Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/99

know, that by how much the more noble the form of any thing is, by so much the more prone, and apt it is to receive, and powerfull to act. Then the vertues of things do then become wonderfull, viz. when they are put to matters that are mixed, and prepared in fit seasons, to make them alive, by procuring life for them from the Stars, as also a sensible soul, as a more noble form. For there is so great a power in prepared matters which we see do then receive life, when a perfect mixtion of qualities seems to break the former contrariety. For so much the more perfect life things receive, by how much their temper is more remote from contrariety. Now the Heaven, as a prevalent cause doth from the beginning of every thing to be generated by the concoction, and perfect digestion of the matter, together with life, bestows Celestiall influences, and wonderfull gifts, according to the Capacity that is in that life, and sensible soul to receive more noble, and sublime vertues. For the Celestiall vertue doth otherwise lye asleep, as Sulphur kept from Flame, but in living bodies it doth alwaies burn, as kindled Sulphur, then by its vapour it fils all the places that are next to it; so certain wonderfull works are wrought, such as are read of in the book of Nemith, which is tituled a Book of the Laws of Pluto, because such kind of monstrous generations are not produced according to the Laws of Nature. For we know that of Worms are generated Gnats, of a Horse Waspes, of a Calf, and Ox Bees, of a Crab, his legs being taken of, and he buried in the ground, a Scorpion; of a Duck dryed into powder, and put into Water, are generated Frogs; but if it be baked in a Pie, and cut into pieces, and put into a moist place under the ground, Toads are generated of it: of the Hearb Garden Basill bruised betwixt two stones, are generated Scorpions, and of the hairs of a menstrous Woman put under dung, are bred Serpents;