CENTURY X. 137 



upon other bodies, and of the means to exalt and 

 strengthen it. Imagination in this place I under 

 stand to be, the representation of an individual 

 thought. Imagination, is of three kinds : the first 

 joined with belief of that which is to come: the 

 second joined with memory of that which is past : 

 and the third is of things present, or as if they were 

 present ; for I comprehend in this, imaginations 

 feigned and at pleasure; as if one should imagine 

 such a man to be in the vestments of a Pope, or to 

 have wings. I single out, for this time, that which 

 is with faith or belief of that which is to come. 

 The inquisition of this subject in our way (which 

 is by induction) is wonderful hard : for the things 

 that are reported are full of fables; and new ex 

 periments can hardly be made but with extreme 

 caution, for the reason which we will hereafter 

 declare. 



The power of imagination is in three kinds : the 

 first upon the body of the imaginant, including like 

 wise the child in the mother s womb ; the second is, 

 the power of it upon dead bodies, as plants, wood, 

 stone, metal, &c. ; the third is, the power of it upon 

 the spirits of men and living creatures : and with 

 this last we will only meddle. 



The problem therefore is, whether a man con 

 stantly and strongly believing that such a thing 

 shall be, (as that such an one will love him, or 

 that such an one will grant him his request, or that 



