Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/13

 Gopel it elf ooner then receive the name of Magick into favor; o conciencious are they, that neither Apollo'', nor all the Mues, nor an Angel from Heaven can redeem me from their cure. Whom therefore I advie, that they read not our writings, nor undertand them, nor remember them. For they are pernicious, and full of poyon; the gate of Acheron is in this book; it peaks tones, let them take heed that it beat not out their brains. But you that come without prejudice to read it, if you have o much dicretion of prudence, as Bees have in gathering hony, read ecurely, and believe that you hall receive no little profit, and much pleaure; but if you hall find any things that may not pleae you, let them alone, and make no ue of them; for I do not approve of them, but declare them to you; but do not refue other things, for they that look into the books of Phyitians, do together with antidotes and medicines, read alo poyons. I confes that Magick it elf teacheth many uperfluous things, and curious prodigies for otentation; leave them as empty things, yet be not ignorant of their caues. But thoe things which are for the profit of man, for the turning away of evil events, for the detroying of orceries, for the curing of dieaes, for the exterminating of phantames, for the preerving of life, honor, fortune, may be done without offence to God, or injury to Religion, becaue they are, as profitable, o neceary. But I have admonihed you, that I have writ many things, rather narratively then affirmatively; for o it eemed needful that we hould pas over fewer things following the judgements of Platonits, and other Gentile Philoophers when they did ugget an argument of writing to our purpoe; therefore if any error have been committed, or any thing hath been poken more freely, pardon my youth; for I wrote this being carce a yong man, that I may excue my elf, and ay, whilet I was a child, I pake as a childe, I undertood as a child, but being become a man, I retracted thoe things which I did being a boy, and in my book of the vanity and uncertainty of Sciences I did for the most part retract this book. But here haply you may blame me again, aying, Behold thou being a youth didt write, and now being old hat retracted it; what therefore hat thou et forth? I confes whilt I was very yong, I et upon the writing''