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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Thomas Vaughan

Magia Adamica

The Antiquity of Magic · With the Complete Coelum Terrae

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Magia AdamicaThe Voice of Nature · Page 106 · Passage B

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Facing Pages · Branch 229 of 318

The Voice of Nature · Page 106 · Passage B

Original English

Now Gentlemen you may see which way the Philosophers move, they commend their Secret water, and I admire the Teares of Hyanthe. There is something in the Fansie besides Poetrie, for my Mistris is very Philosophicall, and in her Love a pure Platonic. But now I think upon't, how many Rivals shall I procure by this Discourse? Every Reader will fall to, and some fine Thing may break her heart with Non-sense. This Love indeed were meer Luck, but for my part I dare trust her, and lest any man should mistake her for some things formerly named, I will tell you truly what shee is; She is not any known water whatsoever, but a Secret Spermatic Moysture, or rather the Venus that yeelds that moysture. Therefore doe not you Imagine that shee is any crude, phlegmatic, thin water, or shee is a fatt, thick, heavie, slimie humiditie; But lest you should think I am grown jealous, and would not trust you with my Mistris, Arnoldus de villanova shall speak for me, hear him. Ampliùs

Modern English

Now, gentlemen, you can see the philosophers' direction: they praise their secret water, and I admire Hyanthe's tears. There is something in this fancy beyond poetry, for my mistress is thoroughly philosophical, and in love a pure Platonist. Yet now I think of it, how many rivals will this discourse procure me? Every reader will set to work, and some fine fellow may break her heart with nonsense. Such love would indeed be mere luck. For my part, I dare trust her. Lest anyone mistake her for something previously named, I shall tell you truly what she is. She is no known water whatsoever, but a secret seminal moisture—or rather the Venus that yields that moisture. Do not imagine that she is some crude, phlegmatic, thin water, for she is a fatty, thick, heavy, slimy moisture. But lest you think I have grown jealous and will not trust you with my mistress, Arnold of Villanova shall speak for me. Hear him. [New translation of the Latin:] “Furthermore,

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.