NATURAL
AGICK
John Baptifta Porta,
A N E A P 0 1 L I I A N E:
I N
TWENTY BOOKS:
Wherein are fet forth
All the Riches and Delight*
Of the
NATURAL SCIENCES.
Printed for Thomas Young, andSoJw**/ Speed; and are to be fold at the three Pigeons, and at the Angel in St.
Paul 's Church -yard. 1658,
uL ^
The Preface to the Reader.
Courteous Reader,
F this Work made by me in my Youth, when I was hardly fifteen years old, was fo generally received and with fo great applaufe^
that it was forthwith tranflated into many Languages > as Italian,
French, Spaniih, Arabickj and paffed through the hands of incomparable men: J hope that now coming forth from me that am fifty years old, it shall be more dearly entertained*
For when I faw the fir ft fruits of my Labours received with fo great Alacrity of mind, I was moved by thefegood
Omens; And therefore have adventured to fend it once more forth, but with an
Equipage more Rich and Noble.
From the frfi time it appeared, it is now thirty five years, And {without any derogation from my Modefiy be it fpoken) if ever any man laboured earneflly to difclofe the fecrets oj Nature, it was I: For with all my Mindc and Power, I have turned over the Monuments of our Ancefiors, and if they writ anything that was f °.cret and concealed, that I enrolled in my Catalogue of Rarities. Moreover, as I
travelled through France, Italy, and Spain, I confut…