supernatural agencies,

man was only a passive toy of dem universally acknowledged, and even d divinity and polemics. I have treated especially according to its historical orig gical causes, and with regard to time an to this time it has been represented ve in fragments, and without regard to any tion. In order to find the origin and pr witchcraft, I certainly had to return to re in fact, to the physical and mythologic perhaps the reader will sometimes thi hazardous, as on this somewhat unstable from similar modern phenomena are intr

I regret not being able any longer to excellent work of Dr. Wilh. Gott. S Witchcraft Represented from its Sourc Tübingen, 1843. Soldau also shows ci the history of witchcraft is not only a na human history; "That witchcraft is a ph tendom, which, if it is to be understood, sented as belonging to a single people, no

at period when it appears as something The phenomena of sorcery are not isolate not only in close connection with the gen vation, but branch out into innumerable with church history, with the history of and thus of natural philosophy."

Soldau also shows from church history and heretical abominations proceeded from from previous accusation, how they were tivated, and led step by step to a point but one leap, if to tales of heresy were e graceful, pernicious magic arts, as realitie 13th century these heretical vices were magic.

He shows further how in the first centur the fathers of the church, rabbis, and heat lost themselves, and rivalled each other

cended by positiv this subject mos in and anthropol d place; whereas -ry imperfectly, an - scientific explan gress of the idea motest antiquity,al foundation, an k my proceeding ground deduction duced.

make use of the dau, "History s;" Stuttgart an umstantially the onal but a magic nomenon of Chris ust not be repre as beginning fro already complete facts,-they ar al state of cult oints of contact me, of medicine w enchantments

gious views, and ogressively cul ence it appear added the dis so that in the -n included in

Christian miracles, as sorcery. Thus by degrees the foun dation of a system was laid, which, projected under man contradictions, formed the indictments in the famous witch trials, of which its commencements and resting points ar to be found in the East, among the Jews and Greeks, an also in northern mythology; so that sorcery has alway existed, if not in the world, at least in the minds of men.

Some readers may perhaps be surprised that I have take so little notice of a new work of J. Görres-" Christia Mysticism," 5 vols. Regensburg and Landshut, since it at leas moves in similar mystic regions, and treats more in deta several subjects, such as the reciprocal connection betwee men and the extraordinary alternation of effects, the vision and ecstasies, the abnormal affections of sleep and of th senses, &c. The work will be very instructive to th reader in every respect, and especially as completing th history of magic; but my present object is neither th nature of mysticism nor its history; consequently th ground-work and the subjects of this book are very different as well as its tendency and aim. I start from persona observations, wander about on the vital and productiv field of nature, seek everywhere the analogies and relation of phenomena, and the laws which govern them; descen then, as well and as far as I can, into the deepest and darkes pits of history, place them in rows side by side for inspec tion, in order to make prominent the character of the har mony or contrast according to its principles. The mos active principle, however, of these magic phenomena, I hav found mostly on anthropological ground, where nature an the action of fancy produce the wonders which transpor the supernaturalist completely into the transcendental an supernatural, but the rationalist absolutely denies, if he doc not understand them.

The above named work treats of the history of mysticism f Christianity in tales and traditions, where criticism exercises no grea philosophers severity. Now the purport of all mysticism is the wid emonologica ̧

free conceptions of the understanding. is only a single form according to it elaborations of its history represent it confessional and spiritual point of view to cover mysticism with a glitteri "Mysticism is, according to him and t trine, nothing more than a gospel reflec undulation and vibration lasting for a increasing circles, of the movement ori Mysticism is according to Gorres a co by higher light, and action through h singular phenomena of contemplation occur among pious Christians are mi unseen power.

As most, if not all, unusual pheno realm of magic, and are found not onl but also among the heathen, they mu law, and such uncommon physical natu be no miracles; certainly much less so regeneration of the spirit itself. Ever strange objective spirit-world is attribut tainly belongs to the subjective fancy visions and ecstasies are related to those in their principles differ perhaps only in From physical pathological conditions, fi ascetic, and ecstasy-reaching exercise illusory chimeras, many saints have obvi and the separation of the natural-sensu natural divine leads us into a field wher tentions about miracles begin, where it apodictically decided how much is natur how much the agency of divine grace, if natural influences to outbid the natural possesses a completely incomprehensib (generally latent) vital power, which i power of extension pervades the imm rests on such an inborn basis and orde entangled and abnormal effects proceed

again according to Thus Gorres seek ing poetical web to the Catholic do eted in the saints, ages, and moving ginated by Christ ntemplation assiste higher freedom; t and action whi racles of a high

mena belong to th among Christia

st follow a gener ral phenomena ca than the Christi to the agency of d much which ce f man. Religion of magnetism, an e rarest instance

m the exaggerate from subjecti usly not been fret. s and the supe doubts and co can no longer b phenomena; an ne permits supe For ma wers. positive, inns roportion to

urable.

Natu

hat so her mo er from her ow

admits. Divine qualities already exist in the substance o natural life, but even divine influences are not on tha account excluded, because everything receives life from God and through God. The mutually influencing causes and effects of divine and natural, spiritual and physical power are mostly concealed in obscurity impenetrable to the un derstanding: thus fancy retains the power voluntarily an at pleasure of ascribing every unusual appearance to transcendant principle, in correspondence with a religiou feeling and a national point of view. This was the cas with the mythological elementary powers, and thus it is stil with the inexplicable physiological enigmas. A patholo gical phenomenon is frequently erroneously regarded as divine revelation, and degrades the objective outward caus among living beings, where only subjective powers procee from their singularity.

It appears to me, therefore, most prudent, in the contem plation of the world and history, to render the mystica scientific, rather than science mystical, by which means w shall observe the powers of nature and of the mind by thei phenomena and reciprocal action, and thus discover the mutual conditions. Above all, we have to hold fast b nature's point of view; without however mixing up God an the world, or amalgamating them in a pantheistical unity Thus it seems advisable neither to take refuge too much in th sublimities of transcendentalism, nor yet on the other hand t stagnate in spiritless matter; not alone to trust to the pr vailing feelings and the lustre of phantasy, nor yet blindly t follow the power of faith as a load-star, and at the same tim just as little to accept everything as unrefutable truth, whic can only be decided by reflection and cool understandin which everywhere affects a defiant self-will, and a faul less independence. Both the extremes, Pietism

an

Rationalism, are the farthest removed from nature and fro God, and their fruits have never yet brought a blessing or comfort into the world.

True magic lies in the most secret, inmost powers of o

Mysticism is common property; al but true mysticism consists in the di human mind to God, in the idea of the however, objective revelation contains n ponds with the subjective powers of of false mysticism is, that it accomplish nity and propitiation between God mysticism must include the idea of trut beauty and virtue, as beams of all spiri religious self-consciousness; as a uni centre must penetrate the whole spiritu

Magnetism introduces us to the myst contains on one side a key to the most nature, as on the other it is adapted to and the wonders of the creative spirit.

IMAGO, MAGIA, MAGNI

Munich, 21st Oct. 1843.