their Nature and ways of acting, yet they are sufficiently felt in their Effects; for Experience attests, that some by the very Majesty and Greatness of their Spirits, discovered by nothing but a certain noble Air that accompanies thetn, will bear down others less great and generous, and make them sneak before them; and some, by I know not what stupifying Vertue, will tie up the Tongue, and confine the Spirits of those who are otherwise Brisk and Voluble. Which thing supposed, the Influences of a Spirit possessed of an active and enormous Imagination, may be malign and fatal where they cannot be resisted; especially when they are accompanied by those poysonous reaks that the evil Spirit breaths into the Sorceress, which likely are shot out, and applied by a Fancy hightned and prepared by Melancholy and Discontent. And thus we may conceive why the Melancholick and Envious are used upon such occasions, and for the same reason the Ignorant, since Knowledge checks and controuls Imagination; and those that abound in the Imaginative Faculties, do not usually exceed in the rational. And perhaps (4) the Dæmon himself useth the Imagination of the Witch so qualified for his purpose, even in those Actions of Mischief which are more propperly his; for it is most probable, that Spirits Act not upon Bodies immediately, and by their naked Essence, but by means proportionate and suitable Instruments that they use; upon which account likely 'tis so strictly required, that the Sorceress should believe, that so her Imagination might be more at the Devotion of the mischievous Agent. And for the same Reason also Ceremonies are used in Inchantments, viz. for the begetting this Diabolical Faith, and heightning the Fancy to a degree of strength and vigour sufficient to make it a fit Instrument for the design'd Performance. Those I think are Reasons of likelihood and probability, why the Hellish Confederates are mostly the Ignorant and Melancholic. To pass then to another Prejudice.
