Magiae Naturalis by John Baptista Porta.pdf - Gnomicon

thence brought down the celestial forces into these inferiors, by reason of their likeness one with the other, for the
very likeness of one thing to another, is a sufficient bond to link them together. If a man does heat a piece of paper,
and then lays it a little under he flame of a candle, though they do not touch each other, yet he shall see the paper
presently burn, and the flame will still descend till it has burned all the paper. Let us now suppose the paper thus
heated, to be that affinity which is between superiors and inferiors, and suppose we also, that this laying of the paper
to the candle, to the fit applying of things together, both for a matter, and time, and place. Let us suppose yet farther,
the flame taking hold of the paper, to be the operation of some heavenly body into a capable matter, and last of all, we
may suppose the burning of the paper, to be the altering of that matter into the Nature of the celestial body that
works upon it, and so purifies it, that in the end it flies upward like burning flax, by reason of some heavenly seeds and
sparks which it has within itself.
Chapter X
"How the knowledge of secrecies depends upon the survey and viewing of
the whole World."
We are persuaded that the knowledge of secret things depends upon the
contemplation and view of the face of the whole world, namely, of the motion, state and fashion thereof, as also of the
springing up, the growing and decaying of things. For a diligent searcher of Natures works, as he sees how nature does
generate and corrupt all things, so does he also learn to do. Likewise he learns of living creatures, which though they
have no understanding, yet their senses are far quicker then ours, and by their actions they teach us Physic,
Husbandry, the art of building, the disposing of household affairs, and almost all arts and Sciences. The like may be
observed in metals, gems, and stones. The beasts that have no reason, do by their nature strangely shun the eyes of
Witches, and hurtful things. The Doves, for a preservative against enchantments, first gather some little Bay tree
boughs, and then lay them upon their nests, to preserve their young, so do the Kites use White Brambles, the Turtles
Swordgrass, the Crows Withy, the Lapwings Venus-hair, the Ravens Ivy, the Hens Carrot, the Partridges
Reed-leaves, the Blackbirds Myrtle, the Larks grass, the Swans Park-leaves, the Eagle uses Maidenhair, or the
stone Etites for the same purpose. In like manner they have shown us preservatives against Poisons. The Elephant
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