Magia Adamica

not a Philosopher, who was not in some Positions, Magicall. If any man will challenge my Demonstration herein, I doe now promise him my performance. To give you some particular Instances, Hippocrates was altogether Chemicall, and this I could prove out of his owne Mouth, but at this Time his works are not by me. Democritus who lived in the same Age with him, writ his φυσικὰ καὶ μυστικά that is, Physicall and Mysticall Things, in plaine English, Naturall Secrets. To this mysticall peece Synesius added the Light of his Comments, and dedicated them to Dioscorus Priest of Serapis. Of this Democritus Seneca reports in his Epistles, That he knew a secret Coction of Pebles, by which be turned them into Emeralds. Theophrastus, a most ancient Greek Author in his Book de lapidibus mentions another mineral work of his own, wherein he had written something of Metals. True indeed, that Discourse of his is lost, but notwithstanding his opinion is upon Record, namely that he referred the Originall of metalls to water. This is confirm'd by his owne words, (ὕδατος μὲν τὰ μεταλλευόμενα κατάπερ ἄργυρος καὶ χρυσός) as I find them cited by Picus in his Book De auro. But that the Art of Transmutation was in Request in. his Dayes, and no late Invention or Imposture, as some think, appears by the Attempts and