506 NATURAL HISTORY. 



and persisting, and importunity, there should be 

 some secret binding, and stooping of other men s 

 spirits to such persons. 



944. The affections, no doubt, do make the 

 spirits more powerful and active ; and especially 

 those affections which draw the spirits into the eyes : 

 which are two ; love, and envy, which is called ocu- 

 lus malus. As for love, the Platonists, some of 

 them, go so far as to hold that the spirit of the lover 

 doth pass into the spirits of the person loved ; which 

 causeth the desire of return into the body whence it 

 was emitted : whereupon followeth that appetite 

 of contact and conjunction which is in lovers. And 

 this is observed likewise, that the aspects which pro 

 cure love, are not gazings, but sudden glances and 

 dartings of the eye. As for envy, that emitteth 

 some malign and poisonous spirit, which taketh hold 

 of the spirit of another; and is likewise of greatest 

 force when the cast of the eye is oblique. It hath 

 been noted also, that it is most dangerous when 

 an envious eye is cast upon persons in glory, and 

 triumph, and joy. The reason whereof is, for that at 

 such times the spirits come forth most into the out 

 ward parts, and so meet the percussion of the envious 

 eye more at hand : and therefore it hath been noted* 

 that after great triumphs, men have been ill-disposed 

 for some days following. We see the opinion of fas-- 

 cination is ancient, for both effects ; of procuring 

 love ; and sickness caused by envy : and fascination 

 is ever by the eye. But yet if there be any such in 

 fection from spirit to spirit, there is no doubt but 



