She spoke with great contempt of the
frivolity and benighted ignorance of the modern Europeans, and
mentioned in proof of this, that they were not only untaught in
astrology, but were unacquainted with the common and every-day
phenomena produced by magic art. She spoke as if she would make me
understand that all sorcerous spells were completely at her
command, but that the exercise of such powers would be derogatory
to her high rank in the heavenly kingdom. She said that the spell
by which the face of an absent person is thrown upon a mirror was
within the reach of the humblest and most contemptible magicians,
but that the practice of such-like arts was unholy as well as
vulgar.
We spoke of the bending twig by which, it is said, precious metals
may be discovered. In relation to this, the prophetess told me a
story rather against herself, and inconsistent with the notion of
her being perfect in her science; but I think that she mentioned
the facts as having happened before the time at which she attained
to the great spiritual authority which she now arrogated. She told
me that vast treasures were known to exist in a situation which she
mentioned, if I rightly remember, as being near Suez; that
Napoleon, profanely brave, thrust his arm into the cave containing
the coveted gold, and that instantly his flesh became palsied, but
the youthful hero (for she said he was great in his generation) was
not to be thus daunted; he fell back characteristically upon his
brazen resources, and ordered up his artillery; but man could not
strive with demons, and Napoleon was foiled.
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