CENTURY X. .317 



cipateth of a miracle, by God s just judgment, who 

 usually bringeth murders to light : but if it be 

 natural, it must be referred to imagination. 



959. The tying of the point upon the day of 

 marriage, to make men impotent towards their wives, 

 which, as we have formerly touched, is so frequent 

 in Zant and Gascony, if it be natural, must be 

 referred to the imagination of him that tieth the 

 point. I conceive it to have the less affinity with 

 witchcraft, because not peculiar persons only, such 

 as witches are, but any body may do it. 



Experiments in consort touching the secret virtue of 

 sympathy and antipathy. 



960. There be many things that work upon 

 the spirits of man by secret sympathy and antipathy : 

 the virtues of precious stones worn, have been 

 anciently and generally received, and curiously as 

 signed to work several effects. So much is true; 

 that stones have in them fine spirits, as appeareth by 

 their splendour ; and therefore they may work by 

 consent upon the spirits of men, to comfort and 

 exhilarate them. Those that are the best, for that 

 effect, are the diamond, the emerald, the jacinth 

 oriental, and the gold stone, which is the yellow 

 topaz. As for their particular properties, there is no 

 credit to be given to them. But it is manifest, that 

 light, above all things, excelleth in comforting the 

 spirits of men : and it is very probable, that light 

 varied doth the same effect, with more novelty. And 

 this is one of the causes why precious stones comfort. 



