Pagina 20 di 483

Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate; I

desire, therefore, in this narration, to state those facts which

led to my predilection for that science. When I was thirteen

years of age we all went on a party of pleasure to the baths near

Thonon; the inclemency of the weather obliged us to remain a day

confined to the inn. In this house I chanced to find a volume of

the works of Cornelius Agrippa. I opened it with apathy; the

theory which he attempts to demonstrate and the wonderful facts

which he relates soon changed this feeling into enthusiasm. A new

light seemed to dawn upon my mind, and bounding with joy, I

communicated my discovery to my father. My father looked

carelessly at the title page of my book and said, "Ah! Cornelius

Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is

sad trash."