"Simon Hawke - Wizard 7 - The Wizard of Camelot" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawke Simon)

and
highly skilled adepts."
"You mean it's actually possible to conjure up a demon? Or turn someone into
a
toadstool?"

"Certainly,'' Merlin replied.' 'But never mind that for now. If I tried to
explain it, you would only become even more confused. We need to take things
slowly. What you first said, that magic is a way of influencing one's
environment, is exactly correct. That is all magic is, in essence. And I have
already told you that there is nothing supernatural about it. It's a skill
that
may be learned, albeit not easily, just as this hypnotism you described. I'm
quite certain that, in time, I could teach you to perform a few fairly simple
and undemanding spells yourself. It's no different from any other form of
knowledge. Consider your television. I have no idea how it works, exactly, but
I
believe I understand the principle involved. Within it are some sort of
devices
for storing and receiving energy, which is transmitted through the ether and
then transformed into the sounds and images you see. It is nothing less than
sorcery, Thomas, only you do not choose to call it sorcery. On the television,
I
heard a number of references to something called BBC, the British
Broadcasting
Company. Interesting word, broadcasting. One may infer that it entails casting
a
spell over a broad area, so that anyone who owns one of these television
boxes
may receive it."

"But broadcasting has nothing to do with casting spells." I protested,
restraining a silly urge to giggle. "It's merely the science of electronics."

"Electronics, broadcasting, science, magic... call it what you will," replied
Merlin with a shrug. "Take away the name and what do you have? Knowledge of
certain natural principles and the application of those principles. That's
all
magic is. Knowledge and application. And a certain degree of skill, of
course.
You understand the television, so it is no great mystery to you. It does not
seem supernatural. It would only seem so if you didn't understand it. Magic
is
no different. Once you understand the principles involved, you shall accept
it
as easily as you accept the television."

"You make it sound almost simple," I said.

"I did not say it was simple," Merlin replied. "Do you possess the skill to