CENTURY X. 119 



Hercules in purging- the stable of Augeas, to sepa 

 rate from superstitious and magical arts and obser 

 vations, any thing that is clean and pure natural, and 

 not to be either contemned or condemned. And 

 although we shall have occasion to speak of this in 

 more places than one, yet we will now make some 

 entrance thereinto. 



Experiments in consort, monitory, touching transmission 

 of spirits and the force of imagination. 



901. Men are to be admonished that they do not 

 withdraw credit from the operations by transmission of 

 spirits and force of imagination, because the effects fail 

 sometimes. For as in infection and contagion from 

 body to body (as the plague and the like) it is most 

 certain that the infection is received (many times) by 

 the body passive, but yet is by the strength and good 

 disposition thereof repulsed and wrought out, before it 

 be formed into a disease ; so much more in impressions 

 from mind to mind, or from spirit to spirit, the impres 

 sion taketh, but is encountered and overcome by the 

 mind and spirit, which is passive, before it work any 

 manifest effect. And therefore they work most upon 

 weak minds and spirits ; as those of women, sick per 

 sons, superstitious and fearful persons, children and 

 young creatures. 



Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. 1 



The poet speaketh not of sheep, but of lambs. As for 

 the weakness of the power of them upon kings and 

 magistrates, it may be ascribed (besides the main, 



l Virg. Eclog. iii. 103. 



