Magiae Naturalis by John Baptista Porta.pdf - Gnomicon

consist. It is manifest that every kind of things, and every quality can incline and draw, and allure some things to it, and
make them become like itself. And as they are more active, so they more easily can perform it. As for example, fire being
very active, does more easily convert things into itself, and so water into water. Avicenna says, that if any thing stand
long in Salt, it will become wholly Salt, if in an unsavory vessel, it will become unsavory. He that converses with a bold
man, shall be bold, if with a fearful man, he shall be fearful. And look what living creature converses among men, the
same will be tame and gentle. Such positions are usual in Physic, as, all parts of the body, are nourished by their like,
the brain by brains, teeth by teeth, lights by lights, and the liver by the liver. A man's memory and wit is helped by a
Hen's brain, and her skull, if it be put into our meat while it is new, helps falling sickness, and her maw, if you eat it
before supper, though you hardly digest it, yet is it good to strengthen the stomach. The heart of the Ape, takes away
the palpitation of a man's heart, and increases boldness, which is seated in the heart. A Wolf's Y ard boiled and
minced, is good to eat for the procuring of lust, when strength begins to fail. The skin of a Ravens heel is good against
Gout, the right-heel-skin must be laid on the right-foot, if that be gouty, and left upon the left. And finally, every
member helps his like. But these things, Physicians write of, whole sayings it is not our purpose here to rehearse.
Furthermore, we must consider and be well advised, what things such or such a quality is in, and whether it be there
only after a common sort, or else in some great measure, and whether it be an affection, or perturbation, and whether
it come by chance, by art, or by nature, as for example, heating, cooling, love, boldness, barrenness, fruitfulness,
fatness, babbling, or such like, and whether it can cause any such matter as we would work thereby. For examples
sake, if you would make a woman fruitful, you must consider with your self the most fertile living creatures, and among
the rest, an Hare, a Cony, or a Mouse; for an Hare is big even after she has brought forth, she genders every month,
and brings not forth all her young all at once, but now and then one upon sundry days, and presently goes to Buck
again, and so conceives while she gives suck, and carries in her womb at once, one young that is ripe, another that has
no hair, and a third that is but lately conceived. Again, you must consider the parts and Members where that property
lies, and minister them to your patient. As, to make a woman fruitful, you must give her the womb and Curd of an
Hare, an to the man, the Stones of an Hare. In like manner, any particular creature that was never sick, is a help
against all disease. If you would have a man become bold or impudent, let him carry about him the skin or eyes of a
Lion or a Cock, and he will be fearless of his enemies, nay, he will be very terrible unto them. If you would have a man
talkative, give him tongues, and seek out for him water Frogs, wild Geese and Ducks, and other such creatures,
notorious for the continual noise-making, the tongues whereof, if you lay under the head or side of a woman as he is
sleeping, because they are most clamorous in the evening, they will make her utter her night-secrecies. Other things we
omit, as being superfluous and unprofitable here, seeing we have largely handled them in our books of plants.
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