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Nature in Motion · Page 92 · Passage A
Original English
their Actions according to other mens Desires. Some Cockney claps his Revenues on his backe, but his Galantrie is spoil'd, if his Mistris doth not observe it. Another fights, but his Victory is lost, if it be not Printed, it is the world must heare of his Valour. Now Nature is a free spirit, that seeks no Applause, shee observes none more than her self, but is pleased with her own Magic, as Philosophers are with their Secret Philosophie. Hence it is that wee find her busie, not onely in the Potts of the Balconies, but in Wildernesses, and ruinous places, where no eyes observe her, but the Starrs and Planets. In a word, wheresoever the fire of nature finds the Virgin Mercurie, there hath he found his Love, and there will they both fall to their Husbandrie, a pleasure not subject to Surfets, for it still Presents new Varieties. It is reported of Marc Antonie, a famous, but unfortunate Romane, how he sent his Agent over the world to Copie all the handsome faces, that amongst so many excellent features, hee might select for himself the most pleasing peece. Truly Nature is much of this straine, for shee hath infinite beauteous patternes in her self, and all these shee would gladly see beyond her self, which shee cannot doe without the matter, for that is her Glasse. This makes her generate perpetually, and imprint her conceptions in
Modern English
their actions to other people's desires. Some cockney wears his income on his back, but all his finery is wasted if his mistress fails to notice. Another fights, but his victory is lost unless it is printed: the world must hear of his valour. Nature, however, is a free spirit seeking no applause. She attends to no one more than herself, delighting in her magic as philosophers delight in their secret philosophy. Hence we find her busy in wildernesses and ruined places, where only the stars and planets watch her, as well as in pots on balconies. In a word, wherever Nature's fire finds the virgin mercury, he has found his love, and the two will set about their husbandry together. It is a pleasure that never cloys, for it continually offers fresh varieties. It is reported that Mark Antony, the famous but unfortunate Roman, sent an agent round the world to copy every handsome face so that, from so many excellent features, he might choose the most pleasing portrait for himself. Nature has much the same inclination. She holds infinite beautiful patterns within herself, and longs to see them all outside herself. This she cannot do without matter, for matter is her mirror. It makes her generate perpetually and imprint her conceptions in
Socrates
Reading Magia Adamica · Nature in Motion · Page 92 · 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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