Giambattista della Porta — Natural Magick

Revised and Edited by Paul Summers Young
Cover Design by Andrei Bouzikov
 
Giambattista della Porta, a Renaissance polymath based in Naples, significantly contributed to science and esoteric wisdom. His magnum opus, "Magia Naturalis" (Natural Magick), is a foundational text blending ancient knowledge with the emerging scientific discoveries of his time.
 
„Natural „Magick is a comprehensive compilation of the natural world's wonders, documenting the properties of plants, minerals, and other natural phenomena. Della Porta's work bridges the gap between alchemy and chemistry and between astrology and astronomy. His studies on magnets, herbs, and optical illusions were pioneering, and his experiments on lenses paved the way for the invention of the telescope.
 
The book is not merely a collection of experiments but an exploration of the natural world's hidden aspects. It includes studies on talismans, sympathetic magic, and the correspondences between celestial and terrestrial phenomena. Della Porta sought naturalistic explanations for phenomena traditionally considered magical, validating them through references to classical literature.
 
Our edition of "Natural Magick," revised and edited by Paul Summers Young, is based on the 1658 London edition, a translation of the expanded Latin edition 1589. This edition includes the previously suppressed chapter "Lamiarum Unguenta" (The Witches' Ointment). Summers Young has modernized the spelling and punctuation while retaining the text's Early Modern character. Enhanced readability is achieved through a new layout, rational paragraphing, and an introduction by Young, which discusses the text's significance and origins.