II.] ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 179 



stayed not long to be performed in Sylla first, and after in Ca?sar ; so 

 as these predictions are now impertinent, and to be referred over. 

 But the divination which springcth from the internal nature of the 

 soul, is that which we now speak of, uhich 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 supposition, that the mind, when it is withdrawn and collected into 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 

 extasics, and near death, and more rarely in waking apprehensions ; 

 and is induced and furthered by those abstinences and observances 

 which make the mind most to consist in itself. By influxion, is 

 grounded upon 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 retiring of 

 the mind within itself, is the state which is most susceptible of divine 

 inrluxions, 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 in the other. 



Fascination is the power and act of imagination more intensive 

 upon other bodies than the body of the imaginant : for of that we 

 speak in the proper place ; wherein the school of Paracelsus, 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 

 especially of the contagion that passeth from body to body, do con 

 ceive it should likewise be agreeable to nature, that there should be 

 some transmissions and operations from spirit to spirit without the 

 mediation of the senses : whence the conceits have grown, now almost 

 made civil, of the mastering spirit, and the force of confidence, and the 

 like. Incident unto this is the inquiry how to raise and fortify the 

 imagination ; for if the imagination fortified have power, then it is 

 material to know how to fortify and exalt it. And herein comes in 

 crookedly and dangerously, a palliation of a great part of ceremonial 

 magic. For it may be pretended, that ceremonies, characters, and 

 charms, do work, not by any tacit or sacramental contract with evil 

 spirits, but serve only to strengthen the imagination of him that useth 

 it ; as images arc said by the Roman church to fix the cogitations, and 

 raise the devotions of them that pray before them. But for mine own 

 judgment, if it be admitted that imagination hath power, and that 

 ceremonies fortify imagination, and that they be used sincerely and 

 intentionally for that purpose ; yet I should hold them unlawful, as 

 opposing to that first edict which God gave unto man, &quot; In sudore 

 vultus comedes panem tuum.&quot; For they propound those noble effects, 

 which God hath set forth unto man to be bought at the price of labour, 

 to be attained by a few easy and slothful observances. Deficiencies 

 in these knowledges I will report none, other than .the general de- 

 ficience, that it is not known how much of them is verity, and how 

 much vanity. 



