Three Books of Occult Philosophy

...to unlock with the pen. We are filled with the greatest admiration for your extraordinary learning; though you are a young man, you penetrate such deep secrets and mysteries—hidden even from many of the most learned men—and have been able to bring them to light not only beautifully and truly, but also appropriately and eloquently.

Therefore, first of all, we thank you for your kindness toward us, and if we are ever able, we will undoubtedly return the favor to the best of our ability. We approve of your work, which not even the most learned of men could sufficiently praise. We then advise, request, and entreat you with all possible urgency to continue your pursuit of higher things where you have begun, and not to allow such excellent powers of your mind to grow cold through idleness. We urge you to always exercise yourself through your labor toward better things and to demonstrate the light of true wisdom—by which you are so greatly and divinely illuminated—even to the ignorant. Let no consideration of scoundrels draw you back from your purpose, of whom it is truly said, The weary ox plants its foot firmly original: "Bos lassus fortiter figit pedem." A proverb suggesting that those who are dull or set in their ways (the "oxen") resist new ideas with stubborn persistence..

For in the judgment of the wise, no one can be truly learned who has sworn an oath to the basics of only one discipline alone. God has endowed you with a mind both vast and sublime; therefore, do not imitate oxen, but birds. Do not think you should linger over specific details, but instead confidently direct your mind toward universal truths. For a person is considered more learned the fewer things they are ignorant of. Truly, your intellect is fully suited for all things and should reasonably be occupied not with a few or lowly matters, but with many and more sublime ones.

However, we warn you to keep this one rule: communicate common things to common people, but share higher and secret matters only with higher and secret friends. Give hay to the ox, but sugar only to the parrot Trithemius warns Agrippa to be cautious; common, dull-minded people ("oxen") cannot appreciate or handle refined wisdom ("sugar") and might react violently.. Understand my meaning, lest you be trampled by the heels of oxen, as has happened to many. Farewell, happy friend; if there is anything within our power that could be of use to you, you need only ask and you will find it done without delay. So that our friendship may grow stronger day by day, we earnestly pray that you write to us more often and send us some of your scholarly works original: "lucubrationum," referring to works produced by study late into the night.. Farewell once more.