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 himself, there might be some Grounds for this Opinion; yet since we know that in every Company, even the smallest, he has, for the most part, one or more Deputies, by whose unwearied Diligence, he might expect in a short Time to people the very Deserts of his Empire, though he never stirr'd abroad himself: It is not reasonable to suppose that his Pride would brook with such a voluntary Subjection.

All this, reply'd Sactuff, I will readily grant you, (for that was our Host's Name;) and will shew you, as far as it is lawful for me at present, how a Conjurer performs his Works: A Conjurer, in the vulgar Acceptation, is taken for one who has made a League, with the Devil; but I assure you that it only signifies a Philosopher, or one that is a curious Observer of Events, and their true Causes; from which Observation he foretels Things that must happen, as if they were Contingencies: By this Means, Wars, Eclipses, Storms, &c. are foretold. But the working of Miracles, which is falsly ascrib'd to them, is no more than the Effect of their cunning Delusion: For those Men, by their unwearied Diligence, find out Qualities unknown to the Vulgar in the commonest Bodies: They will transform a Body (as they say) by deceiving the Sight, or substituting another in the Room of it; and this is done either by the Help of some Effluvia which they transmit to the Eyes of their Spectators, or by placing the Body to be transform'd in different Lights, which every one knows will alter the Colour, if not seemingly the Form of the Body. I have my self, a Powder, which will hinder the Rays of Light from being reflected from any Body, and so make it invisible; and likewise a Bottle of Spirits, which will hinder a Man from seeing Bodies of such Colours as I do design to conceal, except their Eyes be anointed with something which I have prepar'd, to hinder