Publisher's Synopsis
The late Eusebe Salverte, a French gentleman of Republican principles, and a scholar of great learning and judgment; indeed, if we may trust Arago's eulogy of him, "one of the most learned men of our age, in languages, science, and political economy," undertook to examine the stories of miracles and prodigies related by ancient historians, in a philosophical spirit; for a skeptical sneer, substituting a scientific explanation. We have read his work with great attention, and cannot but set a very high value upon it as a truly philosophical production, likely to do infinite service to science and liberal learning. It is certainly an important step towards a better opinion of human nature to have relieved the great writers of antiquity from the odium of falsehood which has fallen upon them, since, through the discoveries of modern times their narratives of miracles and prodigies have become exceptionable or ridiculous. Could they rise from their tombs, they could not but thank the learned Salverte for the service he has done their reputations in this ingenious and truly delightful work, the "Philosophy of Magic."
Dr. Todd, the translator of these volumes, has very judiciously omitted the explanations of scripture miracles. "I have felt it my duty," says he, "to expunge from their pages every passage relating to the sacred volume, and at the same time to change somewhat the title of the work, by substituting the words "apparent miracles," for "miracles."
It is well known that the Egyptians worked miracles by magic; but the Fathers of the Church believed this magic to be of demoniacal origin, and a trick of the devil. We have but to read Salverte, to understand that whatever magic they used must have been grounded in practical chemistry. Why the science of the ancients should have fallen into oblivion, is also explained. "If anyone," says Salverte, "remain skeptical regarding (the existence of a real science of chemistry in the arcana of the temples, ) he may convince himself by reference to the analogy displayed in the progress of alchemy prior to the rise of true chemistry, to have there a type of the empirical manner in which the sciences were studied, cultivated and fostered, in the ancient temples, The priests searched after, and sometimes produced, astonishing phenomena; but neglecting the theory of the principles, and preserving no record of the means employed."
--The American Whig Review, Volume 6
