dren of Heaven, Prudence and Friendship, has, I confess, SIR AND FRIEND, thrown me into a sort of perplexity; and it took no less than an axiom of JUSTICE to restore my calm; which says:

The Man who acts against my spirit, can only repent of it.

According to this sentence, persuaded that the honest Man will wish to be imbued with a part of the science of the First Philosophers before blaming their Translator, and his intimate Friend, I have surrendered myself to the movement that drew me: happy if this weak Work can merit your application, and please the truly Studious in the occult Sciences, for whom I wrote it!

I am, with that sweet familiarity that friendship and perfect esteem give to those whom we resemble,

SIR AND FRIEND,

October 1783.

Your very humble,

very obedient & very

affectionate servant,

ETTEILLA.

A rectangular woodcut headpiece featuring symmetrical floral and foliate scrolls with a central flower or shell-like motif.

KEY

GIVEN to the Children of the Art, of Science, and of Wisdom.

Divination is a Science. Isocrates.
The perfection of Man is to foresee what will happen. Chilon, Greek Philosopher.

ESTABLISHMENT.

4. 5. 3.

IT IS at least for the fourth time that I repeat with pleasure that those who doubt that there is a simple and natural Science of divining, should come find me, or simply send me: