Magiae Naturalis by John Baptista Porta.pdf - Gnomicon

Chapter XIV
"Of those properties and Virtues which things have while they live, and of
such as remain in things after death."
We must consider that almost all those Virtues which are found to be excellent in things while they are alive, do quite
perish in death, and seldom are of any force afterward. If the Wolf sees us, his eyes make us dumb, the eyes of the
Cockatrice and Basilisk will kill us forth-right, the Sea-lamprey stays the course of a ship, the Struthio-camelus can
digest Iron. But none of these being dead, work ought, for when they perish, their Virtues also perish with them.
Therefore it is a wise rule in natural Magick, that if a man will work any thing by living creatures, or by any of their
parts or properties, he must take the benefit of them while they be alive, for if they die, their Virtue dies also. For the
fowl, says Albertus, is a chief help, and strikes a great stroke in those qualities which are in living creatures, so that
they being alive, are endued with many operative Virtues, which their death, (especially if it be natural, that their
Humors are quite wasted) takes from them, as Physicians do much observe. Draw out a Frogs tongue, take away
from the Ray or Fork-fish his Dart, the eyes or Stones out of any creatures head, or any such operative thing, not
after they are dead, but while they are yet alive, and throw them into the water again, that if it be possible they may
live still, left their Virtue should decay, but rather that by their living, they might quicken those their natural properties,
and so you may work better thereby. And thus we must do in all things else, which I spare to speak of any further.
Sometimes yet the properties of things are operative, yes, and that more forcibly, after death, the Wolf is hurtful and
odious to Sheep after he is dead. For if you cover a drum with a Wolf's skin, the sound of it will make Sheep afraid,
when most other creatures will not be afraid, nay, Sheep will make a heavy noise, whereas it contrariwise causes such
clamorous creatures as hear it, to hold their peace. So if you cover it with a Bear skin, the sound thereof will make
Horses run away. And if you make Harp-strings of all their guts severally, and put them together upon the instrument
they will always jar, and never make comfort. The beast Hyena, and the Panther, are naturally at variance, therefore
the skin of a dead Hyena makes the Panther run away, nay, if you hang their several skins one against the other, the
Panther's skin will lose the hairs. So a Lions skin wastes and eats out the skins of other beasts, and so does the
Wolf's skin eat up the Lamb's skin. Likewise, the feathers of other fowls, being put among Eagle feathers, do rot and
consume of themselves. The beast Florus, and the bird Egithus are at such mortal enmity, that when they are dead,
their blood cannot be mingled together. The Pigeon loves the Kestrel so well, that she loves the Dove-house much
the better, where a dead Kestrel is. In like manner, Herbs, and other simples, retain many operative qualities even
after they are dried up. These things must be well considered by a Magician, left ignored he be deceived in their
workings.
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