Porta | An uncritical compilation of the fantastical and the empirical

Porta, John Baptista

Natural Magick: A Neapolitane In Twenty Books. London: Thomas Young and Samuel Speed, 1658

4to (260 x 175 mm). Engraved title-page by Robert Gaywood. Letterpress title printed in red and black; closed tear to pages 289-290, loss to lower corner affecting catchword on page 299, closely trimmed occasionally affecting page numbers. Contemporary speckled calf, spine gilt; lettering-piece split, hinges tender, wear to extremities, several gatherings slightly sprung in binding, bookplate removed from pastedowns.

First edition in English. Porta's Magia naturalis was first published in 1558. It is an uncritical compilation of the fantastical and the empirical, discussing subjects such as demonology, magnetism and the camera obscura. An expanded version was published in 1589, and it is from this edition that the present English translation is derived. 

PROVENANCE:

Lord Clifford Ugbrooke Library (inkstamp on front pastedown)