Natural Magic

that every diligent and studious man will be able to know and perceive. Likewise, many delightful, useful, and profitable things have been left out, taken from this composition or mass so renowned among the ancient philosophers. Although these things would have required greater labor due to the length of time needed for them, they were nevertheless already begun and, as it were, set on the path to coming to light. Furthermore, these sour critics, through overly severe and rude criticism, have removed and torn away—not without my great regret and annoyance—things more worthy, fitting, and suitable to an admirable spirit and lover of good science than they were to a profane work. Since I cannot do what I wish, I must indeed be constrained to wish what I can. This desire that I have had since my youth has since then taken such growth in me that, more diligently and through continuous and obstinate study, I have searched to find if our ancestors had spoken of it or left something in writing in order to note it and bring it to light. I have likewise willingly lent an ear to those who knew something of it, or could have knowledge of it in any manner, and I put to the test through long experience what I had heard tell of it, or what I had read of it, in order to make a trial of everything.