Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/50

 Book I. they are called third qualities, which follow the econd, as the econd do the firt. According therefore to thee firt, econd, and third qualities many dieaes are both cured, and caued. Many things alo there are artificially made, which men much wonder at; as is Fire, which burns Water, which they call the Greek Fire, of which Aritotle teacheth many compoitions in his particular Treatie of this ubject. In like manner there is made a Fire that is extinguihed with Oyl, and is kindled with cold Water, when it is prinkled upon it; and a Fire which is kindled either with Rain, Wind, or the Sun; and there is made a Fire, which is called burning Water, the Confection whereof is well known, and it conumes nothing but it elf: and alo there are made Fires that cannot be quenched, and incombutible Oyles, and perpetuall Lamps, which can be extinguihed neither with Wind, nor Water, nor any other way; which eems utterly incredible, but that there had been uch a mot famous Lamp, which once did hine in the Temple of Venus, in which the tone Abetus did burn, which being once fired can never be extinguihed. Alo on the contrary, Wood, or any other combutible matter may be o ordered, that it can receive no harm from the Fire; and there are made certain Confections, with which the hands being anointed, we may carry red hot Iron in them, or put them into melted Metall, or go with our whole bodies, being firt anointed therewith, into the Fire without any manner of harm, and uch like things as thee may be done. There is alo a kind of flax, which Pliny cals Abetum, the Greeks call ἀσβεϛον, which is not conumed by Fire, of which Anaxilaus aith, that a Tree compaed about with it, may be cut down with inenible blows, that cannot be heard. Rh