Works which are done by Mathematicall Arts only.

The Doctrines of Mathematicks are so necessary to, and have such an affinity with Magick, that they that do profess it

without them, are quite out of the way, and labour in vain, and shall in no wise obtain their desired effect. For whatsoever

things are, and are done in these inferior naturall vertues, are all done, and governed by number, weight, measure, harmony,

motion, and light. And all things which we see in these inferiours, have root, and foundation in them: yet nevertheless

without naturall vertues, of Mathematicall Doctrines only works like to naturals can be produced, as Plato saith, a thing not

paataking of truth or divinity, but certain Images kin to them, as bodies going, or speaking, which yet want the Animall

faculty, such as were those which amongst the Ancients were called Dedalus his Images, and automata, of which Aristotle

makes mention, viz. the threefooted Images of Vulcan, and Dedalus, moving themselves, which Homer saith came out of

their own accord to exercise, and which we read, moved themselves at the feast of Hiarba the Philosophicall Exerciser: As

also that golden Statues performed the offices of Cup bearers, and Carvers to the guests. Also we read of the Statues of

Mercury, which did speak, and the wooden Dove of Arthita, which did fly, and the miracles of Boethius, which Cassiodorus

made mention of, viz. Diomedes in Brass, sounding a Trumpet, and a brazen Snake hissing, and pictures of birds singing most

sweetly. Of this kind are those miracles of Images which proceed from Geometry, and Opticks, of which we made some

mention in the first book, where we spoke of the Element of Aire, So there are made glasses, some Concave, others of the

form of a Columne, making the representations of things in the Aire seem like shadows at a distance: of which sort

Apoilonius, and Vitellius in their Books De Perspectiva, and Speculis, taught the making, and the use. And we read that

Magnus Pompeius brought a certain glass amongst the spoils from the East, to Rome, in which were seen Armies of Armed

men. And there are made certain transparent glasses, which being dipped in some certain juices of Hearbs [herbs], and

irradiated with an artificiall light, fill the whole Aire round about with visions. And I know how to make reciprocall glasses,

in which the Sun shining, all things which were illustrated by the raies [rays] thereof are apparently seen many miles off.

Hence a Magician, expert in naturall Philosophy, and Mathematicks, and knowing the middle sciences consisting of both

these, Arithmatick, Musick, Geometry, Opticks, Astronomie [astronomy], and such sciences that are of weights, measures,

propertions, articles, and joynts, knowing also Mechanicall Arts resulting from these, may without any wonder, if he excell

other men in Art, and wit, do many wonderfull things, which the most prudent, and wise men may much admire. Are there

not some reliques extant of the Ancients works, viz. Hercules, and Alexanders pillars, the gate of Caspia made of brass, and

shut with Iron beams, that it could by no Wit or Art, be broken? And the Pyramis of Julius Caesar erected at Rome neer the

hill Vaticanus, and Mountains built by Art in the middle of the Sea, and Towers, and heaps of Stones, such as I saw in

England put together by an incredible Art. And we read in faithfull Historians, that in former times Rocks have been cut off,

and Vallies [valleys] made, and Mountains made into a Plain, Rocks have been digged through, Promontories have been

opened in the Sea, the bowels of the Earth made hollow, Rivers divided, Seas joyned to Seas, the Seas restrained, the bottome

of the Sea been searched, Pools exhausted, Fens dryed up, new Islands made, and again restored to the continent, all which,

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Occult Philosophy. Book II. (part 1)

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although they my seem to be against nature, yet we read have been done, and we see some reliques of them remaining till this

day, which the vulgar say were the works of the divell [Devil], seeing the Arts, and Artificers thereof have been dead out of

all memory, neither are there any that care to understand, or search into them. Therefore they seeing any wonderfull sight, do

impute it to the divell, as his work, or think it is a miracle, which indeed is a work of naturall, or Mathematicall Philosophy.

As if anyone should be ignorant of the vertue of the Loadstone, and should see heavy Iron drawn upwards, or hanged in the

Aire (as we read the Iron Image of Mercury did long since at Treveris hang up in the middle of the Temple by Loadstones,

this verse attesting the same.

The Iron white rod-bearer flies i'th' Aire.

The like to which we read was done concerning the image of the Sun at Rome, in the Temple of Serapis) would not such an

ignorant man, I say, presently say it is the work of the divell? But if he shall know the vertue of the Loadstone to the Iron, and

shall make triall of it, he presently ceaseth to wonder, and doth no more scruple it to be the work of nature. But here it is

convenient that you know, that as by naturall vertues we collect naturall vertues, so by abstracted, mathematicall, and

celestiall, we receive celestiall vertues, as motion, life, sense, speech, southsaying [soothsaying], and divination, even in

matter less disposed, as that which is not made by nature, but only by art. And so images that speak, and foretell things to

come, are said to be made, as William of Paris relates of a brazen head made under the rising of Saturn, which they say spake

with a mans voice. But he that will choose a disposed matter, and most fit to receive, and a most powerfull agent, shall

undoubtedly produce more powerfull effects. For it is a generall opinion of the Pythagoreans, that as Mathematicall things are

more formall then Naturall, so also they are more efficacious: as they have less dependence in their being, so also in their

operation. But amongst all Mathematicall things, numbers, as they have more of form in them, so also are more efficacious,

to which not only Heathen Philosophers, but also Hebrew, and Christian Divines do attribute vertue, and efficacy, as well to

effect what is good, as what is bad.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1038