Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/605

 which are made according to appearance only, by which Magicians shew phantasmes, and play many miracles by circulatory frauds, and cause dreams, which they do not so much by Geotick inchantments, and imprecations, and deceits of devils, as by certain vapors, perfumes, lights, love-medicines, collyries, alligations, and suspensions, also by rings, images, glasses, and such like drugs, and instruments of Magicall art, and a naturall and Celestiall power. Also many things are done daily by sleight of hand, of which sort we see some are done daily by stage players, and sporters which we call Chirosophers (i.e.) skilful in sleight of hand. There are extant concerning this art, books of the Legerdemain of Hermes, and some others. We read also of a certain man called Paseton, a most notable juglar, that was wont to shew a banquet to guests, and when he pleased, to make it vanish away again, all rising with hunger, and thirst, being deluded. We read that Numa Pompilius did use these kinds of jugglings, and also that most learned Pythagoras did sometimes do this toy, that what things he pleased, he would write in a glass, which being set against the full Moon, he would shew to any one that stood behind it, those things represented in the Globe of the Moon; Hither belongs whatooever Poets sing of the transmutations of men, which also is delivered by Historians, and by some Christian Divines, and also is recorded in the Scripture. So men may appear like Asses, or horses, or other Animals with fascinated eyes, or a troubled medium, and that by a naturall art. Sometimes these are done by good and evil spirits, or by God himself at the request of some good men, as in the Scripture we read of Elisha the Prophet beset by an Army of the King fortifying Dotham. But to pure eyes, and such as be opened by God, those cannot deceive; so that woman which was judged to be a kind of cattle, did seem to Hilario to be not any such thing,