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Article THE HISTORY OF MAGIC. ← Page 3 of 15 →
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The History Of Magic.
temptible fable , this describes precisely the disease called guinea-worm . The body exhibits white pustules , which , on bursting , disclose the head of the worm . It is of considerable length , and is drawn by twisting it round a stick . This malady is now known on the coasts of Guinea and Hindostan . These instances serve abundantlto show that such accounts
y should not be too inconsiderately rejected , and that even the most improbable of them may appear worthy of credit when calmly scrutinized . By so doing we are enabled to give both a due share of veracity to the narrators and arrive at a pretty correct estimate of the capabilities of their magicians . In order to trace the historical progress of the secret art , let
us look back to it as practised by the ancient Egyptian hierarchy , when the fearful authority itafforded was well exemplified . Their priests were expounders of the sacred writings , counsellors to the throne , and judicial officers—and asserted their capability of foretelling future events , and of invoking on all offenders the vengeance of the deities . The power of science over the natural elements enabled them to retain the people under the strongest fetters of reverence and awe . Even the highest personages in the state were not exempt from their
domination ; and Clement of Alexandria testifies that partial initiation was necessary to their princes before entering upon the duties of the government , although even such initiation was not permitted them prior to their investiture . The pretended miracles , when subjected to the light of scrutiny , we find to be simply experiments in physics , which formed , indeed , an
essential part of the priestly education . Not seeking science , however , for its instrinsic value , the Thaumaturgist did not hestitate to make use of sleight of hand , and to incorporate mere juggling with his deeper arts , in order to render his performances more complete and better calculated to effect his objects . Nor did he omit to bring into lay all the accessories
p of ceremonial which might inspire religious deference , thereby materially aiding the concealment of mechanical appliancesstrange to think , for the self-same end that the juggler of our own day attains hy his raillery , address , and uncouth invocations ! Every precaution was also taken lest their secrets should become known to' the uninitiated . Michaelis says
, " that an universal language invented by the learned exclusively for their use , would secure to them the sole possession of science . The multitude would resign themselves to the governance of learned impostures , as was the case in Egypt , when all discoveries were concealed under the veil of hierogly-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The History Of Magic.
temptible fable , this describes precisely the disease called guinea-worm . The body exhibits white pustules , which , on bursting , disclose the head of the worm . It is of considerable length , and is drawn by twisting it round a stick . This malady is now known on the coasts of Guinea and Hindostan . These instances serve abundantlto show that such accounts
y should not be too inconsiderately rejected , and that even the most improbable of them may appear worthy of credit when calmly scrutinized . By so doing we are enabled to give both a due share of veracity to the narrators and arrive at a pretty correct estimate of the capabilities of their magicians . In order to trace the historical progress of the secret art , let
us look back to it as practised by the ancient Egyptian hierarchy , when the fearful authority itafforded was well exemplified . Their priests were expounders of the sacred writings , counsellors to the throne , and judicial officers—and asserted their capability of foretelling future events , and of invoking on all offenders the vengeance of the deities . The power of science over the natural elements enabled them to retain the people under the strongest fetters of reverence and awe . Even the highest personages in the state were not exempt from their
domination ; and Clement of Alexandria testifies that partial initiation was necessary to their princes before entering upon the duties of the government , although even such initiation was not permitted them prior to their investiture . The pretended miracles , when subjected to the light of scrutiny , we find to be simply experiments in physics , which formed , indeed , an
essential part of the priestly education . Not seeking science , however , for its instrinsic value , the Thaumaturgist did not hestitate to make use of sleight of hand , and to incorporate mere juggling with his deeper arts , in order to render his performances more complete and better calculated to effect his objects . Nor did he omit to bring into lay all the accessories
p of ceremonial which might inspire religious deference , thereby materially aiding the concealment of mechanical appliancesstrange to think , for the self-same end that the juggler of our own day attains hy his raillery , address , and uncouth invocations ! Every precaution was also taken lest their secrets should become known to' the uninitiated . Michaelis says
, " that an universal language invented by the learned exclusively for their use , would secure to them the sole possession of science . The multitude would resign themselves to the governance of learned impostures , as was the case in Egypt , when all discoveries were concealed under the veil of hierogly-