Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/26

 '' dicued. I cannot deny but in this his work there is much upertition, and vanity. But remember that the bet Gold mut have the greatet allowance; conider the time of darknes, and of his youth, when, the place where, and the things which he hath dicovered and wrote, and thou wilt rather admire his olidity, then condemn his vanity. Gold hath much blacknes adhearing to it aoon as it is taken out of the earth. Myterious truths do not preently hine like rayes of the Sun aoon as they are recovered from a long darknes, but are clouded with ome obcurity. Nay I will ay but this Agrippa might obcure thee myteries like an Hermeticall Philoopher, on purpoe, that only the ons of Art might undertand them. He perhaps might mix chaffe with his wheat, that quick-ighted birds only might find it out, and not wine trample it underfoot.''

From aying much as touching the excuing, or commending this Author, I am already prevented; For at the beginning and ending of this book there are everal Epistles of his own to others, wherein he excueth what may be excepted againt him; and of others to him ufficiently commending what is praie worthy in him; to which may be added that honorable tetimony given to him by the author of that mot witty, & ublime The-anthropoophia Theo-magica'', lately et forth. All that I hall ay to perwade thee to read this book, is but to deire thee to cat thine eye upon the Index of the Chapters contained therein, which is at the end thereof: and thou halt therein ee uch variety of wonderful ubjects, that at the ight thereof thou wilt be impatient till thou hat read them. I hall crave leave now to peak one word for my elf. If this my tranlation hall neither anwer the worth of the Author, or expectation of the reader; conider that the unquothnes of the Authors tile in many places, the manifold Errata’s, as well literall, as thoe in respect of Grammatical contruction, may happily occaion ome mitakes in this my tranlation. Yet notwithttanding, I hope I have, though without much elegancy (which indeed the matter would not bear) put it into as intelligible an Englih phrae as the original would afford. As for the terms of art, which are many, divers of them would not bear any Englih expreion, therefore I have expreed them in Latinims or Grecims,''