Magiae Naturalis by John Baptista Porta.pdf - Gnomicon

ut of mixed bodies. I thought fit to leave none out, though they be of small account, since there is nothing in
nature, appear it never so small, wherein there is not something to be admired.
Chapter I
"The first Chapter treats of Putrefaction, and of a strange manner of
producing living creatures."
Efore we come to show that new living creatures are generated of Putrefaction, it is necessary to
rehearse the opinions of ancient philosophers concerning the matter whereof though we have spoken
elsewhere, in the description of plants, yet for the readers ease, we will here rehearse some of them,
to show that not only imperfect, but perfect living creatures too, are generated of Putrefaction.
Porphyry thought that living creatures were begotten of the bowels of the earth soaked in water,
and quickened by the heat of the Sun. Of the same mind were Archelaus, the Athenian,
Anaxagoras, Clazomensus, and Euripides his scholar. Cleodemus, and after him Theophrastus,
thought that they came of putrefied water mixed with earth, and the colder and fouler the water
was, the worse it was for their generation. Diodorus, and many other good philosophers hold, that all living creatures
did arise of Putrefaction. For whereas in the beginning of the world, the heavens, and earth, and Elements were
settled in their natural places, the earth being left slimy and soft in many places, and then dried and stricken with the
heat of the Sun, brought forth certain tumors and swellings in the surface and uppermost parts. In these tumors were
contained and cherished many Putrefactions and rotten clods, covered over with certain small skins, this putrefied
stuff, being moistened with dew by night, and the Sun heating it by day, after a certain season became ripe, and the
skins being broken, thence issued all kinds of living creatures, whereof, they that had quickest heat, became Birds, the
earthy ones became creeping beasts, the waterish ones became Fishes in the sea, and they which were mean, as it
were, between all these, became walking-creatures. But the heat of the Sun still working upon the earth, hindered it
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