of this writer, it will suffice to read the
story he relates of one Damis. But we find, above all, an
incomparable abridgment of those extravagant wonders in a little book
dedicated to the Cardinal Horace Maffei, entitled, "Compendium
Melificarum," or the "Abridgment of Witches," printed at Milan in
1608.

XVI. In a word, it is of no little importance to destroy the popular
errors which attack the unalterable attributes of the Supreme Being,
as if he had laid it down as a law to himself that he would condescend
to all the impious and fantastic wishes of malignant spirits, and of
the madman who had recourse to them, by seconding them, and permitting
the wonderful effects that they desire to produce. Do reason and good
sense allow us to imagine that the Sovereign Master of all things, who
for reasons which we are not permitted to examine, refuses so often to
grant our most ardent prayers for what we need, whether it be public
or private, can be so prompt to lend an ear to the requests of the
vilest and most wicked, by allowing that which they desire to happen?
So long as they believe in the reality of magic, that it is able to
work wonders, and that by means of it man can force the demon to obey,
it will be in vain to preach against the superstition, impiety, and
folly of wizards. There will always be found too many people who will
try to succeed in it, and will even fancy they have succeeded in it in
fact. To uproot this pest we must begin by making men clearly
understand that it is useless in them to be guilty of this horrible
crime; that in this way they never obtain anything they wish for, and
that all that is said on this subject is fabulous and chimerical. It
will not be difficult to persuade any sensible person of this truth,
by only leading him to pay attention, and mark if it be possible that
all these pretended miracles can be true, whilst it is proved that
magic has never possessed the power to enrich those who professed it,
which would be much more easy. How could this wonderful art send
maladies to those who were in good health, render a married couple
impotent, or make any one invisible or invulnerable, whilst it has
never been able to bring a hundred crowns, which another would keep
locked up in his strong box? And why do we not make any use of so
wonderful an art in armies? Why is it so little sought after by
princes and their ministers? The most efficacious means for
dissipating all these vain fancies wo