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Article THE HISTORY OF MAGIC. ← Page 11 of 15 →
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The History Of Magic.
among others , who wrote in support of their creeds . In 1785 Jacobi wrote on belief and mysticism . In conclusion , it may not be amiss to hazard some conjectures as to the means by which the Thaumaturgists of old produced then- so-called miracles . And first , a quotation frcm a modern French writer on this subject , describing the visions presented to the neophyte during the ceremony of initiation .
"At first he seemed enchained in the depths of an obscurity as profound as that of the infernal regions ; and although flashes of light broke for a moment the darkness which surrounded him , horrors only were revealed to him . By these transient flashes he caught glimpses of monstrous phantoms and awful spectres—he heard near him the hissing of serpents and the howling of wild beasts * * * * * The scene next became lighted and
up ; suddenly he perceived a change coming over the aspect of the place and its decorations ; the earth trembled and raised itself up , almost into a mountain , and again sunk into a profound abyss . He then felt himself raised , or drawn rapidly along , although unable to discover the impulse which he was constrained to obey . Under his eyes , whilst gazing upon them , the pictures and marbles became animated — the bronzes shed tears — unwieldy and colossal figures
moved and walked , and statues uttered harmonious sounds . He was compelled to advance forwards , whilst awful monsters , centaurs , harpies , gorgons and serpents with a hundred heads , surrounded and menaced him , bodiless heads grinned at him , and mocked alike his fear and his courage . Phantoms , hearing a perfect resemblance to men who had been long laid in the grave , fluttered
about him , and shrunk from embraces which they appeared to seek . Thunders rolled , lightnings flashed , waters became inflamed and flowed in torrents of fire . A dry and solid body fermented , dissolved , and changed into waves of foaming blood . In one place were seen wretched beings in vain attempting to fill with water a shallow urn , the liquid they unceasingly poured into it never rising to its top ; in another place the favoured of the gods proved their right to this title bbraving the influence of boiling waterof
_ y , red-hot iron , melted metal , and burning wood . They commanded as masters the most ferocious beasts ; they gave the word , and venomous serpents came and crouched at their feet ; they seized asps and tore them asunder , whilst the reptiles dared not revenge themselves upon their tormentors . A light , as bright as that of the sun , suddenly bursting forth , discovered to him , at an immense distance , enchanted gardens and palaces , the magnificence of which
induced him to recognise in them the abode of the immortal gods . There he saw and heard them ; his mind troubled , his imagination confused , and his reason , overwhelmed by so many miracles , abandoned him ; and , intoxicated and transported with admiration , he worshipped the glorious proofs of supernatural power , and bent in devotion before the certain presence of the deities . " These supposed miracles were as nothing , however , in comparison with the knowledge reserved for the tyro , if his zeal
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The History Of Magic.
among others , who wrote in support of their creeds . In 1785 Jacobi wrote on belief and mysticism . In conclusion , it may not be amiss to hazard some conjectures as to the means by which the Thaumaturgists of old produced then- so-called miracles . And first , a quotation frcm a modern French writer on this subject , describing the visions presented to the neophyte during the ceremony of initiation .
"At first he seemed enchained in the depths of an obscurity as profound as that of the infernal regions ; and although flashes of light broke for a moment the darkness which surrounded him , horrors only were revealed to him . By these transient flashes he caught glimpses of monstrous phantoms and awful spectres—he heard near him the hissing of serpents and the howling of wild beasts * * * * * The scene next became lighted and
up ; suddenly he perceived a change coming over the aspect of the place and its decorations ; the earth trembled and raised itself up , almost into a mountain , and again sunk into a profound abyss . He then felt himself raised , or drawn rapidly along , although unable to discover the impulse which he was constrained to obey . Under his eyes , whilst gazing upon them , the pictures and marbles became animated — the bronzes shed tears — unwieldy and colossal figures
moved and walked , and statues uttered harmonious sounds . He was compelled to advance forwards , whilst awful monsters , centaurs , harpies , gorgons and serpents with a hundred heads , surrounded and menaced him , bodiless heads grinned at him , and mocked alike his fear and his courage . Phantoms , hearing a perfect resemblance to men who had been long laid in the grave , fluttered
about him , and shrunk from embraces which they appeared to seek . Thunders rolled , lightnings flashed , waters became inflamed and flowed in torrents of fire . A dry and solid body fermented , dissolved , and changed into waves of foaming blood . In one place were seen wretched beings in vain attempting to fill with water a shallow urn , the liquid they unceasingly poured into it never rising to its top ; in another place the favoured of the gods proved their right to this title bbraving the influence of boiling waterof
_ y , red-hot iron , melted metal , and burning wood . They commanded as masters the most ferocious beasts ; they gave the word , and venomous serpents came and crouched at their feet ; they seized asps and tore them asunder , whilst the reptiles dared not revenge themselves upon their tormentors . A light , as bright as that of the sun , suddenly bursting forth , discovered to him , at an immense distance , enchanted gardens and palaces , the magnificence of which
induced him to recognise in them the abode of the immortal gods . There he saw and heard them ; his mind troubled , his imagination confused , and his reason , overwhelmed by so many miracles , abandoned him ; and , intoxicated and transported with admiration , he worshipped the glorious proofs of supernatural power , and bent in devotion before the certain presence of the deities . " These supposed miracles were as nothing , however , in comparison with the knowledge reserved for the tyro , if his zeal