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The Law, the Letters and the Book of Nature · Original
Original English
slimie, spermatic, viscous Masse, impraegnated with all powers Coelestiall, and terrestriall. The Philosophers call it Water and no Water, Earth and no Earth: and why may not Moses speak as they doe? or why may not they write, as Moses did? This is the true Damascen Earth, out of which God made man: you then that would be Chimists, seem not to be wiser than God, but use that subiect in your Art. which God himself makes use of in Nature. He is the best workman, and knowes what matter is most fit for his work, hee that will imitate him in the Effect, must first imitate him in the Subject. Talk not then of Flint-stones and Antimonie, they are the Poets Pin-dust, and Egshells; Seek this Earth, this Water. But this is not all that Moses hath written to this purpose, I could cite many more Magicall and mysticall places, but in so doing I should be too open. wherefore I must forbeare. I shall now speak of his Practice, and truly this is it which no Distinction, nor any other Logicall Quibble can wave, nothing but Experience can refell this Argument, and thus it runs. And Moses took the Calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and grinded it to powder, and strewed it vpon the water, and made the Children of Israel drink of it. Certainly here was a strange kind of Spice, and an Art as strange as the
Modern English
slimy, spermatic, viscous mass impregnated with every heavenly and earthly power. The philosophers call it water and no water, earth and no earth. Why may Moses not speak as they do, or they write as Moses did? This is the true Damascene earth from which God made humanity. You who wish to be chemists, do not try to be wiser than God: use in your art the subject God himself uses in Nature. He is the best workman and knows the matter most suitable for his work. Whoever would imitate his effect must first imitate his subject. Do not talk, then, of flints and antimony: they are the poet’s pin dust and eggshells. Seek this earth, this water. Moses wrote more to this purpose. I could cite many further magical and mystical passages, but that would be too open, and I must refrain. I shall now speak of his practice, which no distinction or logical quibble can evade. Only experience can refute this argument, which runs thus: “Moses took the calf they had made, burnt it in the fire, ground it to powder, scattered it upon the water and made the children of Israel drink it.” Here was a strange kind of spice, certainly, and an art as strange as the
Socrates
Reading Magia Adamica · The Law, the Letters and the Book of Nature · Page 45 · 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.
- Governing historical text and transcriptionEEBO-TCP: governing 1650 textual witness
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