Note 2 — INTRODUCTORY NOTE. (continued 2)

“Precisely. Listen to this passage;”—and El-Râmi read aloud—“‘The King, when he had any affair, assembled the Priests without the City Memphis, and the People met together in the streets of the said City. Then they (the Priests) made their entrance one after another in order, the drum beating before them to bring the people together; and every one made some miraculous discovery of his Magick and Wisdom. One had, to their thinking who looked on him, his face surrounded with a light like that of the Sun, so that none could look earnestly upon him. Another seemed clad with a Robe beset with precious stones of divers colours, green, red, or yellow, or wrought with gold. Another came mounted on a Lion compassed with Serpents like Girdles. Another came in covered with a canopy or pavilion of Light. Another appeared surrounded with Fire turning about him, so as that nobody durst come near him. Another was seen with dreadful birds perching about his head and shaking their wings like black eagles and vultures. In fine, every one did what was taught him;—yet all was but Apparition and Illusion without any reality, insomuch that when they came up to the King they spake thus to him:—You imagined that it was so and so,—but the truth is that it was such or such a thing.’[2] The A B C of magnetism is contained in the last words—” continued El-Râmi, lifting his eyes from the book,—“The merest tyro in the science knows that; and also realises that the Imagination is the centre of both physical and bodily health or disease. And did you learn nothing more?”