Aradia or the Gospel of The Witches

CHAPTER VII

TO FIND OR BUY ANYTHING, OR TO HAVE GOOD FORTUNE THEREBY

     The man or woman who, when about to go forth into the town, would 
fain be free from danger or risk of an accident, or to have good fortune
in buying, as, for instance, if a scholar hopes that he may find some 
rare old book or manuscript for sale very cheaply, or if any one wishes 
to buy anything very desirable or to find bargains or rarities.  
This scongiurazione serves for good
health, cheerfulness of heart, and absence of evil or the overcoming enmity.
These are words of gold unto the believer.

          'Tis Tuesday now, and at an early hour
          I fain would turn good fortune to myself,
          Firstly at home and then when I go forth,
          And with the aid of beautiful Diana
          I pray for luck ere I do leave this house!

          First with three drops of oil I do remove
          All evil influence, and I humbly pray,
          O beautiful Diana, unto thee
          That thou wilt take it all away from me,
          And send it all to my worst enemy!

          When the evil fortune
          Is taken from me,
          I'll cast it out to the middle of the street
          And if thou wilt grant me this favour,
          O beautiful Diana, 
          Every bell in my house shall merrily ring!

          Then well contented
          I will go forth to roam,
          Because I shall be sure that with thy aid
          I shall discover ere I return
          Some fine and ancient books,
          And at a moderate price.

          And thou shalt find the man,
          The one who owns the book,
          And thou thyself wilt go
          And put it in his mind,
          Inspiring him to know
          What 'tis that thou would'st find
          And move him into doing
          All that thou dost require.
          Or if a manuscript
          Written in ancient days,
          Thou'lt gain it all the same,
          It shall come in thy way,
          And thus at little cost.
          Thou shalt buy what thou wilt
          By great Diana's aid.

     The foregoing was obtained, after some delay, in reply to a query 
as to what conjuration would be required before going forth, to make 
sure that one should find for sale some rare book, or other object desired,
at a very moderate price.  Therefore the invocation has been so worded as
to make it applicable to literary finds; but those who wish to buy anything
whatever on equally favorable terms, have but to vary the request, 
retaining the introduction, in which the magic virtue consists.  I cannot, 
however, resist the conviction that this is most applicable to, and will
succeed best with, researches for objects of antiquity, scholarship, and 
art, and it should accordingly be deeply impressed on the memory of every
bric-a-brac hunter and bibliographer.  It should be observed, and that 
earnestly, that the prayer, far from being answered, will turn to the 
contrary or misfortune, unless the one who repeats it does so in fullest
faith, and this cannot be acquired by merely saying to oneself, 
"I believe."  For to acquire real faith in anything requires long and
serious mental discipline, there being, in fact, no subject which is so
generally spoken of and so little understood.  Here indeed, I am speaking
seriously, for the man who can train his faith to actually believe in 
and cultivate or develop his will can really work what the world by 
common consent regards as miracles.  A time will come when this principle
will form not only the basis of all education, but also that of all moral
and social culture.  I have, I trust, fully set it forth in a work
entitled "Have you a Strong Will? or how to Develop it or 
any other Faculty or Attribute of the Mind, and render it Habitual,"
&c. London: George Redway.

     The reader, however, who has devout faith, can, as the witches declare,
apply this spell daily before going forth to procuring or obtaining any 
kind of bargains at shops, to picking up or discovering lost objects, or,
in fact, to finds of any kind.  If he incline to beauty in female form, he
will meet with bonnes fortunes; if a man of business,
bargains will be his.  The botanist who repeats it before going into the 
fields will probably discover some new plant, and the astronomer by night
be almost certain to run against a brand new planet, or at least an 
asteroid.  It should be repeated before going to the races, to visit 
friends, places of amusement, to buy or sell, to make speeches, and 
specially before hunting or any nocturnal goings-forth, since Diana is the
goddess of the chase and of night.  But woe to him who does it for a jest!
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