Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition
Swipe or use the arrow keys.
Modern English Page · Branch 192 of 318
The Agent and the First Matter · Modern English
Original English
things when they first proceed from God, are white, but hee colours them afterwards, according to his pleasure. An Example wee have in this very matter, which the Philosophers call sometimes their red Magnesia, sometimes their white, by which Descriptions they have deceived many men; for in the first praeparation the Chaos is Bloud-red, because the Central Sulphur is stirr'd up, and discovered by the Philosophicall Fire. In the Second it is exceeding white and transparent like the Heavens. It is in Truth somewhat like Common Quicksilver, but of a Coelestiall transcendent brightnesse, for there is nothing upon Earth like it. This fine substance is the Child of the Elements, and it is a most pure, sweet Virgin; for nothing as yet hath been generated out of her: but if at any time shee breeds, it is by the fire of Nature, for that is her husband. Shee is no Animal, no Vegetable, no Mineral, neither is shee extracted out of Animals, Vegetables, or Minerals, but shee is praeexistent to them all, for shee is the Mother of them. Yet one thing I must say, shee is not much short of Life, for shee is almost Animal. Her Composition is miraculous and different from all other Compounds whatsoever. Gold is not so compact, but every Sophister concludes it is no Simple; but shee is so much One, that no man believes she is more.
Modern English
things, when they first proceed from God, are white, but he colours them afterwards according to his pleasure.” We have an example in this very matter, which the philosophers sometimes call their red magnesia and sometimes their white. These descriptions have deceived many men. In the first preparation the chaos is blood-red, because its central sulphur is stirred up and disclosed by the philosophical fire. In the second it is exceedingly white and transparent, like the heavens. In truth it is somewhat like common quicksilver, but with a celestial, surpassing brightness, for there is nothing on earth like it. This fine substance is the child of the elements and a most pure, sweet virgin: nothing has yet been generated from her. If she ever bears offspring, it is by the fire of Nature, for that is her husband. She is no animal, vegetable or mineral, nor is she extracted from animals, vegetables or minerals. She exists before them all, for she is their mother. Yet I must say one thing: she falls little short of life, being almost animal. Her composition is miraculous, differing from every other compound whatsoever. Gold is not so compact that any sophist mistakes it for a simple substance; but she is so completely one that no one believes her to be more.
Socrates
Reading Magia Adamica · The Agent and the First Matter · Page 83 · Passage A
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
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.
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.
- Governing historical text and transcriptionEEBO-TCP: governing 1650 textual witness
- First-edition image witness with disclosed lacunaeGetty Research Institute: surviving 1650 comparison copy
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied PDF edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied EPUB edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied Word edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied Markdown edition