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Natural Knowledge and the Patriarchs · Original
Original English
Not so my friend: he hath created Physic, and brings it out of the Earth, but the Galenist knowes it not; Hee it is, that pitties our afflictions, he is the good Samaritane that doth not pass by us in our miseries, but poures Oile and Wine into our wounds; This I know very well and I will prove it out of his own Mouth. Did not hee instruct Noah to build an Ark, to pitch it within and without, and this to save life in a Time, when hee himselfe was resolved to destroy it? In a time when the world was acquainted with no Mechanics, but a little Husbandrie, and a few Knacks of Tubal-Cain, and his brethren? But even those Inventions also proceeded from that light which hee planted in man: an Essence perpetually busie, and whose Ambition it is to performe wonders, yet hee seldome produceth any thing of his owne, but what is fantastic, and monstrous. Did he not put his spirit in Bezaleel the son of [Marginal note: Exod. 31.] Uri, and in Aholiab the son of Ahisamach? Did hee not teach them to devise cunning Workes, to work in Gold, in Silver, in Brasse, in Cutting of stones, in setting of them, in Carving of Timber, and in all manner of Workmanship? But to come neerer to our purpose: did hee not informe Moses in the Composition of the Oile, and the Perfume? Did hee not teach him the Symptoms of the Leprosie, and the
Modern English
Not so, my friend. He created medicine and brings it out of the earth, although the Galenist does not know it. He pities our afflictions: he is the good Samaritan who does not pass us by in our misery but pours oil and wine into our wounds. I know this very well and shall prove it from his own mouth. Did he not instruct Noah to build an ark and pitch it inside and out, to save life at a time when he himself had resolved to destroy it? At a time when the world knew no mechanical arts except a little husbandry and a few tricks of Tubal-cain and his brothers? Yet even those inventions proceeded from the light he planted in humanity: an essence perpetually busy, ambitious to perform wonders, yet seldom producing anything of its own except what is fanciful and monstrous. Did he not put his Spirit in Bezalel son of Uri and Oholiab son of Ahisamach? Did he not teach them to devise skilful works: to work in gold, silver and brass, to cut and set stones, to carve timber, and to practise every kind of craftsmanship? But to come closer to our purpose: did he not instruct Moses in the composition of the oil and perfume? Did he not teach him the symptoms of leprosy and its
Socrates
Reading Magia Adamica · Natural Knowledge and the Patriarchs · Page 30 · Passage A
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Thomas Vaughan’s complete 1650 Magia Adamica publication, with all historical preliminaries and the complete appended Coelum Terrae, original and modern English, fresh translations of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, full poems, eight historical marginal notes, the complete recovered printed corrections, 312 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.
Historical Text and Translation
Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes), Magia Adamica: or The Antiquitie of Magic, with Coelum Terrae. London: T. W. for H. Blunden, 1650. Governing transcription: EEBO-TCP A64768.0001.001. The Getty Research Institute copy supplies surviving first-edition page images; the 1656 issue supplies explicitly disclosed missing or defective material. The complete shared 1650 errata are recovered from the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica copy of The Man-Mouse.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
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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.
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