Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 73

by Henry Cornelius Agrippa

CHAP. LXXIII.

Of the vertue of writting, and of making imprecations, and inscriptions.

THE use of words, and speech, is to express the inwards of Tthe mind, and from thence to draw forth the secrets of the thoughts, and to declare the will of the speaker. Now writing is the last expression of the mind, and is the number of speech and voice, as also the collection, state, end, continuing, and iteration, making a habit, which is not persected with the ast of ones voice. And whatsoever is in the mind, in voice, in word, in oration, and in speech, the whole, and all of this is in writing also. And as nothing which is conceived in the mind is not expressed by voice, so nothing which is expressed is not also written. And therefore Magicians command, that in every work, there be imprecations, and inscriptions made, by which the operator may express his affection: that if he gather an Hearb, or a Stone, he declare for what use he doth it; if he make a picture, he say, and write to what end he maketh it; which imprecations, and inscriptions, Albertus also in his book called Speculum, doth not disallow, without which all our works would never be brought into effect; Seeing a disposition doth not cause an effect, but the act of the disposition. We sind also that the same kind of precepts was in use amongst the Ancients, as Virgil testifies, when he sings,

———I walk aroundFirst with these threads, in number which three are,'Bout th' Altars thrice I sball thy Image bear.

And a little after.

Knots, Amaryllis tye! of Colours three,Then say, these bonds I knit, for Venus be.

And in the same place.

As with one fire this clay doth harder prove,The wax more soft; so Daphnis with our love.