The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo VillegasQuevedo, Francisco de
General
The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo Villegas
Quevedo, Francisco de
Satire; Spanish literature -- Translations into English
There were divers great masters of the science that followed him. As
Haly, Gerard, Bart’lemew of Parma, and one Toudin; a familiar friend, and
companion of the great Cornelius Agrippa, the famous conjurer, who though
he had but one soul was yet burning in four bodies. (I mean the four
damnable books he left behind him.) There was Trithemius too, with his
polygraphy and stenography; that had devils now, his belly-full, though
in his lifetime his complaint was, that he could never have enough of
their company; over against him was Cardan; but they could not set their
horses together, because of an old quarrel, whether was the more impudent
of the two. And there I saw Misaldus, tearing his beard, in rage, to
find himself pumped dry; and that he could not fool on, to the end of the
chapter. Theophrastus was there too, bewailing himself for the time he
had spent at the alchymist’s bellows. There was also the unknown author
of _Clavicula Solomonis_, and _The Hundred Kings of Spirits_, with the
composer of the book, _Adversus Omnia pericula Mundi_; Taysnerus too,
with his book of _Physiognomy_ and _Chiromancy_; and he was doubly
punished, first for the fool he was, and then for those he had made.
Though, to give the man his due, he knew himself to be a cheat, and that
he that gives a judgment upon the lines of a face takes but a very
uncertain aim. There were magicians, necromancers, sorcerers, and
enchanters innumerable, beside divers private boxes that were kept for
lords and ladies; and other personages of great quality, that put their
trust in these disciples of the devil, and go to Strand Bridge or
Billiter Lane, for resolution in cases of death, love, or marriage, and
now and then to recover a gold watch or a pearl necklace.
Not far from these were a company of handsome women, that were tormented
in the quality of witches, which grieved my very heart to see it; but to
comfort me, “What?” says a devil, “have you so soon forgot the roguery of
these carrions? Have you not had trial enough yet of them? they are the
very poison of life, and the only dangerous magicians that corrupt all
our senses, and disturb the faculties of your soul; these are they that
cozen your eyes with false appearances, and set up your wills in
opposition to your understanding and reason.” “’Tis right,” said I, “and
now you mind me of it, I do very well remember, that I have found them
so; but let’s go on and see the rest.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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