Magia Naturalis, oder Hauß-, Kunst- und Wunder-Buch

above that for which no cause can be given. But he who knows the cause does not hold a thing in such high esteem. Therefore Aristotle says: That is held to be something rare and unusual whose cause is hidden and unknown. And in crafts and arts, the workmen make their own tools and conceal the fundamental means of those things at which others are meant to marvel. There was one who extinguished a light and held it against a wall or a stone, and thus lit it again; which appeared wondrous to others. But, says Galenus, men ceased to wonder when it was discovered that he had previously smeared those places with sulfur. And the Ephesian speaks thus: A work of wonder ceases to be a wonder when that is discovered for the sake of which it was held to be a wonder.

10. Likewise, he must also be possessed of good means, for it is difficult to work

when means are lacking. Therefore one should strive for means so that one may philosophize or perform works of art, and not perform works of art so that one may obtain means. Hence he must spare no expense, but rather allow somewhat of his surplus to be spent upon his investigations.

11. Indeed, even if he has worked through it the first time with great diligence, he must nonetheless occasionally have the patience to repeat it once more, and let no labor vex him; for the secrets of nature are not opened to the idle and the unwise. Therefore Epicharmus said rightly: God sells all things to men for labor. If the matter does not succeed as the description dictates, you may certainly think that you have erred somewhere: for I have written quite briefly, not for the inexperienced and beginners, but for artists and discerning minds.

Chapter IV.

Certain Opinions of the Ancients regarding the Causes of Wondrous Effects; and First, indeed, of the Elements.

1. The ancient philosophers so exerted themselves in the investigation of the causes of many wondrous natural occurrences, that some therein committed no small errors; whence so many various opinions arose among them, which

before we proceed further, will, it is hoped, not be unuseful to recount.

2. The first held that all things proceed from the elements, and that these were the primary causes of all things: as Hippasus Metapontinus and Heraclides Ponticus held fire; Diogenes Apollonia-