"Here you see one of the nets which magic has stretched from_The Magic of the Middle Ages

down into the abyss. For each of the sacred numbers there is a separate

scale of the same kind: 'The universe,' says Pythagoras, 'is founded upon

numbers,' and Boethius asserts that 'Every thing created in the beginning

of time was formed according to the relations of certain numbers, which

were lying as types in the mind of the Creator.' It is consequently a

settled fact with us that numbers contain greater and more effective

forces than material things; for the former are not a mixture of

substances, but may, as purely formal entities, stand in immediate

connection with the ideas of divine reason. This is recognized also by the

fathers: by Hieronymus, Augustine, Ambrosius, Athanasius, Bede, and

others, and underlies these words in the book of Revelation: 'Let him who

hath understanding count the number of the beast.' Those varied and

relatively discordant objects which form a unity in the same world, are

arranged side by side in the scale; whereas those things which in

different groups or different worlds correspond to one another, form the

ascending and descending series.

"Do not forget that correspondence also implies reciprocal activity! Thus,

for instance, the letter [Hebrew] in the holy name of God indicates a

power which is infused into the successive orders of Seraphim, Cherubim

and Thrones, and which is imparted through them to the constellations Leo

and Sagittarius, and to the two wandering luminaries Mars and the Sun.

These angels and stars all pour down into the elementary world the

abundance of their power, which produces there fire and heat, and the

germs of animal organisms, and kindles in man reason and faith, in order

to meet finally in the lowest region, its opposites: cold, destruction,

irrationality, unbelief, represented by the names of fallen angel-princes.

I will now show you another table which is an introduction to the study of

Astrology and treats more in detail of certain parts of the preceding,

showing how things in the elementary world and microcosm are subject to

the planets. In showing this to you I will remind you of the verse:

'_Astra regunt hominem; sed regit astra Deus._'

(_The stars guide man; but God guides the stars._)

(TABLE II.)

+--------------------------------------------------------------

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

| | Tin, | | | sulphuric |

---------+------------+------------+----------+------------+-----------+

| and pearls.| | etc. | etc. | Amethyst, |

-----------------------

| JUPITER. | SATURN.

+----------+-----------

|Air. |Earth,

| | Water.

+----------+-----------

|Vegetative|Gall.

| juices. |

| |

+----------+-----------

|Sagacious |Crawling

| and | and

| gentle. | nocturnal.

| |

+----------+-----------

|Oak, |Cypress and

| Beech, | those of a

| Poplar, | gloomy

| Cereals, | aspect or

| etc. | foul odor.

| |

+----------+-----------

|Gold, |Lead.

| Silver, |

| Tin. |

+----------+-----------

|Green and |Onyx and

| air- | all brown

| colored. | clays.

| |

"The value of these, as of many other tables, will be clear to you when I

now pronounce the first practical principle of magic:--

"_As the Creator of the universe diffuses upon us, by angels, stars,

elements, animals, plants, metals and stones, the powers of his

omnipotence, so also the magician, by collecting those objects in the

elemental world which bear a relation of mutual activity to the same

entity (an angel or a planet) in the higher worlds, and by combining their

powers according to scientific rules, and intensifying them by means of

sacred and religious ceremonies, is able to influence this higher being

and attract to himself its powers._

"This principle sufficiently explains why I have collected around me all

the strange things you here see. Here, for instance, is a plate of lead on

which is engraved the symbol of a planet; and beside it a leaden flask

containing gall. If I now take a piece of fine onyx marked with the same

planet-symbol, and this dried cypress-branch, and add to them the skin of

a snake and the feather of an owl, you will need but to look into one of

the tables given you to find that I have only collected various things in

the elementary world which bear a relation of mutual activity to Saturn;

and, if rightly combined, can attract both the powers of that planet, and

of the angels with which it is connected.

"The greatest effect of magic--at the same time its triumph, and the

criterion of its truth--is a successful incantation. Shall we perform one?

If we go through all the necessary preparations, we shall have a

bird's-eye view of the whole secret science. Only certain alchemists have

a still greater end in view; they aspire to produce in the retort man

himself,--nay, the whole world. You men of the nineteenth century know

only by reputation of our attempts to produce an _homunculus_, and _a

perpetuum mobile naturae_. Could you only count the drops of perspiration

these efforts have wrung from us! There is something enchanting, something

overpowering, in alchemy. It is gigantic in its aims, and in its depths

dwells a thought which is terrible, because it threatens to crush that

very cosmic philosophy on which our faith is founded. We occupy ourselves

with the elements, until the idea steals upon us that every thing is

dependent on them; that every thing, Creator and created, is included in

them; that every thing arises by necessity and passes away by necessity.

If you can only collect in the crucible those elements and life-germs

which were stirring in chaos, then you can also produce, in the crucible,

the six days of creation, and find the spirit which formed the universe. I

have abandoned alchemy only to escape this thought; but a parchment will,

sealed with seven seals, and hidden in the most secret corner of my

vaults, contains the remarkable experiences I have had when experimenting

for the _perpetuum mobile_ and _homunculus_.[32]

"But to the preparations for our conjuration! First we are met with the

question: Is the hour favorable? Do the aspects oppose? Aspect is the

relative position of two planets to each other. Every calendar from the

centuries which lie between you and me speaks of these aspects: of the

conjunction of the planets (when they are on the same meridian, and

consequently separated by no angular distance); their opposition (when in

a directly opposite part of the heavens); their quadrature (distance of

90 deg.), trigon (120 deg.), and hexagon (60 deg.). If the blood-red Mars, or the pale

Saturn stand in quadrature or in opposition to one another, or to any of

the other wandering stars, this portends destruction. But to-day both

these planets are harmless; the aspects are good, and Mars itself being

in the first 'face' of its own house,[33] is consequently even kindly

disposed. Even the moon, whose assistance is needed, is in the house of a

friendly star, and in a favorable quadrature to Jupiter. Here we meet

consequently with no hindrances. It remains, however, on the side of

Astrology to find out what planets are the regents of the present year. In

other words, what planets form the first aspect of the year. Look here in

my calendarium. Mars was one of them. This suits us all the better as

to-day is Tuesday, Mars' own day, and as the hour will soon be here which,

on this day, he presides over absolutely.[34] It is therefore of

importance that we use in our incantation the martial part of my magical

apparatus. Among the elements fire is martial. We shall therefore kindle

a fire upon this altar. Among the planets, the thorny, poisonous and

nettle-like are martial. We shall therefore feed this fire with dry twigs

and rose-bushes. Among the animals the ferocious and bold are connected

with the blood-red star. Here you see three belts of lion's hide fringed

with the teeth of tigers, leopards and bears, and provided with clasps of

iron, because iron is the martial metal. Let us fasten those belts, when

the time has arrived, about our waists. Among the stones the diamond,

amethyst, jasper and magnet are martial. I show you here three diadems

which, though of pure iron, sparkle with these stones, and are furnished

with the signs and signatures of our planet. Here you have three iron

staves marked with the same signs: we must bear them in our hands. These

breast-plates studded with amethysts, whose Hebrew inscriptions and

characters refer to the same stars, we must wear over our hearts on the

outside of the white clothing which we shall put on before our incantation

begins. Here again you will notice three diamond rings: we shall wear them

on our middle finger during the solemn and awful moment for which we are

preparing. These two bells we place on the table; one of a reddish alloy

and furnished with iron rings, summons the martial spirit hither, the

other made of _electrum magicum_ (_i. e._, a proportional alloy of all

metals with some astral tincture added), serves to call celestial

reserve-forces of all kinds, if needed. Further, we require these

breast-plates and these rings of electrum, which do not bear the name of

any planet, but the glorious and blessed name of God himself, as a

protection for the conjurers against the conjured spirit. Who he is we

shall soon find. Observe here, further, a terrible arsenal which is also

necessary for our purpose. Mars is the star of war, murder and passion.

The demons of Mars have a corresponding nature, and there exists between

them and the tools by which their work on earth is accomplished, a power

of attraction. Therefore we have here this heavy sword with which the

magic circle is to be drawn; we therefore place in rows these skulls and

bones which have been collected in places of execution, these nails,

extracted from gallows, these daggers, knives and axes rusty with stains

of blood. We must not forget the incense which was kindled on the altar

shortly before the first citation. There is a different kind of incense

for every planet and its demons. That appropriate for Mars is composed of

euphorbia, bdellium, ammoniac, magnet, sulphur, brains of a raven, human

blood and the blood of a _black_ cat.[35] It is highly important that the

quality of this incense should be genuine. I might quote what Porphyrius

says upon this point; but confine myself to pointing out that it has an

influence on the conjurer as well as upon surrounding objects. It

saturates both the air and the breast of the conjurer with substances that

are connected with the planet and its demons. It draws down the conjured

being and intoxicates him, as it were, with divine influences, which act

on his mind and imagination. As a matter of course we must prepare

besides, such implements as are needed in every incantation without

bearing any relation to any certain planet. To them belong amulets

inscribed with the names of seraphs, cherubs and thrones, and with

sentences from the Bible and the sacred books of Zoroaster. To them belong

further the magical candlestick of electrum with seven branches, every

branch bearing the sign of a planet; and above all the pentagrams, those

figures with fine points which no demon can overstep. We shall place the

latter as a line of fortification around the magic circle, and we must be

sure that no one of the points is broken. Inside the circle between the

table, the seven-armed candlestick and the incense-altar there is room for

the tripod with the bowl of holy water and the sprinkler.

"Having thus made the necessary preparations for our feast, let us think

of the guest who is to be invited.

"The air of the evening is cool. I close the window, move my study lamp to

this table, and ask you to be seated around it. We must consult concerning

the invitation, in which we must follow the directions given in this

cabalistic manuscript.

"You have found from the table I first showed you that it is the orders of

Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones which are related by a reciprocal activity

to Mars. But these three orders constitute the highest celestial

hierarchy, which remain constantly in the presence of God and must not be

summoned hither even if we were able to do so. We may only implore their

assistance. The orders of Dominions, Powers and Empires are the only

intelligences connected with the stars. Among them we must address

ourselves to the spirits of Mars, since Mars is the regent of this year,

this day and of the intended incantation. The choice between the _good_

and the _evil_ spirits ruled by Mars is still open; but since it is not

our purpose to invoke by supplication but to compel by conjuration, we

must choose the wicked. This is no sin: it is only danger. It gives joy to

the good angels to see the power of God's image over their adversaries.

But we can not force the whole host of Mars' demons to appear in our

circle. We must select _one only_ among their legion and this one must be

well chosen. It is therefore necessary to know his name, for with spirits,

far more than men and terrestrial things, the name implies the essence and

the qualities of the named. The Cabala teaches us the infinite

significance of words and names. It proclaims and demonstrates the

mysteries which dwell in all the holy names of God; it reveals to us the

mysteries in the appellations of angels; it shows us that even the names

of men are intimately related to the place in creation and the temporal

destiny of those who bear them. Even names of material things show, though

less distinctly, a connection between the sound and the thing itself or

its nature. Who can hear, for instance, the words _wind_, or _swing_,

without perceiving in the very sound something airy or oscillating? Who

can hear _stand_, and _strong_, without perception of something stable and

firm?

"Let us hasten to find the name of the demon who is to be summoned.

Astrology as well as the Cabala gives various methods for this

purpose.[36] Let us choose the simplest, which is perhaps also the most

efficient.

"I must commence our work by pointing out the significance of number 72.

To this number correspond the seventy-two languages, the seventy-two

elders of the synagogue, the seventy-two interpreters of the Old

Testament and the seventy-two disciples of our Lord. This number is also

closely connected with the sacred number twelve. If the twelve signs of

the Zodiac are divided into six parts, we obtain the seventy-two so-called

celestial quinaries, into which the seventy-two mystical names of God, his

'_schemhamphoras_,' infuse their power and which are each of them presided

over by an angel-prince. The same number also corresponds to the joints of

the human frame; and there are many other correspondences.

"Well, while the Cabalists were searching out the sacred inner meaning of

the Bible; while they proceeded slowly, starting with the 'In the

beginning,' and stopping at every word, every letter, and found in every

word and every letter a mine of secrets,[37] they finally, after the

lapse of centuries, came as far as to the 19th verse in the 14th chapter

of Exodus, commencing: 'And the angel of God, which went before the camp

of Israel arose.' The cabalistical rule which says wherever, in the Bible,

an angel is spoken of, there is also the name of an angel hidden among the

Hebrew letters of the verse, admonished them to pause and consider. They

had at first no idea of the extraordinary discovery they were now on the

point of making. But their attention was attracted by the fact that there

were seventy-two letters in the verse (in the Hebrew text). Still more

surprised were they when they found that even the following verse, the

20th, contained exactly seventy-two letters; and then surprise grew into

awe when even the 21st verse showed the same number. In the Bible there is

no fortuity: a great secret was hidden here. Finally, by placing the three

verses, letter by letter (the middle verse written from left to right, the

others conversely), above one another, God's seventy-two mystical names

'_schemhamphoras_' each consisting of three letters, from the three

verses, was discovered. These names, provided with the suffix _el_ or

_jah_, are also the names of the seventy-two quinary angels, of which God

has said that his name is in them.

"Here in this cabalistic manuscript these names are preserved. Let us

select one of them at random. My eye happens to fall upon _Mizrael_ first.

We will take that. This high name of an angel which we may not invoke,

will give us the key to the name of the demon which is to appear

presently. Here is the table that will help us. The three root-consonants

of the word _Mizra(el)_ correspond to three others in the planet Mars,

which contain the name--let us pronounce it silently, let us merely

whisper it, for it is the name of the desired demon--_Tekfael_![38]

"The sum of the numerical value of the letters in this name is 488. A

remarkable number, every figure reminding us of the mystical _four_, of

the elements and of their correspondences! We shall commune with one of

the mightiest and most terrible among the demons. On the waxen tablet with

an iron frame, I now inscribe the name of the demon, adding the number

488, and these peculiar strokes which make up his signature. Time does not

allow me to tell you now the rules by which the signature is formed from

the name.[39]

"The preparations are now completed, it only remains to order the

apparatus, and to array ourselves. When we have put our implements in

order, consecrated the room, cleansed ourselves by a bath, put on the

white robe, wrapped a red mantle around (for red is the color of Mars),

buckled the girdle of Mars about our waists, assumed the diadem, the

breast-plates and the rings, I kindle on the altar my magical light, and

the fire for incense, and draw the magical circle. Then an intense prayer

for the protection of God, then the incantation.

"Here is the conjuration-book, the so-called Conjurer of Hell. I open at

the page on which the martial incantations begin. The book is placed

within the circle. When needed, I grasp it with the left hand; I hold the

staff with my right."...

The Gothic room in which the incantation was to take place, presented a

strange and at the same time solemn and awful aspect. The magician had

arranged with practiced hand the things before mentioned. The skulls, the

bones of men and beasts, the murderous weapons and the martial

essence-flasks, the various and indescribable fragments from all the

kingdoms of nature formed, nearest to the walls, different figures,

triangles, squares and pentagons. Red drapery was hung over the naked

walls. In the midst of the room and inside the circularly arranged

pentagram were the fire and incense-altar with holy water. On a table in

the rear, but partly within the circle, the magical lights were burning,

and diffused an uncertain whitish-yellow light over the objects. Near the

candlestick were the two bells. We were arrayed in our garments. The face

of my companion was pale as death: probably mine also.

"Courage, fortitude! ... or you are lost!" whispered the magician, whose

eye beamed with a dark, solemn determination, and whose every feature

expressed at this moment a terrible resolution.

These were his last words before the incantation. We were allowed to

answer nothing. I tried to be courageous, but my soul was shaken by a

dreadful expectation. The prayer and religious ceremonies which we had

performed after the bath and change of dress, had not diminished but only

intensified this feeling.

The night wind shook the windows hidden behind the heavy draperies. It

seemed as if ghosts from another world had been lurking behind the gently

waving curtains.

Even the skulls appeared to me to bode from their sunken, vacant eyes, the

arrival of something appalling. One of them attracted my attention for a

long time, or rather exercised on me the same influence which the eye of

the rattle-snake is said to have upon the bird which he approaches to

devour. I noticed in the eye a metallic lustre. It was the gleam of the

light reflected from a martial stone fastened in the skull.

In the mean time the magician had seized the blood-stained sword, and

drew, murmuring a prayer the while, a threefold magical circle around the

pentagram. Between the circumferences he wrote the names of the angels of

the year, the season, the day and the hour. Towards the east he made the

sign of _Alpha_, towards the west of _Omega_. Then he divided the circle

by a cross into four fields. He assigned two of them, those behind him, to

me and my companions. They were large enough to kneel upon. We were

strictly enjoined not to leave them, not to allow even a fold of our

mantles to wave outside the circle. Forgetfulness in this respect would

cost us our lives. The magician put aside his sword in a triangle outside

of the circle. He sprinkled himself and us with holy water, read

formularies over the incense and the thorn twigs, and kindled them. This

was the sign for us to give ourselves to prayer. We must not cease praying

until we had heard the first word of the incantation. The incense spread,

as it were, a dim transparent veil over the room. Here and there it was

condensed into strange figures: now human, now fantastic animal shapes

arose against the vaulted wall and sank again.

There must have been something narcotical in those vapory clouds. I looked

at them in a half dreaming state while my lips repeated inaudibly the

enjoined prayers.

I was aroused from this condition by the first word of the incantation

which struck my soul like a thunder-bolt, and awakened me to full

consciousness of my position and of the significance of the hour. The

blood in my veins seemed changed to ice.

The magician stood before me, tall, erect and commanding. He had taken the

incantation-book and now read from it with a hollow voice the first

citation, which begins with a long formulary invoking the different

mystical names of God.

I can not repeat the quotation. The highest and the lowest, the divine and

the infernal, that for whose sacredness we feel an irrepressible reverence

and that for whose impiety we experience the deepest horror, were united

here in the most solemn and the most terrible words that human tongue has

ever stammered. Now first I began to form an idea of the power of words.

The name of the demon was not yet uttered. The nearer the moment for its

pronunciation approached, the deeper became the voice of the magician. Now

came the formula of invocation, and now--resounded the name _Tekfael_.

It appeared as if a thousand-fold but whispering echo from the vault

above, from the corners of the room, from all the skulls and from the very

incantation-book itself, repeated that name.

"Here you see one of the nets which magic has stretched from the Empyrean