(1) For human knowledge which concerns the mind, it hath two parts; the one that inquireth of the substance or nature of the soul or mind, the other that inquireth of the faculties1 or functions thereof. Unto the first of these, the considerations of the original of the soul, whether it be native or adventive, and how far it is exempted2 from laws of matter, and of the immortality3 thereof, and many other points, do appertain: which have been not more laboriously4 inquired than variously reported; so as the travail5 therein taken seemeth to have been rather in a maze6 than in a way. But although I am of opinion that this knowledge may be more really and soundly inquired, even in nature, than it hath been, yet I hold that in the end it must be hounded by religion, or else it will be subject to deceit and delusion7. For as the substance of the soul in the creation was not extracted out of the mass of heaven and earth by the benediction8 of a producat, but was immediately inspired from God, so it is not possible that it should be (otherwise than by accident) subject to the laws of heaven and earth, which are the subject of philosophy; and therefore the true knowledge of the nature and state of the soul must come by the same inspiration that gave the substance. Unto this part of knowledge touching9 the soul there be two appendices; which, as they have been handled, have rather vapoured forth10 fables11 than kindled12 truth: divination13 and fascination14.
(2) Divination hath been anciently and fitly divided into artificial and natural: whereof artificial is, when the mind maketh a prediction by argument, concluding upon signs and 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 grounded upon a coincidence of the effect, which is experimental: whereof the latter for the most part is superstitious15, such as were the heathen observations upon the inspection16 of sacrifices, the flights of birds, the swarming17 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 astronomer18 hath his predictions, as of conjunctions, aspects, eclipses, and the like. The physician hath his predictions, of death, of recovery, of the accidents and issues of diseases. The politique hath his predictions; 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 that which we now speak of; which hath been made to be of two sorts, primitive19 and by influxion. Primitive is grounded upon the supposition that the mind, when it is withdrawn20 and collected into itself, and not diffused21 into the organs of the body, hath some extent and latitude22 of prenotion; which therefore appeareth most in sleep, in ecstasies23, and near death, and more rarely in waking apprehensions24; 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 conceit25 that the mind, as a mirror or glass, should take illumination from the foreknowledge of God and spirits: unto which the same regiment26 doth likewise conduce. For the retiring of the mind within itself is the state which is most susceptible27 of divine influxions; save that it is accompanied in this case with a fervency28 and elevation29 (which the ancients noted30 by fury), and not with a repose31 and quiet, as it is in the other.
(3) Fascination is the power and act of imagination intensive upon other bodies than the body of the imaginant, for of that we spake in the proper place. Wherein the school of Paracelsus, and the disciples32 of pretended natural magic, have been so intemperate33, as they have exalted35 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 specially36 of the contagion37 that passeth from body to body, do conceive it should likewise be agreeable to nature that there should be some transmissions and operations from spirit to spirit without the mediation38 of the senses; whence the conceits39 have grown (now almost made civil) of the mastering spirit, and the force of confidence, and the like. Incident unto this is the inquiry40 how to raise and fortify41 the imagination; for if the imagination fortified42 have power, then it is material to know how to fortify and exalt34 it. And herein comes in crookedly43 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 are said by the Roman Church to fix the cogitations and raise the devotions of them that pray before them. But for mine own judgment44, if it be admitted that imagination hath power, and that ceremonies fortify imagination, and that they be used sincerely and intentionally45 for that purpose; yet I should hold them unlawful, as opposing to that first edict which God gave unto man, In sudore vultus comedes panem tuum. For they propound46 those noble effects, which God hath set forth unto man to be bought at the price of labour, to be attained47 by a few easy and slothful observances. Deficiences in these knowledges I will report none, other than the general deficience, that it is not known how much of them is verity48, and how much vanity.
1 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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2 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 immortality | |
n.不死,不朽 | |
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4 laboriously | |
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地 | |
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5 travail | |
n.阵痛;努力 | |
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6 maze | |
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑 | |
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7 delusion | |
n.谬见,欺骗,幻觉,迷惑 | |
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8 benediction | |
n.祝福;恩赐 | |
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9 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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10 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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11 fables | |
n.寓言( fable的名词复数 );神话,传说 | |
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12 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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13 divination | |
n.占卜,预测 | |
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14 fascination | |
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋 | |
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15 superstitious | |
adj.迷信的 | |
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16 inspection | |
n.检查,审查,检阅 | |
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17 swarming | |
密集( swarm的现在分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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18 astronomer | |
n.天文学家 | |
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19 primitive | |
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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20 withdrawn | |
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出 | |
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21 diffused | |
散布的,普及的,扩散的 | |
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22 latitude | |
n.纬度,行动或言论的自由(范围),(pl.)地区 | |
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23 ecstasies | |
狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 ); 出神; 入迷; 迷幻药 | |
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24 apprehensions | |
疑惧 | |
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25 conceit | |
n.自负,自高自大 | |
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26 regiment | |
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制 | |
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27 susceptible | |
adj.过敏的,敏感的;易动感情的,易受感动的 | |
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28 fervency | |
n.热情的;强烈的;热烈 | |
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29 elevation | |
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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30 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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31 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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32 disciples | |
n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 );门徒;耶稣的信徒;(尤指)耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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33 intemperate | |
adj.无节制的,放纵的 | |
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34 exalt | |
v.赞扬,歌颂,晋升,提升 | |
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35 exalted | |
adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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36 specially | |
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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37 contagion | |
n.(通过接触的疾病)传染;蔓延 | |
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38 mediation | |
n.调解 | |
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39 conceits | |
高傲( conceit的名词复数 ); 自以为; 巧妙的词语; 别出心裁的比喻 | |
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40 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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41 fortify | |
v.强化防御,为…设防;加强,强化 | |
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42 fortified | |
adj. 加强的 | |
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43 crookedly | |
adv. 弯曲地,不诚实地 | |
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44 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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45 intentionally | |
ad.故意地,有意地 | |
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46 propound | |
v.提出 | |
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47 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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48 verity | |
n.真实性 | |
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