Chapter LXXIII. Of the Virtue of Writing, and of Making Imprecations, and Inscriptions

The Philosophy of Natural Magic, by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, L. W. de Laurence ed. [1913], at sacred-texts.com

CHAPTER LXXIII.

Of the Virtue of Writing, and of Making Imprecations, and Inscriptions.

The use of words and speech is to express the inwards of the mind, and from thence to draw forth the secrets of the thoughts, and do declare the will of the speaker. Now, writing is the last expression of the mind, and is the number of speech and voice, as, also, the collection, state, end, continuing, and iteration, making a habit, which is not perfected with the act of one's voice. And whatsoever is in the mind, in voice, in word, in operation, and in speech, the whole and all of this is in writing also. And as nothing which is conceived in the mind is not expressed by voice, so nothing which is expressed is not also written. And, therefore, magicians command that in every work there be imprecations and inscriptions made, by which the operator may, express his affection; that if he gather an herb, or a stone, he declare for what use he doth it; if he make a picture, he say and write to what end he maketh it, with imprecations and inscriptions. Albertus, also, in his book, called the Speculum, doth not disallow this, without

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which all our works would never be brought into effect, seeing a disposition does not cause an effect, but the act of the disposition. We find, also, that the same kind of precepts was in use amongst the ancients, as Virgil testifies when he sings:

And a little after:

And in the same place: