Coelum Terrae

Name: Coelum Terrae
Author: Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes)

The Magician’s Heavenly Chaos · The Complete 1650 Text

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Coelum TerraeNature in Motion · Page 93 · Passage A

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Nature in Motion · Page 93 · Passage A

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Original English

the matter, communicating life to it, and figuring it according to her Imagination. By this Practice shee placeth her Fansie, or Idea, beyond her self, or as the Peripatetics say, extra Intellectum, beyond the divine Mind, namely in the Matter; but the Idea's being innumerable, and withall different, the pleasures of the Agent are maintain'd by their Varietie, or to speak more properly by his own fruitfulnesse, for amongst all the Beauties the world affords, there are not two, that are altogether the same. Much might bee spoken in this place concerning Beautio, what it is, from whence it came, and how it may be defaced, not onely in the outward figure, but in the inward Idea, and lost for ever in both worlds. But these pretty shuttles I am no way acquainted with, I have no Mistris but Nature, wherefore I shall leave the fine Ladies to fine Lads, and speak of my simple AElia Laelia.

Modern English

matter, communicating life to it and shaping it according to her imagination. Through this practice she sets her fancy or idea outside herself—or, as the Peripatetics say, outside the intellect: beyond the divine mind, namely, in matter. But because the ideas are countless and different, the agent's pleasures are maintained by their variety—or, more properly, by his own fruitfulness. Among all the beauties the world affords, no two are entirely alike. Much could be said here about beauty: what it is, where it came from, and how it may be defaced, not only in its outward form but in its inward idea, and lost forever in both worlds. But I have no acquaintance with these pretty trifles. I have no mistress but Nature. I shall therefore leave fine ladies to fine lads and speak of my simple Ælia Lælia.

About This Reading Edition

Thomas Vaughan’s complete Coelum Terrae discourse from the 1650 Magia Adamica, with original and modern English, fresh translations of foreign quotations, the complete Hyanthe and closing poems, eight historical marginal notes, the work-specific printed corrections, 91 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes), Coelum Terrae, included in Magia Adamica. London: T. W. for H. Blunden, 1650, pp. 78–140 and the work-specific unnumbered errata. Governing textual basis: EEBO-TCP A64768, Wing V151, ESTC R203905, British Library Thomason witness 174:E1299[1]. First-edition image comparison: Getty Research Institute copy 372004, Internet Archive magiaadamicaoran00vaug. The Getty copy lacks the opening page 78 and final errata; these are taken from the TCP/BL witness.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text is public domain; the EEBO-TCP Phase I transcription is released under CC0. The supplied 2026 reading, translations and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization.