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The Law, the Letters and the Book of Nature · Page 53 · Passage A
Original English
some name of God, as יה or אל be united to them then (say they) in the power and vertue of those names they may worke. An Example hereof wee have in all Extracted names, as Vehu-Iah, Elem-Iah, Jeli-El, Sita-El. Now this Practice in the Letter was a most subtil Adumbration of the Conjunction of the Substantiall Word or Spirit with the Water; See that you understand me rightly, for I meane with the Elements and so much for the Truth. To Conclude, I would have the Reader observe, that the false Grammaticall Cabala consists onely in Rotations of the Alphabet, and a Metathesis of Letters in the Text, by which means the Scripture hath suffered many Racks, and Excoriations. As for the true Cabala, it useth the Letter onely for Artifice, whereby to obscure, and hide her Physicall Secrets, as the Egyptians heretofore did use their Hieroglyphics. In this Sense the Primitive Professors of this Art, had a literal Cabala. as it appeares by that wonderfull, and most ancient Inscription in the Rock in Mount Horeb. It conteines a Prophecie of the Virgin Mother, and her Son Christ Jesus. ingraven in Hieroglyphic fram'd by Combination of the Hebrew letters, but by whom God onely knows, it may be by Moses or Elijah. This is most certain, it is to be seen there this day. and wee have for
Modern English
some divine name, such as Yah or El, is joined to them. Then, they say, those names’ power and virtue enable them to work. We have examples in all the extracted names: Vehu-Iah, Elem-Iah, Jeli-El and Sita-El. This practice with letters was a most subtle foreshadowing of the substantial Word or Spirit’s conjunction with the water. Take care to understand me rightly, for I mean with the elements. So much for the truth. To conclude, I would have the reader observe that false grammatical Kabbalah consists only in rotations of the alphabet and transposition of letters in the text, by which Scripture has suffered many rackings and flayings. True Kabbalah uses the letter only as a device for obscuring and hiding its natural secrets, as the Egyptians formerly used their hieroglyphs. In this sense the art’s first professors possessed a literal Kabbalah, as appears from that wonderful, most ancient inscription in the rock on Mount Horeb. It contains a prophecy of the Virgin Mother and her son Christ Jesus, engraved in hieroglyphs formed by combinations of Hebrew letters. God alone knows by whom—perhaps Moses or Elijah. This is most certain: it can be seen there today; and for
Socrates
Reading Magia Adamica · The Law, the Letters and the Book of Nature · Page 53 · 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
- First-edition image witness with disclosed lacunaeGetty Research Institute: surviving 1650 comparison copy
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