158 NATURAL HISTORY. 



nation ; and touching the fortifying of the same. We 

 have set down also some few instances and directions, 

 of the force of imagination upon beasts, birds, &c. ; 

 upon plants ; and upon inanimate bodies : wherein you 

 must still observe, that your trials be upon subtile and 

 lio-ht motions, and not the contrary ; for you will sooner 

 by imagination bind a bird from singing than from eating 

 or flying ; and I leave it to every man to choose experi 

 ments which himself thinketh most commodious ; giving 

 now but a few examples of every of the three kinds. 



990. Use some imaginant, (observing the rules for 

 merly prescribed,) for binding of a bird from singing ; 

 and the like of a dog from barking. Try also the 

 imagination of some, whom you shall accommodate 

 with things to fortify it, in cock-fights, to make one 

 cock more hardy and the other more cowardly. It 

 would be tried also in flying of hawks ; or in coursing 

 of a deer, or hart, with grey-hounds ; or in horse 

 races ; and the like comparative motions ; for you may 

 sooner by imagination quicken or slack a motion, than 

 raise or cease it ; as it is easier to make a dog go 

 slower, than to make him stand still that he may not 

 run. 



991. In plants also, you may try the force of imagi 

 nation upon the lighter sort of motions : as upon the 

 sudden fading, or lively coming up of herbs ; or upon 

 their bending one way or other ; or upon their closing 

 and opening, &c. 



992. For inanimate things, you may try the force 

 of imagination upon staying the working of beer when 

 the barm is put in ; or upon the coming of butter or 

 cheese, after the churning, 1 or the rennet be put in. 



1 cherming in the original. J. S. 



