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ment of all not acquainted with ſuch myſteries, by long Uſe and Cuſtome, they will not eaſily wonder (ſo as to make a ſupernatural thing of it) though they ſee things, which, to their ſight and of moſt, cannot bur ſeem very wonderful, and almoſt impoſſible. As for the bodily temper of man and of his Brain, it hath been ſufficiently by ſome late books. of that ſubject (Enthuſiaſme) both by reaſons from Nature, and by ſundry examples roved, that a very little diſtemper of the brain, ſcarce diſcernable unto any, but thoſe that are well verſed in the ſtudy of Natural cauſes, is enough to repreſent Spirits, Angels and Divels, Sights and Stories of Heaven and Hell to the Fancy: by which ſober kind of Madneſſe and deliration, ſo little underſtood vulgarly, many have been, and are daily deceived; and from theſe things, through the ignorance of men, ſtrange things ſometimes have enſued, and the peace of Common-weales hath ſuffered not a little.

Ariſtotle, in his Meteors, tells of one that alwayes ſaw (ſo he thought, at leaſt) another man's ſhape before his eyes, and how they happened unto him natural he gives a reaſon. Hyppocrates, Περὶ παρθερίων, (a very ⟨ſhort⟩ Diſcourſe, but full of excellent matter) ſheweth how ſome, both men and women, through Natural cauſes, come to fancy to themſelves that they ſee δαίμονας. Divels and Spirits, and to be tormented in their Souls, even to the making away of themſelves by their own hands. The Author of the book, De Morbo Sacro, (very ancient too, but not right Hyppocrates, as many are of opinion) hath excellent matter too, to the ſame purpoſe; but I have not the book at this time by me. Hyppocrates, (where before) ſheweth how many in that caſe were gulled by the Prieſts of thoſe times, making them believe, That this happened to them through the anger of ſome god. "They that are verſt in the Opticks know, That there is a way, through the help of glaſſes that ſhall not be ſeen, to make moving ſhadows that ſhall appear like Ghoſts, to the great terror of the ignorant beholder: and it is ſaid, That pretended Aſtrologers and Fortune-tellers cheat many by thoſe fights. It is the opinion of ſome Jewiſh Rabbins, That what Ghoſts or Souls are raiſed by Necromancy, they alwayes appear inverſo corpore, that is, their head dowards and feet upwards. Though nothing is to be wondered at in Rabbins, who (commonly) are as full of ridiculous conceits as ever came into the head of any Bedlam: Yet my opinion is, "That the firſt ground of this wild conceit was, ſome appearance by the Species of an object, gathered through a little glaſſe into a dark room. For ſo indeed the objects muſt appear inverſo corpore if it be done in a high room, and the objects from whence the Spiecies are gathered be lower then the glaſſe through which they paſſe. And the reaſon of it is very Demonſtrable to the ſight of any reaſonable man. Certainly, by this ſecret (which yet is no great ſecret, being commonly ſeen and practiſed among them that are any thing curious) ſtrange things may be done by a Cunning-man, to their great amazement that know not the cauſe. There would be no end if I ſhould attempt to gather from ſeveral Authors what hath been invented by men, and what may be done by Art to cheat men in matters of this nature. Let any man, that is yet a ſtranger to it, but read the life of Alexander the falſe Prophet, or Prognoſticator, written by Lucian, and he ſhall ſee notable examples of ſucceſſeful Cheats and Impoſtures, ſcarce credible indeed, but that the thing was yet then freſh and famous, and that all circumſtances ofHiſto-