Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/14

 of thee books, but hoping that I hould et them forth with corrections and enlargements, and for that caue I gave them to Tritemius a Neapolitanian Abbot, formerly a Spanhemenian'', a man very indutrious after ecret things. But it happened afterwards, that the work being intercepted, before I finihed it, it was carryed about imperfect, and impolihed, and did fly abroad in Italy, in France, in Germany through many mens hands, and ome men, whether more impatiently, or imprudently, I know not, would have put it thus imperfect to the pres, with which micheif I being affected, determined to et it forth my elf, thinking that there might be les danger if thee books came out of my hands with ome amendments, then to come forth torn, and in fragments out of other mens hands. Moreover I thought it no crime if I hould not uffer the tetimony of my youth to perih. Alo we added ome Chapters, and we inerted many things, which did eem unfit to pas by, which the curious Reader hall be able to undertand by the inequality of the very phrae; for we were unwilling to begin the work anew, and to unravell all that we had done, but to correct it, and put ome flourih upon it. Wherefore now I pray thee, Curteous Reader, again, weigh not thee things according to the preent time of etting them forth, but pardon my curious youth, if thou halt finde any thing in them that may dipleae thee.''