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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 Defence of Magic · Modern English

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Modern English Page · Branch 82 of 318

The Defence of Magic · Modern English

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Original English

The Eye discovers not beyond that stage, wherein it is Conversant, but the Eare receives the Sound a great way off. To give an experieuc'd Testimonie of Actions more Ancient than our selves, is a thing impossible for us, unlesse wee could look into that Glass, where all Occurrences may bee seen, Past, Present, and to Come. I must therefore build my Discourse on the Traditions of those Men, to whom the Word, both Written and Mysticall was intrusted, and these were the Jewes in Generall, but more particularly their Cabalists. It is not my Intention to rest on these Rabbins as Fundamentals, but I will iustifie their Assertions out of Scripture, and intertain my Reader with

Modern English

The eye sees no farther than the scene in which it is present, but the ear receives sound from a great distance. We cannot give eyewitness testimony about actions older than ourselves unless we can look into that mirror in which all occurrences—past, present and future—may be seen. I must therefore build my discourse upon the traditions of those entrusted with the Word, both written and mystical: the Jews generally, and their Kabbalists in particular. I do not intend to rest upon these rabbis as foundations; I shall justify their assertions from Scripture and engage my reader with

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.