Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent.

  • Beaumont, John, -1731.
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    178/226 (page 164)
    of Plants and Stones is plainly differing, where the fame Virtue agrees with the whole Species 3 but a- mong Men, a few only do wonderful Things t Wherefore, fince thofe things exceed the Power of Men, they can be from none but a Damon. They objed, that nothing has been fo much de- fired by fome, as to do wonderful things by a Com merce with Damons, but they could by no means attain it : whence they gather, that thofe who are called Magicians, impofe on People only by jug¬ gling Tricks. But the queftion is not, whether the Senfes many times are impofed on, but it fuffices, that many things could not be done w ithout a Compact with an evil Spirit. Nor does it matter, that many, who, with great Labour, have fought this Commerce, could not attain it. For fometimes God may not per¬ mit it, or the Damon may fhun it; and commonly he applies to fimple and credulous Perfons, as Women, and thofe who are inflav?d to their Paflions, as to thofe who burn with Luff, or a defire of Revenge, who are eafily deluded and abufed by them. They gathered alfo there wrere Damons, from Oftents, or things happening againfl Nature, and Prodigies, which very often are the Fore-runners of the Death of Men, or of great Changes, or Revolu¬ tion of Kingdoms. This is owned even by Machia- •vel, who, L. 1. Difput. c. 36. fays, That great Chan¬ ges are wont to be foretold in Towns and Provinces, and that by certain Signs, or to be denounced by the Prefages of Men. The fame writes thus after¬ wards : Tho? I may freely confefs myfelf ignorant ©f the Caufe, yet I muff own the thing itfelf to be fo, both from Ancient and Modern Examples; and acknowledge, that all great Revolutions that have happened to fome City or Country, have been wont to be foretold, or forewarned by Interpreters of Dreams, or by fome Revelations, Prodigies, or Signs in the Heavens. Now, w hence Prodigies and Ce- ieftial