A rectangular decorative woodcut headpiece consisting of a repeating floral scroll pattern arranged in three horizontal rows.

Preface.

Most Gracious Reader!

The all too frequent demand for the little work of the highly renowned philosopher of Naples, Giambattista della Porta original: "Baptistæ Portæ"; Giambattista della Porta (1535–1615) was an Italian scholar and polymath known for his work on "Natural Magic.", which we had translated into High German at great expense several years ago, compels us to bring it to light once again (albeit in a changed format). The excellent subject matter contained herein regarding all kinds of sciences requires no painted eulogy, because almost everything described here by the aforementioned author himself—as a highly intelligent physicist original: "Physico"; here meaning a student of natural philosophy and physics. and naturalist—has been found true in his own experience and practice. We can assure you that what is stated on the title page is contained within with truth, and is therefore highly useful for curious minds to read; especially since, upon close inspection, an intelligent reader will find more occasion and opportunity here than in other such books of nature to avoid the errors that otherwise frequently occur in this science.

Dioscorides of Anazarbus A Greek physician and botanist (c. 40–90 AD) whose "De Materia Medica" was the primary pharmacological text for 1,500 years. wrote many books of similar content, particularly on the art of medicine original: "Artzney-Kunst"; yet one will find through precise experimentation and research much that does not hold up to scrutiny, serving rather as a silent reminder that not everything contained therein is to be held as divine and irrefutable. Now, it cannot be denied that he himself was not necessarily the cause of many uncertainties, but rather the...