Magic once regarded as a reality 27 Magic præternatural rather than supernatural 27 Belief in magic perhaps older than belief in divine beings 28 Magic not originally a secret art 28 Attitude of primitive man towards nature 29 His effort to explain strange phenomena 30 His belief in lucky things 31 His desire to know the future 31 Hence the probable origin of belief in magic 31 Chief characteristics of magic 32 Difficulty in defining magic 33 Gradual disappearance of magic before science 34 Possible union of magic and science 34 Importance of union of magic and science 35 Method of treating that theme in this essay 36 CHAPTER III PLINY’S NATURAL HISTORY A fitting starting-point for our discussion 37 I. _The Character of the Work_: Its extensive treatment of both science and magic 37 Objections to regarding it as a true picture of ancient science 38 Reasons for so regarding it 39 Pliny the Boswell of ancient science 40 Pliny’s relation to mediæval science 41 II. _Pliny’s Discussion of Magic_: Its significance 41 Pliny’s remarks concerning the history of magic 42 “Magic” false, according to Pliny 42 “Magic” an obscene and criminal art, according to Pliny 44