Natural magick by John Baptista Porta, a Neapolitane ; in twenty books ... wherein are set forth all the riches and delights of the natural sciences.

About this Item

Title
Natural magick by John Baptista Porta, a Neapolitane ; in twenty books ... wherein are set forth all the riches and delights of the natural sciences.
Author
Porta, Giambattista della, 1535?-1615.
Publication
London :: Printed for Thomas Young and Samuel Speed ...,
1658.
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Subject terms
Science -- Early works to 1800.
Industrial arts -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A55484.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Natural magick by John Baptista Porta, a Neapolitane ; in twenty books ... wherein are set forth all the riches and delights of the natural sciences." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A55484.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 12, 2025.

Pages

CHAP. LI.

That the Loadstone may lose its vertue.

I Found out, That this is the onely true way, amongst many that are set down by Writers, by heaping Fire-coals upon the Loadstone: for once made red-hot, it presently loseth all its vertue, and a vapor flies from it that is blewish black, or Brimstone-like, smelling strong, as Coals do; and when that flame and vapor ceaseth to exhale, if you take it out of the fire, all the force of it is breathed forth: and I always thought, that that was the Soul of it, and the cause of its attraction of iron; whenas iron is made of Brimstone not perfect: as I read in ebar and other

Page 213

Writers that treat of Metals: which is the cause that it runs so swiftly to the Load∣stone, and desires so much to be imbraced by it: and when that vapour is gone from the stone, it loseth all its vertue; and then it is but a dead carcass, and it is in vain to endeavour to revive it.

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