Les devins, ou, commentaire des principales sortes de devinations :

In those times where critical scientific debate is under the threath of magical thinking and technocratic tyranny (kneeling at the altar of the holy process), where individual liberty is being supplemented by quasi-religious dogma (such as the Malthusian climate and energy beliefs of the past fifty years, or the health dictature of the period 2020-2022), I came across this curious book at an antique shop, and couldn't help but reading that we have been there before.

The deviners, or comments on the principal sorts of divinations (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means), was written in Latin by Caspar Peucer in the 16th Century and translated into French by the poet Simon Goudart (1548-1628); this edition is dated 1584, printed in Anvers (today part of Belgium) by Heudrik Connix.

Caspar Peucer (1525-1602) was well known through his writings on mathematics and astronomy.; he was the son in law of Philipp Melanchthon (1497 - 1560), a German intellectual leader, defender and close collaborator of Martin Luther during the Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems.

The book covers all forms of predictions and prophecies, such as physiognomy, palmistry, astrology, the meaning of dreams, the analysis of characters, weather influence, as well as medical diagnostic. Demons and Satan are also present, with their arguments being refuted by the author.

No doubt our readers might also find some parallels with today’s financial industry.

The book can be accessed at Google Books.