Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent.

  • John Beaumont
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    188/226 page 174
    that of Eafil, in which the Prap. Evang. is translated by ‘Trapez.untius, I find it is at the beginning of the Seventh Chapter, where he writes thus : The Gods themfelves, of the Gentiles, were the Inventors and Teachers of the Magick Art : For whence fhould Men learn, but from the Damons themfelves, with what things they are compelled ? So Porphyrins fays, in his Book of Oracles, Damons have Signified to Men, not only their fortunate Converfation, but likewife with what things they are delighted, and by what they may be underftood ; and moreover, by what things they may be compelled, and what things are to be offered to them, and what Days muft be fhunn’d, and of what kind the Figures of the Ima¬ ges ought to be, and in what Places they frequent ; and there is nothing which has not been learned from the Gods themfelves. So far Eufehius, from Porphyry. Now, here we find that the Managers of the Ora¬ cles w;ere acquainted in the Magick Art, as the Phi— lofophers of thofe Times generally were. And Leo- nardus Lefftus, in his fecond Book de \Jnftitia & Jure, plainly fays. That all the Platonicks he not excepting Mareilius Ficinus, either were Magicians, or Favourers of Magick. And indeed the Greek and Latin Poets were initiated in the fame, as is eafily feen in their Works. Nor, in truth, are their Works rightly to be underftood in many places, (tho* they may be conftrued) without a Magical Key. And thofe fe- cret Sciences were openly taught in Spain and Italy9 till the Time of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, who fupprefs’d their being publickly taught in Schools, for fome politick Reafons; tho* they are ftill privately taught by a certain Body of Men, who are thought fit to be entrufted with them. I do not mean the invifible Body of the Rofy-Crucians^which much amufed our Dr. Flood; but another Body, which may not improperly be called by the forei generally carrying about them a oing Name; they Rofe (tho* unob- ferved
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