108 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



tokens ; natural is, when the mind hath a presention by an 

 internal power, without the inducement of a sign. Artificial is 

 of two sorts: either when the argument is coupled with a 

 derivation of causes, which is rational; or when it is only 

 grTunded upon a coincidence of the effect, which is experi- 

 Sental whereof the latter for the most part is superstitious 

 sTch as were the heathen observations upon the inspection of 

 sacrifices, the flights of birds, the swarming of bees ; and such 

 as was the Chaldean astrology, and the like For artificial 

 divination, the several kinds thereof are distributed amongst 

 particular knowledges. The astronomer hath his predictions 

 as of conjunctions, aspects, eclipses, and the like. Ihe 

 physician hath his predictions, of death of recovery of the 

 accidents and issues of diseases. The politique hath his pre 

 dictions ; O urbem venalem, et cito perituram, si emptorem 

 invenerit! which stayed not long to be performed, in Sylla 

 first and after in Caesar : so as these predictions are now 

 impertinent and to be referred over. But the divination 

 which springeth from the internal nature of the soul is th 

 which we now speak of ; which hath been made to be of two 

 sorts, primitive and by influxion. Primitive is grounded upon 

 the supposition that the mind, when it is withdrawn and 

 collected into itself, and not diffused into the organs of the 

 body hath some extent and latitude of prenotion ; which 

 therefore appeareth most in sleep, in ecstasies and near death 

 and more rarely in waking apprehensions ; and u induced and 

 furthered by those abstinences and observances which make the 

 mLd most to consist in itself. By influxion, is grounded upop 

 the conceit that the mind, as a mirror or glass, should take 

 illumination from the foreknowledge of God and spirits : unto 

 which the same regiment doth likewise conduce. For the 

 ret rin of the mind within itself is the state which is most 

 susceptible of divine influxions ; save that it is accompanied in 

 this case with a fervency and elevation (which the ancients 

 noted by fury), and not with a repose and quiet, as it is 



^[ Fascination is the power and act of imagination intensive 

 upon other bodies than the body of the imagmant, for of that 

 we spake in the proper place. Wherein the school of Para- 

 cTlsus and the disciples of pretended natural magic have 

 been so intemperate, as they have exalted the power of the 

 imagination to be much one with the power of miracle-working 

 faith. Others, that draw nearer to probability, calling to 

 their view the secret passages of things and specially of the 

 contagion that passeth from body to body, do conceive it 



