Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/15



Hen I was of late (mot reverend Father) for a while converant with you in your Monatery of Herbipolis, we conferred together of divers things concerning Chymitry, Magick, and Cabalie, and of other things, which as yet lye hid in ecret Sciences, and Arts; and then there was one great quetion amongt the ret, why Magick, whereas it was accounted by all ancient Philoophers the chiefet Science, & by the ancient wie men, & Priets was always had in great veneration, came at lat after the beginning of the Catholike Church to be alwaies odious to, and upected by the holy Fathers, and then exploded by Divines, and condemned by acred Canons, and moreover by all laws, and ordinances forbidden. Now the caue, as I conceive is no other then this, viz. becaue by a certain fatall depravation of times, and men, many fale