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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 AdamicaP. B.’s Commendatory Poem · Modern English

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P. B.’s Commendatory Poem · Modern English

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Original English

Do'st think that Knowledge comes to thee Innate, As Preaching on a sudden to thy Pate? No sure; thou art a simpler Brother; fie! I must Allarum thee with Hue and Cry. What art? from Whence? a Presbyterian sure, An Academic Ratt, holy and pure. But for thy Soule (and Plato tells thee so) Thou hast spoil'd that, and plaister'd Plato too. Just like I. T. thy Poet, who doth lend Thee fansies in Cleveland from end to end, And not one right apply'd; you doe mistake The Stagyrit's Philosophie, and make His Logic Magicall, what is unknown Is Conjuration, frothie, and high-flown. If Arguments arise, you streight grow hoarse, Thou know st not what belongs to Topic Course. Shall thou and I to Disputation come Practic or Theorie, for the Totall summe?

Modern English

Do you think knowledge comes to you innately, Like preaching suddenly into your head? Certainly not: you are a simpler brother. Shame! I must raise the alarm against you with a hue and cry. What are you? Where from? A Presbyterian, surely: An academic rat, holy and pure. As for your soul—and Plato tells you so— You have spoiled that, and plastered Plato too. Just like I. T., your poet, who supplies you With fancies from Cleveland, from beginning to end, And not one rightly applied. You misconstrue The Stagirite’s philosophy and make His logic magical; whatever is unknown Is conjuration, frothy and high-flown. When arguments arise, you grow hoarse at once: You do not know the proper course of topical argument. Shall you and I dispute the whole matter, In practice or in theory?

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.