Alas, sir (said I to him) if I must become a Sage, it will never be but by the means of the Great Gabalis; but to deal freely with you, I am afraid, that you will find it a difficult matter to bend me to this Philosophical mode. It seems (continued he) that you should be but ill read in Physicks, that cannot be persuaded of the existence of these people? I know not (answered I) but I cannot imagine that these can be anything else but friends disguised. Do you still (said he) rather believe your own Whimseys, than Natural Reason? than Plato, Pythagoras, Celsus, Psellus, Proclus, Porphyrius, Jamlicus, Plotinus, Trismegistus, Noblius, Dorneus, Fludd; than the great Phillippus Aureolus Theophractus Bombst Paracelsus de Honeinhem; and than all our Society.
I would believe you (answered I) as soon, nay sooner than all these; but, dear sir, could you not so order the business with the rest of your society, that I might not be obliged to have carnal knowledge of these elementary ladies? Away, away (replied he) you have your own liberty, without doubt; for nobody loves, unless he has a mind to it. Few of the Sages have been able to defend themselves from their Charms, but it has been observed that some reserving themselves wholly and entirely for great things (as you will know in time), would never do this honour to the Nymphs. I will be then of this number (said I), but yet neither can I resolve to lose time about the ceremonies which I have heard a Prelate say, must be practised by those who mean to converse with their Geniuses. This Prelate knew not what he said (said the Count), for you shall see ere long, that there are no Geniuses there; and besides, that never any Sage employed either ceremonies or superstition for the familiarity of the Geniuses, no more than for the people of whom we speak.
The Cabalists do nothing, but by the principles of nature: and if there are sometimes found in our books certain strange words, characters, or fumigations, ’tis but to conceal the philosophical principles from the ignorant. Admire the simplicity of Nature, in all her most marvellous operations! And in this simplicity, a Harmony and Agreement so great, so just, and so necessary that it will make you return back in despite of yourself from your weak imaginations. That which I am now about to tell you, we teach those of our disciples, which we will not let altogether enter into the Sanctuary of Nature; and to whom we will nevertheless, not utterly deprive of the Society of the elementary people, merely out of the compassion which we have for these poor wretches.
The Salamanders (as you have already, perhaps, comprehended) are composed of the most subtile parts of the Sphere of Fire, conglobated and organized by the action of the universal fire (concerning which, I shall one day entertain you further) so called, because it is principal of all the motions of nature.
The Sylphes in like manner, are composed of the purest atoms of the air: the Nymphs of the most delicate parts of the water, and the Gnomes of the subtlest parts of the Earth. There was a great proportion betwixt Adam and these so perfect Creatures; because they being composed of that which was most pure in the four elements; he comprehended the perfection of these four sorts of people, and was their natural King. But since the time that his sin precipitated him into the excrements of the elements (as you shall see hereafter) the Harmony was disordered, and there was no more proportion, he being become impure and dull in respect of the substances so pure and so subtil. What remedy for this evil? How shall we remount this throne and recover this lost sovereignty? O Nature! Why do they study thee so little? Do you not comprehend my son, with what simplicity nature can render to man the goods which he has lost? Alas! Sir (replied I), I am very ignorant in all these simplicities, you speak of. But yet (pursued he) it is very easy to become knowing in them.
If we would recover that empire over the Salamanders, we must purifie, and exalt the element of fire which is in us, and raise up the tone of this slackened string, we need do no more, but concentre the fire of the world by concave mirrors in a globe of glass. And herein, is that great piece of art which all the ancients have so religiously concealed, and which the divine Theophrastus has discovered. There is formed in this globe a solar powder, which being purified by itself from the mixture of other elements, and being prepared according to art, becomes in a very little time, sovereignly proper to exalt the fire which is in us, and make us become (according to our phrase) of a fiery nature. From that time the inhabitants of the sphere of fire become our inferiors, and ravished to see our mutual harmony re-established, and that we once more approach to them. They have all the kindness for us which they have for their own species, all the respect which they owe to the image and to the lieutenant of their Creator; and all the concern which may make evident in them, the desire of obtaining by us the immortality which they want. ’Tis true that as they are more subtil than those of the other elements, they live a very long time, so they are not very forward to importune the Sages to make them immortal. You may accommodate yourself with one of these, if the aversion which you have witnessed to me last not with you to the end: perchance, she will never speak to you of that which you fear so much.
It will not be so with the Sylphs, the Gnomes and the Nymphs, for they living a less time, have more need of us, and so their familiarity is more easie to obtain. You need but shut up a glass filled with conglobated air, water or earth, and expose it to the sun for a month; then separate the element according to art, which is very easie to do, if it be earth or water. ’Tis a marvellous thing to see, what a vertue any one of these purified elements have to attract the Nymphs, Sylphs, and Gnomes. In taking but never so little every day, for about a month together, one shall see in the air the volant republique of the Sylphs; the Nymphs come in shoals up the rivers, and the guardians of treasures, presenting you with their riches. Thus, without characters, without ceremonies, without barbarous words you become absolute master over all these people. They require no worship of the Sages, since they know well enough that he is nobler than they. Thus venerable nature teaches her children how to repair the elements by the elements. Thus is harmony re-established. Thus man recovers his natural empire, and can do all things in the elements, without demons, or unlawful art. Thus you see, my son, that the Sages are more innocent than you thought. You say nothing to me——.
I admire sir (said I), and I begin to fear that you will make me to become a Chymist. Ah! God preserve thee from that, my child (cried he). ’Tis not to these fooleries that your nativity designs you, I will warrant you on the contrary, from being troubled about that: I told you already, that the Sages shew not these things, but to those whom they will not admit into their society. You shall have all these advantages, and others infinitely more glorious, and more pleasant, by ways clearly more philosophical. I had not described those methods to you, but to let you see the innocence of this Philosophy, and to take you out of these panic fears.
I thank God, sir (answered I), I am not at present, in any such fear as I was even now. And although I do not yet resolve upon the accommodation which you propose to me with the Salamanders; I cannot refrain from having the curiosity to learn how you have discovered that these Nymphs and these Sylphs die. Truly (replied he) they tell us so, and we see them die. How (said I) can you see them die, and yet your commerce renders them immortal? That would be well (pursued he) if the number of the Sages equalled the number of these people: besides that, there are many amongst them, who rather choose to die, than hazard by becoming immortal, the being so unhappy as they see the devils are. And ’tis the devil, who inspired with these opinions: for there is no mischief, which he doth not do to hinder the poor creatures from becoming immortal by our alliance. Insomuch that I look upon it (and so ought you my son) as a most pernicious temptation, and a motion of very little charity, to have this aversion which you show to it.
Moreover, as concerning their death, of which you speak: what was it that obliged the Oracle of Apollo, to say, that all those who speak Oracles, were mortal, as well as he; as Porphyrius reports? And, what think you, was the meaning of that voice which was heard on all the coast of Italy, and struck so great a terror into all those who were upon the sea? The Great Pan is Dead! They were the people of the air: who gave notice to the people of the water that the chiefest and most aged of all the Sylphs, was newly dead.