Besides, there may be made perpetuall lights, and bathes burning without end, for we haue knowne many that are not burned, but purified. But ouer and besides these, there are other things of Nature that will amaze and astonish vs to heare of them: for noyses may bee made in the aire like thunders, yea with greater horror then those that come by Nature: for a little matter fitted to the quantitie of a thumbe, maketh a horrible noyse, and wonderfull lightning. And this is done after sundry fashions, whereby any citie and armie may be destroyed, after the manner of skilfull _Gedeon_, who hauing onely three hundredth men, discomfited the hosts of the Madianites, with broken pitchers, and lamps, & fire issuing out with an vnspeakeable noyse. These are maruailous things, if men knewe how to vse them effctually in a due quantitie and matter.
But nowe I will propose many strange things of another kind, which although they haue no great profite, yet are they a most apparent demonstration of wisedome, and may be vsed for the prouing of any secret things, which the rude multitude gainsay, being like to the attraction of Iron by the Adamant. For who would beleeue such an attraction, vnlesse he behelde it? and there be many wonders of nature in this drawing of the Iron, that are vnknowne to the common people, as experience teacheth the studious. But these things are greater and more in number: for there is the like attraction of all mettals by the Stone of golde and siluer: and the Stone runneth to Vineger. Yea plants, and the parts of liuing creaturs beeing locally diuided the one from the other, will notwithstanding by a naturall motion concurre and come together again. Now when I had beheld these and such like things, and considered them well, I thought nothing incredible, neyther in diuine nor humane things. Yet there are greater behinde then these. For the whole power of the Mathematickes (according to the practise of _Ptolemy_, in the .8. _de Almagesto_) setteth but an instrument vppon the superficies, wherein all things that are in the heauen shall be truely described with theyr lengths and breadths: but that they should naturally mooue with a daily motion, is not in the Mathematicians power. Yet doth the faithfull and industrious practisioner, earnestly desire to make it of such a matter and after such a manner. That the heauens should be naturally moued with a daily motion, seemeth impossible vnto him, because many things are carryed with the motion of the heauenly bodyes, as Comets, and the sea when it floweth, and other things: eyther wholy or in parte: for then should all instruments of Astrology be in vaine, as well those which haue beene inuented by the learned, as those that haue beene deuised by the common sort, neyther shoulde a Kings treasure bee skant comparable. Moreouer, there may yet greater things bee performed, though not in respect of their straungenesse, yet if wee regarde a publike or priuate commoditie, namely, to gette as great plenty of golde and siluer as we list, not by a possibilitie of Nature, but by the perfection of Art, forasmuch as there are seuenteene manners of golde, whereof eight in number haue a commixtion of Argent-uiue with gold. Now the first kinde of golde is made of certaine parts of golde, and some partes of siluer, vntill wee reach vnto the two and twentieth degree of Gold, alwayes augmenting one degree of gold with one of siluer: and there are as many more of the admixtion of Brasse with Golde. So that the last manner consisteth of foure and twentie degrees of pure golde, without the admixtion of any other mettall: and nature cannot proceede any further, as experience teacheth. But Art may augment gold very much in the parts of purity, and likewise accomplish it without fraude or couine. But this is a greater matter then the former, that although the reasonable soule cannot bee constrained, yet may she be effectually disposed, indued, and prouoked, freely to change her maners, affections and desires, according to another mans pleasures: and this may be effected, not in one particular person alone, but in the whole body of a Citie, or people of a Kingdome. And such a matter _Aristotle_ teacheth in his booke of Secrets, as well of a nation, as of an army or priuate person. These things are almost as much as nature or Art are able to performe. But yet the last decree, wherein the perfection of Art can doo oughts with all the power of nature, is the prolonging of life for a great space, and the possibilitie hereof is approued by many experimẽts.