A TREATISE 



the childe being then already formed and quickened ; and they 

 -feeme to be made fuddenly, as by the print of a feale. There- 

 fore to render the caufe of them. Jet us confider another fym- 

 pathy which is more plain andcommon. We fee that the laugh- 

 ing of one man, will fet another on laughing that feeth him 

 laugh, though he know not the caufe why the firft man laugh- 

 eth : and the like we fee in yawning and flretchmg, which bree- 

 deth the like effect in the looker on. I have heard of a man, 

 that feeing a rotted piege, after our Englifh fafhion with the 

 mouth gaping, could not fhut his owne mouth as long as hee 

 looked upon the pigges : and of another, that when he law any 

 man make a certaine motion with his hand , could not choofe 

 but he muft make the fame : fo that, being a tyier by his trade, 

 and having one hand imployedwith holding his tooles. whiles he 

 held himfelfe with the other upon the eaves of ahoulehee was 

 mending, a man flanding below on the ground, made that fign 

 or motion to him; whereupon he quitted his holdfeft to imi- 

 tate that motion, and fell downe, in danger of breaking his 

 necke. 



All thefe effects, doe proceed out of the action of the feene 

 object upon the fentafie of the looker on : which making the 

 pifture or JikenefTe of its own action in the others fantafie, ma* 

 keth his ipirirs runne to the fame parts ; and confequently, 

 move the fame members, that is., doe the lame actions. And 

 fience it is, that when we heare one fpeake with love and tender- 

 neffeofan abfent perfon, we are alfo inclined to love that per- 

 ibn, though we never fawhim, nor heard of him before: and 

 that whatfoever a good Oratour delivered! well, (that is, with 

 a femblance of pa/lion agreeable to his words) raifeth of its 

 owne nature, like affection in the hearers : and that generally 

 nen learne and imitate ( without defigne) the cuftomes and 

 manners oft he company they much haunt. 



To apply this to our intent, it is eafie to conceive, that al- 

 though the childe in the mothers wombe, can neither fee nor 

 heare what the mother doth , neverthelefle there can not pafle 

 any great or violent motion in the mothers body , whereof 

 fome eftect doth not reach untothe childe, which is then, one 

 sontinuate piece with her : and the proper effect of motion or 



of 



