PREFACE.
IN this Work, which we have written chiefly for the information of thoſe who are curious and indefatigable in their enquiries into occult knowledge, we have, at a vaſt labour and expence, both of time and charges, collected whatſoever can be deemed curious and rare, in regard to the ſubject of our ſpeculations in Natural Magic–––the Cabala–––Celeſtial and Ceremonial Magic–––Alchymy–––and Magnetiſm; and have divided it into two Books, ſub-divided into Parts; to which we have added a third Book, containing a biographical account of the lives of thoſe great men who were famous and renowned for their knowledge; ſhewing upon whoſe authority this Science of Magic is founded, and upon what principles. To which we have annexed a great variety of notes, wherein we have impartially examined the probability of the exiſtence of Magic, both of the good and bad ſpecies, in the earliſt, as well as in the latter, ages of the world. We have exhibited a vaſt number of rare experiments in the courſe of this Treatiſe, many of which, delivered in the beginning, are founded upon the ſimple application of actives to paſſives; the others are of a higher ſpeculation.
In our hiſtory of the lives of Philoſophers, &c. we have omitted nothing that can be called intereſting or ſatisfactory. We have taken our hiſtorical characters from thoſe authors moſt deſerving of credit; we have given an outline of the various reports tradition gives of them; to which are annexed notes, drawn from the moſt probably appearance of truth, impartially deſcribing their characters and actions; leaning neither to the ſide of thoſe who doubt every thing, nor to them whoſe credulity takes in every report to be circumſtantially true.
