

the

sound

song."
who

The

Marsi,

moreover,

people
derived

of

Italy^ origin
time

according
from Circe

to

A.

Gellius*

their

herself,

are

said

to

have

at

one

excelled

in

the

art

of

taming
from the

serpents,
otherwise

so

that

they
bite

got
of

no

harm

at

all

deadly
the

vipers,

and

if

we

can

credit

Pliny,t
with

same

practice people
of

was

found

to

be

in

vogue

the

Psylli,

of

Africa.

Paracelsus,

that

notable

patron
the belief

words

and

characters

J
in Helvetia

may

keep
and

all

to

himself,

that

Snabia

serpents Osii^

could

be

so

charmed

by they

the

three

words,

Osia,

Osii

that

were

instantaneously

rendered

gentle

and

harmless.

"

X.

rjlO
JL

disturb

the

laws

of

the

elements,
form

which

are

generally
to

thought
these

to

quaternion,
confusion
to

and

reduce

laws

again
in

from

order,

is

thing
Incantation.

of

nought They

the

opinion
the realms

of

the

adepts air,
and

of

enter

of

by

their

spells"

they

scatter

Noct.

Attic^ N.y
Book

Book

xvi.^
c. 2.

c.

z.

t X

H.

vii.,
Book

Archd,

Mag.^
Met,y
Book

i. p.

69.

" Ovid,

xiv.,

344.

30

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

the

clouds,

they
If I may

gather

the

clouds,

they
of

still

the

stonn.

the
use

language
the

Seneca,*

"On

their

arrival,

nudnight nothing
adheres

sees

sun,

and

under

their

spells

to

its

laws."

They
nature,

produce, phenomena
of

contrary

to

the

very

order

of

which,

had

they

resulted

from

the

power

Incantation,

would

not

come

under

the

designation
instance,

of

an

ordinary
from

miracle.

Medea,

for

evokes

water

rainless

clouds,

and

the

witch

in

Tibullus

^.t

her

pleasure

duces pro-

in
snows

the
season

of
summer.

The

bright
the

denizens

themselves

of

the

higher

spheres,
beautiful,

stars,

I
mean,

that

are

so

wondrously
word of

were

believed

at

the

magician's
their

command

to

shoot

wildly
in

from

sphere
In

and

pursue

their

way

strange cited,

orbit.

Seneca,

whom

we

have

already rainy
but

you

may

read"

that

not

only
of

the

Hyades
that the

succumbed

to

the

spells
stood

Medea,

Sun-God

himself

still

in

the

midst

of

his

day's
next

journey
adduce

under

the
same

influence.

We

may

Ovid,

who

says:

|I** Charms
"

draw

down

the

horns

of

the

In

the

Medea,
passage Book

v.

776.

fin
t

the

quoted, {.,
I
.

"/f".,
the

"In

passage Book

quoted. ii., Hyppol.,

"1.
I.

II ^mor.,
18
;

Compare
ii.

orat.,

Epod.

Senec.

in

Act

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

blood-red

moon,

and

call

back

the

snow-whiie

horses

of

the

sun

while

pacing
in the

onward.

"

Here

it

is

to

be

observed

that,

opinion by
heaven,

of

simple-

minded

persons,

the

moon

could

incantations

be

actually
down

drawn

down

from

and

when

drawn

could

be

compelled
her

to

discharge by
of

upon

herbs

the

froth

of

influences,

reason

whereof

authors

allege
great

that

the
women

Thessaly
art.

acquired Aristophanes
Thessalian

proficiency
^"**

in

this

So

says:

If

should

purchase
the

"

witch

and

draw

down

moon

by spell
lunar

night;"
the

and

Claudian,f

"I

know

by

what

Thessalian

sorceress

snatches away

the

beam."

As

often,

therefore,

as

the

moon

lost

her

effulgence,
foul of

people
the

thought Magi,
with and

this

was

done

by
filled

the

arts

so

they
dissonant

the

spacious
brass

firmament

the

bray hearing

of

trumpets

to

prevent
that she

the

moon

the

incantations,

so

might J

thus

retain

the

glory
but

of

her

radiant

beams.

This

widespread
Laertes

foolish

belief

waned away

when,

as

"

tells

us,

the

real

causes

of

the

eclipse

of

the

moon

had

been

discovered

by

Anagoras.

In

the

Clouds, Book

t/"

Ruffifty
H.

i.,
Book

145.

:^Plin.,
c.

N.,

i.,

c.

2.

Livy,

Book

xxvi.

5.
Ms

Life,

::

INCANTATIONS.

rpH
by
command
at

of

the

voice, and
less the

thai is

Vulcan,

who

is

other

times

placable,

deprived of his
of

energy of
more

by words,
modem

superstition
affirms the with of
on

antiquity and
most

times Even prayers fire.

the

positive cerlainty.
saith

walls

houses,
Ihem
our

Pliny,'
them

have from

written And
many

lo

protect

of
a

countrymen,
or

soldiers
a

especially,either
into
same

fire which

gun

throw

pieceof

bread the which

can

building
lime

fire is certain

destroying, and

at

pronounce that the and

words, by doing
of that the flames
cannot

they
be
so
a

affirm

violence broken farther.

checked nail's
a

they

advance

breadth

Those the

rascals, also,who roving Tartars,

every and

lead

vagabond
the the who habitants insun

life, like

pester
under and

of almost with their absurd called

country

juggling tricks,

are

commonly
art say, corn,

Zingari (gypsies),boast they

a are

that this

is
to

peculiarly theirs,since
let fire loose
even

able, ihey
full of

in without

barn

stuffed

hay,

and

straw,

risk of any
set

damage
own

being
limits

done,
to

provided only they

flames

their

the

by

certain

adjurations.

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

33

"

XII.

"TTTATER, V V Magicians,
stunned

if

we

choose

to

believe

the

on

hearing
it
stands

spell
still,

nounced, proif

is

so

that

as

ice-bound,
further.

and

is

unable

to

continue

its

course

any of ing order-

They
waters

were, in

to

wit,

in

the

habit

the

rivers

to

stand

still,*

and

they they
reversed

detained

the

long
the
laws

streams

by
of
nature

the

words

which

uttered, that,

being
from

so

far

as

you

may

learn

Tibullus,:^
This

the

waters

began
not

to

go

backwards.

same

poet
that

does

hesitate

to

affirm

of

certain

witch

by
river.

her

spells
If further

she

changed
choose

the

course

of

rapid
he

you

to

hear

Ovid,"
extend

tells

you

that

the

threats

of

Magicians
water

even

so

far

that

they

make

the

flow

ward back-

till

it

remounts

to

the

spring
of
a

from

which

it

gushed,

as

if

from

the

fear

greater

danger.

"

XIII.

lIIAT

the

earth,

which,
is

on

account

JL

of

its

weight,

otherwise

less

capable
command

of

motion,
of the

moves

spontaneously
and

at

the

Magicians,

is

cloven

into

Virgil,

CEn,,
Met.

Book

iv.,

v.

486.

"f Ovid,
$"/. "
Amor, Book

xiv.

i.,
Book

and

8. EI,

ii.,

i.

34

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

diverse
more,
as

parts,
Maro under Ibe which

appears says
:

from

Hbullus."
wiU the
see

Nay,
the earth

"

You

bellowing
down from

your

Teel, and

ashes Those

comii^

nountain-tops."
the
can

things,
mothei

nkoreover,

earth,
be

lilce

teeming
and the

prodnces yearly,
OS

draped

about

tainted, malign
theii them crops hibition pronot

the

poets
of the

everywhere

testify, by
as
"

words

Magicians, just
confesses

it he

suits
saw

pleasure.
"rith from his
one

Virgil
own

that the Read

eyes
to

removing
another."

standing
also the

field in the

Twelve from

Tables: man's that

:

"Entice field, the

"

away

the

crop

another law shows

a

"g

The of be and

wording
this law

of another
were

violators Let him

subject to
by

penalty

punished
him who in the lions sterile fdl. nne,
"

who
uses

enchantment for thus various

removes an

grain,
evil

enchantment few

purpose."

Ovid,y

words,

notices

sively comprehenproduce
into of water of and the
a

tainting of
Com blasted

vegetable

by

magic
the the

fades

plant, blasted
The when
acorns

by magic
of the

springs
grapes

oak,

bewitched

by magic,

wither

"I1,

lit

faiage

alreadyqaeitd,
490.

t fEii. ir., V. t"c/.viii,v.

99.

iSce
Amor.

Rofin. Book

Antii]Uit.Book Eel. 7, iii..

vi

K^

cxtiiigauhed
admire tbe

and

extinded. whose

Foe metliod

we

do of

not

much

Turks,
is the

recoveiii^
*

slaves fiigitive The

name

Ihus slave of

described wiiHen
on

by
a

Robertus scroll is

of in hb

sns-

peoded
bead

place

sbelter,
and

then

Oiej

assail

his

with (be

dirdnl of tbe

curses

imprecations.
such be
on an

Then,
effect is

bf

agency
on

the

demons,
that him

wiooght
Umis that
or

It^live
wiU attack

thinks his

either
way,
or

dragons
sea or

or

tbe

tbe be

rivers stuonded
to

will
m

drown the
master

him,
blackest scared
I say,

that daikback

eveTTthing
Dess, and
so

will he

retnnis

his

bf
not

these admiie tbeir

bog-bears. much,
minds of f"^
are

These who

Turks,
is there

we

do
not

who

knows

that densest

dieadliilly benighted But,

to at

by
same

the

shades Ibat tbose

ignorance.
who

the

time,
better with

ought

be
to

imbued be of
an

with tannded human instinct

to

prindplea
thb mark For
not

suffer is
DO

themselves

trifling proof
women

perversity.
which is

since very

by
are
women

laudable and the

inclined of tbe of

vcdubility of speech,
classes thdr th^ power, minds

lower

especially tongue, tbcy

ate

quite
attribute,

incapable
in

bridling
to

consequence such in effects

a

preposterous
that that

eloquence
feel

moving
their
own

they

persuaded produce

they thereby

dreadfiti

Goclcn.

Hiauaa^

Sect,

.,!"'

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

37

to

be

told

and

wonderful

to

be

seen.

And

hence,
*

almost

think

Xenarchos

in

Athenaeus

was

not

so

hard

upon

the

inferior

sex,

when

he

declares

the

grasshoi^rs
their
females

to

have

blessed

lot,
if

seeing

that

are

voiceless.

But

women

should

perhaps
natural

be

pardoned though they

in

consideration

of

their

weakness,

would

not

rashly
how

venture

to

say

should,
the

still

do

not

see

Papists superstition footsteps

of

can

escape since

charge
follow

of

this

impiety

and

they by
of water, either

themselves

the

of

Paganism

the

consecration

of

oil,

salt,

of

candles,

of

roses,

"c.,

and

in

this

way

expose

their

own

supreme the of

ignorance
sensible

or

supine

negligence

to

eyes

people.

CHAPTER

III.

"

I.

Ql
k3

ENECAjt

not

without

good
and

reason,

derides

that

antiquity,
that rains

calls

it

ignorant,
attracted

which

believed

were

both

and

repelled
that

by

magic,
of the

for,

as

he

says,

it

is

so

evident

nothing
need
to

sort

can

be

done,

that

we

have

no

enter

the

school

of

any

Deipnos.
Nat

Book Book

xiii.

qiutu.

iv.,

c.

i.

philosophetto learn thai hcl.

who habit
at olber

Pliny himself,*
too

limes is somewhat

often in the

smoke of imposing on the selling (i.e., of bis renders) before Juno pronounces credulity this art to be the most frandulent of all arts, and how it coutd flourishall over expresses his surprise the world for so many We also ourselves, ages. that
we

of

may

not

appear
sorcerers

to

have

rashly and

malice, into the qualities of spells of this inquire ibem of the words in kind,when, after divesting which they are enveloped,we shall see the snake lurkingin the grass.
will
now

unadvisedlyaccused

of fraud and

" ri. TTTE

is

E afEi that if the words afHrm, therefore,

:

looked

at
nor

in

there themselves, inherent

to

neither virtue clearly you have

power

in

them, whether
material
or

regard either
Sacred this it As all in

their

their forraal elements. above rejoices

ture Scripglorious
melt

alone

that by prerc^tive, hearts harder than

are

Parian

its vivid power marble. sounds formed

can

for other

words, they

but

in air and
can

fadingaway

again in air ; how, then,

an

object that is frequently many miles distant from feel that any force has t by possibility been conveyed into it? And even granting that

!--

39

he has such shudder

"ia

:i

hearing it,an
with the

stentorian vuice thai any one would effect of ihit natuie

ought not
air diiveQ vibrate
on

to be attributed to the

words, but lo the to great foice and suddenness

As ment regardsthe formal ele-

ear.

in words, that also is destitute ol power, since it only proceedsfrom

one

the human

will when

man

wishes
to

to comuiunicflte
man.

the ideas in his

mind that It
so

another
a

great
not

power

Who, then, taught man layin this and in that word

man,

was

another

for whence He

could

he

have derived this knowledge? derived Himself it

could not havs l"ecause God is

from God, immediately

of these impostures punisher ; and not from good genii because they never either, oppose the will of the Supreme Deity. The only that the teacher supposition remainii^is, therefore, is aa imp of hell, who contrives that words shall endowed with the same not be invariably efEcacy, for if there words
mere a

the severest

certain virtue inherent

in the

pronounced these in any way, place, and time whatever,would gain his object. Nay, even the parrot or the magpie, if trained to utter wards of the kind,could in a similar way perform any incantation you please, for if the cause of any natural phenomenon which is not under the control of a will be positive, the effect must be also positive.Therenecessarily
fare, wherever
heretofore the virtues inherent in

themselves, then whoever

40 have will find

at

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

words you
at

been either all of

boasted,
that

there, io
has

the
tio

resulll,
eHect been
was

ihere that
as

been

all,

or

events

the the

fallacy has
cause

committed
not

assigning

what

the

cause.

^UI.

DVERTING of

to

the

different

tinds

-f\.
which side
we

spells,
strove

if

we

examine

those
over

by
their

the the

Gentiles and
a

to

gain

to

gods
find

demons,

even

against

Iheii

will,

shall

display everywhere
the
we

of great

impiety

and

folly. pious
man

That

Dcily
all way

is

certainly appeased
but that is He
on

by
whom

players

know,

is in every
to
we

dependent
our

compelled give
pre-

by words
us

take pray But

of

necessity

pail, and
and consequence

what

foe, Is clearly absurd

what

lumpCuou'.
accrue

danger
if ?

can

in
are

to

(he
our

demons desires your you puny will is

so

they
And breath

unwilling
now

to

comply
should with since neither

with

although
in
but

you tbera

spend
threats,
their be and which

pelting
little that

profit

thereby, they
can

nature
seen
are

constituted ej'es from is

not

by the
exempt
the the

touched form In of all

by the
ing suffercases,

hands,
to

every

body

liable. have

therefore, where they they

were

demons

pretended
force
to

that

drawn done
so

down with

by
a

the view

of mock

words,
the

have

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

credulity

of

the

impious,
their

and

to

make

them

cling

more

pertinaciously

to

superstitious

beliefs.

"

IV.

"LINY

"

already
in

in

his

own

age the
idea

had

no

-fT

hesitation

exploding
transformed

that

human

beings
We

could

be

into

beasts.

"

ought,"
it

he

"

says,

to

have

no

hesitation

in

deeming
wolves and

false

that

men

were

changed
to

into

were

again

restored

their

natural

shape,
have

in
or

disbelieving
current

all

the

fables

which

we

found

for

so

many

ages."
to

We

require
the
us

not

an

interpreter
of
the

of

oracles

explain
of

to

meaning
of

transformation

the

companions
to

Ulysses,
these

for

who

is

so

blear-eyed
in the

as

not

see

that

men^

while

sta3dng
had

delightful
licentious

plains passions immoderately

beasts,
that

of

Campania,
and

indulged
of

in

the

allurements

pleasure
unlike

that

so

very

they only
must

became

not

brute

seek

to

glut deny

the

sensual

appetite.
Devil

For

since
we

even

to

the

himself,

and

that

absolutely,
what,

the

power

of

changing
do

into
men

brutes,

pray,
To

can

his

agents also,
the

by
when

of
means

their

voices?

these

even

displaying
between

their

madness

in

bands,

connection

the

body
that

and

the

soul

remains

unshaken,

because

connection

hath

been

so

firmly

established

by

the

will

of

God

that

"

H.

N.,

Book

xxii.,

c.

42

MAGIC

[NCAM'ATIONS.

neither

of the

two

can

depart however,
once

from (he

its post connection

am

without tween be-

pennissian.
them
mannec

When,
has
meua

been be

severed. It

by
even

no

of

again
combined.

recooKtitated,

hj

all the

finite powers

"

V,

"pT
J_
can

is that

not

altogether
aid of

baseleasly

asserted

by the

incantations, various
in the minds

emotioDi of
men,

be the

frequently produced fancy

(hat with Eut
a

for of

is

so

ensnaied

by

the

haroionies
ns

mu"c, \ary

it is

agitated according
of the
no

the

notes

aucccasion

most

fervid

emotions. since that

incantations
ure

gain
most

credit

by

this,

Ihey
you

for hear

the

put
in

so

composed
that

can

nothing
but

them
a

is either

artistic uncouth if the in nature,

to

or

pleasing,
of

merely words;
hate hearers
or

monstrously
and love therefore

jargon
emotion the this the
of
arc

outlandish either of is of the of

of

is awakened

minds result

by

spells of this
to

unquestionably
the

lie

ascribed the

wiles the

devil,
in the
our

who brain of is

through

mediuni

air, forms

objects alilte that pleasing,

cither into
most

pleasing, and
of which
or

reverse

by the

perception

the

mind

violently ogilaled

gretitly soothed

repose.

^VI.

"pvISEASES
J-^
to

in the

human and
s

bodynre
not to

due any

natural words.

causes,

power

in

magic

What

ID
voura

10

fitm
to

and disturb

stable them The has

AD

order

ttul
aits

all your would the the

endeaprove

by
Sun,
from
to

any who the

attecl]'Tutile.
choir first
course

leads tiiDc

shining
was

of

heaven,

world
mo

cradled, onward

the

present day, sky,

at

his
serene

Ibrougb
has the smiled

the

spacious

and

with

Uce that

contempt
and
to

the
a

threats
to

of

the

PsylU

Miursi these

were

tertot
a

serpents
and

by

attributing capacity.

people
be

natural

inborn

But, it may unhaimed,

alive. that In
a

said, the

Agyrtx
and
aie

play with
then vomit

serpents
them of

swallow this
case

them,
we

altt^thei
achieved
an

upioion
arts

great

deal

can

fac

by

in

themselves of

innocent,
which with
a

and

by
postors imhave

extraordinary dexterity
who bedeck instances where
to

those chains

themselves

in But

frequent
in
cases

acquired
the have power been that of
a

great
ait
no

mastery.
less
we

of

than have is the

our

of nature
no

appears in in

conceded,
the

hesitation that

thinking

agent

here

Same

the

guise

serpent

deceived

first

parents.

stated
ID

above

concerning
we now

the

various that

phenomena
no one

this God

universe,
"tf Nature

assert to

but of

the

is able all

cbar^^e
have

the

laws

rwtme,

sedi%

that

thii^

been

disposed

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

45

Magi.

The

moon

by

turns

contracts

her

ness bright-

and

soon

again

replenishes
incantations

her

horns,

and

feels

no

alarm

at

the

of

the

witches.

As

regards

storms,

the

power

of

evoking

them

has

been

left

neither

to

man

nor

the

Devil.

The

latter,

indeed,

in

virtue

of

the

experience

he

has

acquired
times

in

long

of
course

years,

is

able

at

to

accommodate

himself

to

the

conditions

which

determine

the

weather,

and

by
of

the

abuse

of

natural

causes

to

produce
the

results

which

witches

afterwards

take

all

credit

to

themselves,

if
as

they

had

wrought
of

them

by
he

their

curses.

For

if

at

change

weather

collects

the

watery

particles

then

in

the

air,

the

rains

burst

down

in

bucketfuls,

and

if

he

moves

very

rapidly

the

nitrons

and

sulphurous

particles,

then

thunder

and

ning lightand

follow,

which

too

often

ruin

the crops

fruits

of

those

whom

he

hates

for

their

love

of

piety.

The

procedure

is

the
same

in

the

repression

of

the

of
energy

fire

and

water,

which

the

Devil,

through

the

medium

of

the

air,

both
can

diminish

and

increase,

for

if

there

were

such

virtue

in

incantations

alone

they

would

certainly

deserve

to

be

taught
of

publicly

every

day,

since

incalculable
an

amount

loss

could

be

prevented
and

that

arises

from

the

mischief

done

by

floods

conflagrations.

NCANTATIONS,

Ihey

are

very
no

often

3o

fabricated
at

that the and

they

have

evidently
ate

meaning
of their

all,and

Magicians although
is the

ignorant

signification ;
that have
a

it is

acknowledged
whence mutilated if
even

foreign tongne
been

parent
ace
so

they

derived,
that

still you

they
can

and
at

corrupted
what

scarcely,
bear. of O.
cure

all, guess

import they
Abracadabra he says, is
ft

For

instance, (hat

well-lcnown

Seraoas for

Ammoniacus,'
is

which,
to

fever,
Hebrew
'

suspected
words To

have
'

been

made the

ap

of the

meaning
this must

father,'*

and ipirit,' that has In much been

word.' been

also be added

that has taken is the

advanced

merely
unwary,

as

joke
case

in earnest exorcism the

by
of

the

pobt
he
can

Euricius

Cordiis,t by
of fleas and and

which

alleges
be

irritatingbites
"

bugs
"hould

prevented.
you

Lest
use

Geas

bugs

plague

by

night,

When

going

to

bed

chant

these

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

47

over,

and

at

each

repetition
does
not

quaff

three

cups this is

of

good
the

wine.

"

Who

see

that

but

pleasantry
condemns

of

humorist?

Frommannus,*
and

however,
with

the

verses,

accuses

them,

what

right

know

not,

of

the

grossest

superstition.

CHAPTER

IV.

~TT

still

remains

that

should

now

briefly
might
truth of

JL

discuss

those

considerations

which

be

able

perhaps
that

to

persuade
words have

others

of

the

the

opinion

powers effects.

of

their

own

of

producing
have in view

supernatural
however

The

purpose that

we

suggests
of them

to

us

out

of

the

great
those

multitude

we

should

select

only
therefore

that

are

most

cogent.
of the

We

reject
poets,
have of

at

once

the

authority
and

Agrippa, good
and

of

Paracelsus,
for

of

others,

as

we

reason

suspecting
to

their

trustworthiness, only
and

we

bring being perhaps

the

test

those

arguments

which

adduced

from

sacred

writ,

supother

ported

by
to

probable
weaken

reasoning
contention.

from

quarters,

seem

our

II.

rpHE
JL

first

instance

to

hand

is

that

of

the

Egyptian
in the

Magicians, sight
of

Jannes
Pharaoh

and

Jamand his

bres,

who

King

In

fat

Book

de

FaMnat,^

Book

iii.,

c.

5.

48 Princei,* by it,fftresaid
We do
not to

MAUIC

INCANTATIONS,

their have wish who real

some

incantations,

as

the

versions

have

changed
here
to

their rods
countenance

into serpeao. with rods the

were

oioi

tnpport

those into
in

allege
serpents,
w.iy

that but the

the that

not

changed

Devil, hy

tampering
of the eyes
so

with

crystalline hnmonr
had obscured theii

of

the

speclalors, mistook
were
a

vision But
see

that

they

[he

rods

for serpents. who does the the

not

if this that

opinion

admitted,
great
follow slur that
on

it would since
not

cast

miracle of this

of Moses, Moses is what

to

it would swallow have

serpent

did

tes.1 serpents,

though
the truth

it would

appeared
methinks,
us

to

spectators
an

do.

Another,
lies open

and,
to

in

easier
we

load,
neither words.

by
nor

walking
attribute
to

wherein any this power

wrong The
reason

Moses

to
was

Devil, according
of
in
a

view,
of

able, by
movcinents,
scene

the

extreme to

mpiditj'
withdraw
or even

his the hide

moment

from
to

the until live

rods he

of could

the

Magicians,
substitute in

them real

place

of

them which

serpents,
a

these

being

animals wtlh

with

Egypt,

country

infected

superstitious

"EmJ.

viii.,11
Ih Frt

t Although

Ajp,

ytt

the

nwrlythe true ici ebe Engliih versi:

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

49

idolatry, abounded.
lated rod
were

The afterwards

serpents
swallowed

thus up

suUti-

then

by the

of Aaron.

fill.

FTER in

these

comes

Balaam,*
"ho
to

ui

adept
lo ject sub-

-^A.
the and army

magic

arts,

wished his

of the words liist

even

Israelites
to

enchantments,
of his that

by magic
the

cheat

Moses

victory.
all these ward, for-

But. in

place, it is certain
when effect. that
man.
sun

incantations,
fhiled

they
In Satan

were

brought
second

of

theii but

the

place,
had

nobody
had the
command
even

questions
with

beforehand As

dealings
statement

this the

regards, again,
moon

that of

and still for

not

at

the

Joshua
himself power

stood would of the with

whale what he

day,t
took used. of his

Joshua
to

ascribe which

place
For

the

words the that

God,
so

in accordance directed

infinitude the

power, bave

everything
His
lo

Jews
;

must

clearly recognised
be have
more

presence crush

and

that

Ihey might
and be laws
was

eager
more

Iheit

enemies,

might

assured for
a

hope
short

of

victory,
the

pleased
of natare

to

suspend
he had

space

which

ordained.

S VI.

"pF,
_1among

further, the
vanced the

law

of
to

jealousy which,
of

be

ad'

according
suspected

if any

man

lews

his wife

adultery

so

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

he

brought

her

to

the

door

of

the

tabernacle,

and

thereupon adjurations,
but

the

priest

not

only
with

uttered

dreadfii

accompanied
these

certain

ceremonies,

wrote

adjurations
afterw^ds

also

in

book

and

blotted

them

out

with

bitter

water,

and

then
gave

these very

waters

to

the

woman

to

drink,

whereby according
baleful.

he

ascertained

her

innocence

or

guilt
ficial

as

the

draught
then,

proved
I,
this

to

be

bene

or

If

say

be

held

to

prove

on

behalf

of

those

who

take

words

under

their

patronage
Neither

the

efficacy
the words

of

their

words,

we

answer

of

adjuration,
recited,
and

then

"

written

by
into

the

hand,

then

orally

then

plunged
of

water,

had

in any power

themselves

doing

harm,

but

whatever

potency
the searcher

they
of

had

was

conferred

on

them

by

God,

hearts,

who

to

natural

substance

added

something manifesting
attach the

supernatural,
truth willed

and

for

the

sake

of

that

weight

should

to

the

words.

"

V.

iH

AT

souls

after

death

are

compelled
selves them-

by

JL

the power

of

words

to

present
Endor
seems

to

the

living
she,

the

Witch

of

to

avouch,
called

since

at

the

solicitation

of

King
him

Saul,

Samuel

from

the

dead

to

declare

to

the

issue

of

the

Philistine

war.*

Yet,

sooth

to

say,

* I

Sam.

xxviii.

VI,

I iHEY

may

urge, of he

perhaps, words,
says of
ihe

in the

support
expresuve

of

-X.
words Iheir of
ear

the

eflkacy
where* voice

David,

that

serpents

stop
But

ajjainst ihe rightly

Da^"id's lli= rage nny the

enchanLer. words this

"
"

Vussius+
says great
nol

explains meaning
of
mncc

these
was

when That

he
so

that
was

his

enemies IbiD
an

that asp Is

it could moved
any

be the

appeased spell
of

by
our

enchanter." that
we

If, finally,
ourselves the sacred
to

of
a

opponEDts
to
we

object words,
command

atladi rile himself let

potency

when the of

in

of

baplism
off and

Devil

take
to
"

Sy the
answer

presence
in

infants,

thb We

B.

Scherj;erus nnderstand

place of me.t
Devil
nor

neither

Ihnt the

the

is he

bodily
is

present
cast

besetting
out, In and
our as

infants,

Ihat

l"odily
we

the eyes

Calvintsts the

calumniously
out

pretend
not
a

do.

casting
Che

is

symbolic, merely
as

actual,
token
of

we

retain

practice

Christian

liberty.
r

^VII.

tures

and strains

stones

were

moved

while

)i:ileningti
vpe

ihe

of

Orpheus,

Arophion,

Ariou,

wil

MA(;iC

INCANTATIONS.

53

grant
with

all

they they
show

require,
understand

provided
these

only
fables

that,
in

along
moral

us,

sense,

and

that

the

of purpose For it

Incantation

is

the

same

as

that

of

music.

is

not

music

simply
the

by path
of

itself

that

has

led

mankind

onward

in

refinement,
the

but

it

is

the

stimulus

which

it

gives
the

to

imaginative
effect. To

faculty
this
must

that

produces
be

all

wonderful
musical

added,
while

that

tone

is

sweet

and

pleasant,
part
rude

that

of

Incantations

is

for

the

most

and

barbarous

and
;

further,

the
same

music

does

not

produce
The

the
same

effects,
the
in

but

admits

of

variety
and

principle
effect varies.

is

same

Incantations,

yet

the

"

VIII.

rj^HEY
-L
ments,
soothe the

that say

oratory

is

like

enchant-

because

by

of
means

it

we

can

so

minds

of

our

hearers

that

they
and

yield again
but it

their

assent.

But

we

repeat
force of

again
themselves,
contained

that

those

words

have

no

is

the

weight
and the

of

the

arguments
of
the

in

the

words,
with

elegance
art

discourse,
with

composed
sweet

consummate

and

spoken
that with

modulations

of

the

voice,
mind of

terious mys-

power

attract

the

the

hearer,

and

take

such

hold

of

his

imagination
and

that

his

attention

is

riveted

to

the

words

his

reason

engaged
orator,

to

reflect

upon

them.

Nor

does

the

even

though,

with

the

eloquent

lips

of
a

Pericles,

he

54
should his
oi

MAGIC

INCANTATIONS.

utter

strains heater

of be

highSawn

ihetoiic, attain
of other

end be

if the nodei (he

thinking
of

things

influence

prejudices.
formula "God address bless those

SIX.

"T

ASTLY,

that with

-I -J
that Thai
are

you,"

which

we

sneezing,
was a

po^sse5.,iiQ._i)owej,
ancient Aristoile
custom

.whatever.
appears from

this

very of is

Ihe^freifer/iaia
and since there retained
we

and wrong

from in

Petronius, it, it is very

as a

nothing by
our

properly by
of which

countrymen,
another
And ;
our

token de^te
our
we

show well.

to

sincere

wishing

hira
to

thus and

we

bring this
Ihe

dissertation

its close

seeing

end,

give Cod

thanks."

"Reader)

who

take

an

interetC

in

the

"Bbck

Printeit

hy R.

5f

G.

Goldsmid,

Edinburgh.