Another instance of the assumed prerogative of the holy fathers may be found in their conduct towards the house of Medici; for the pontiffs, it is known, induced the house of Medici, by granting it the cardinalship, to suppress the academy del Cimento. The reason of this step is obvious to all; for they were sensible, that, if the people became once enlightened, they would lose their weight, their influence, and authority. But as jugglers are conscious of their gross deceptions, working on the imagination and credulity of the multitude, they in this respect appear at least to know themselves. Like the juggler mentioned in Xenophon, who requested the gods to allow him to remain in places, where there was much money and abundance of simpletons, they acted as the prototype. We might enumerate, if it were not irrelevant to our subject, a number of facts concerning these impostors.[9]
The miracles wrought by Moses, as recorded in the books of Exodus, were, we have reason to believe, by the immediate command of a supreme power. When Moses had commissioned Aaron (Exodus, chap. vii, verse 9, 10, &c.) to be a prophet, Aaron took a rod and cast it before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent; but it seems, however, that Pharaoh called the wise men and the sorcerers, called the magicians of Egypt, who performed the same thing with their enchantments; "for they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." It appears that on another occasion, the waters were turned into blood by smiting them with the rod; "and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments." When Aaron was commanded to stretch forth his hand with his rod over the streams, &c. frogs appeared upon the land, and the magicians did so likewise; but when vermin were brought forth, by smiting the land, the magicians were unsuccessful, and said unto Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." In the continuation of the plague, Moses and Aaron were commanded to take the ashes of the furnace, before Pharaoh, and sprinkle them up towards Heaven; and it became a hail on man and beast, but the magicians were affected, and could not stand before Moses. When Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven "hail, and fire mingled with hail," came down; and on another occasion, they brought forth locusts. When this plague ceased, Moses caused darkness to prevail.
We will merely observe, that, with regard to the magi of Egypt, who it is known possessed all the learning of the day, and were celebrated in after ages for superior wisdom, so much so that many of the Grecians resorted there to be initiated into their mysteries—they were of a different description from those who really worked miracles, according to divine inspiration. Hence we find, that, although distinct in their character, the magicians of Egypt pretended to perform certain rites, and to work upon the feelings of the people. Their initiary process, which the Pythagoreans in many respects pursued, and traces of which are extant in the order of free-masonry, was merely intended to preserve their knowledge within the pale of, and veiled in, hieroglyphic mystery, which none but the initiated could understand. Priestley, in his Institutes of Moses, points out the difference between the magi, so called, and the rites and ceremonies of the ancient Hebrews. But the imposition practised on mankind, even in modern times, aided by engines of the most abominable kind, as instruments of torture, in the inquisitorial tribunals of Portugal and Spain, are sufficient of themselves to call down the vengeance of impartial justice.
That the magicians were conscious of their inability to work miracles, is evident from their own declaration; for, after vermin had been brought forth by Moses and Aaron, they endeavoured to do the same, and being unsuccessful declared, that this was the finger of God; and many other instances are recorded of their attempts being altogether abortive. It appears also, that at first they believed they were able to perform all that Moses had done; and Pharaoh himself, by calling them together for that purpose, seemed to be of the same opinion, until he and his servants were finally convinced that Moses and Aaron wrought such miracles by inspiration. There can be no relation whatever between Moses and the magicians; for although he was, if we may judge from biblical history, acquainted with all the knowledge of the magicians, his mission was altogether of a different character. Many of the modern Greek and Armenian priests, in their celebration of the holy fire, palm upon their credulous followers, a belief, that they possess the power of working miracles, as will appear from the account we shall give of them. We will not enlarge on this subject at present, but pass on to consider the more common performances, which have excited the wonder and admiration of mankind.
The deception of breathing out flames, which excites the astonishment of the ignorant, is very ancient. When the slaves of Sicily, about two centuries ago, made a formidable insurrection, and avenged themselves in a cruel manner for the severities which they had suffered, there was among them a Syrian named Eunus, a man of great craft and courage, who, having passed through many scenes of life, had become acquainted with a variety of arts. He pretended to have immediate communication with the gods; was the oracle and leader of his fellow slaves; and, as is usual on such occasions, confirmed his divine mission by miracles. When, heated by enthusiasm, he was desirous of inspiring his followers with courage, he breathed flames or sparks among them from his mouth while he was addressing them. We are told by historians, that, for this purpose, he pierced a nut shell at both ends, and, having filled it with some burning substance, put it into his mouth and breathed through it. Some affirm, that he used tow previously soaked in a solution of saltpetre. The deception at present is much better performed. The juggler rolls together some flax or hemp; sets it on fire; and suffers it to burn till it is nearly consumed; he then rolls round it, while burning, some more flax, and by these means the fire may be retained in it a long time. When he wishes to exhibit, he slips the ball into his mouth and breathes through it; which again revives the fire, so that a number of weak sparks proceed from it; and the performer sustains no hurt, provided he inspire the air not through the mouth but the nostrils.
By this art, the rabbi Bar-Cacheba, in the reign of the emperor Hadrian, made the credulous Jews believe, that he was the hoped for Messias, and two centuries after, the emperor Constantius was thrown into great terror, when Valentian informed him, that he had seen one of the body guards breathing out fire and flames in the evening.
It appears evident from the writings of Herodotus, that the ancients possessed a knowledge of attracting lightning, or the electric fluids with pointed instruments made of iron. He informs us, that the Thracians disarmed heaven of its thunder-bolts, by discharging arrows into the air; and the Hyperboreans by darting into the clouds, pikes headed with pieces of sharp pointed iron.
Pliny speaks of a process, by which Porsena caused fire from the heavens to fall upon a monster which ravaged his country. He mentions also, that Numa Pompilius, and Tullius Hostilius practised certain mysterious rites to call down the fire from heaven. What these mysterious rites were is of no moment; the fact is sufficient. Tullius, because he omitted some prescribed ceremony, is said to have been killed by the fire. A similar accident happened in France with the electrical kite.[10]
For deceptions with fire, the ancients employed a number of inflammable substances, which they dexterously used; among them, naphtha, a fine bituminous oil, which readily inflames, was principally used. (For the effect of naphtha, see Greek fire.) Galen informs us, that a person excited great surprise by extinguishing a candle, and again lighting it without any other process than holding it against a wall or a stone. This, Galen observes, (De Temperamentis, iii. 2, p. 44.) was effected in consequence of the wall or stone being previously rubbed with sulphur, which, however, must have been something more. He also speaks of a mixture of sulphur and naphtha. If it had been phosphorus, or some of its preparations, it would appear more probable.
Plutarch relates the secret effects of naphtha, and observes, that Alexander was astonished and delighted, when it was exhibited to him in Ecbatana. Medea destroyed Creusa, the daughter of Creon, with this oil. This fact is stated by Plutarch, Pliny, Galen, and others, and believed by Beckman. She sent, it appears, to the unfortunate princess, a dress covered with it, which burst into flames as soon as she approached the fire of the altar. The dress of Hercules, which also took fire, was dipped in naphtha, though said to be in the blood of Nessus. On the subject of naphtha, Beckman remarks, "that this oil must have been employed when offerings caught fire in