CHAP. VII. _Of the Power of the IMAGINATIVE FACULTY._
THE _Imagination_ is the strongest and most efficacious of all the SENSES; for the _Vivacity_ of all the _others_ (mention’d in Sect. I. Chap. 5.) in some measure, depend upon it.
IT works upon, and affects, _others_ as well as _ourselves_, and operates in the very _Soul_, as well as _Body_ of Man; moving the Powers of all the _Passions_ of the Mind.
AS it happens frequently by reason of the _Similitude_ of things; that by _seeing_ or _imagining_ ONE to eat some sharp or sour Matter, or _hearing_ it only mention’d, ANOTHER’S _Teeth_ may be set on edge, and his _Tongue_ wax tart; so by seeing _One_ gape, _Another_ often falls a yawning. In like manner, as the _sight_ of any _filthy_ Thing causeth _Nauseousness_; so the _sight_ of Man’s _Blood_, makes many Persons fall a-swooning.
_GUILLAUME de Paris_ writes, that he saw a Man, who at the _SIGHT_ of a _Medicine_, went to _Stool_ as oft as he pleas’d, tho’ it neither in _Substance_, _Odour_, or _Taste_, did affect him; but only by an _Apprehension_ of a kind of _Resemblance_. Which is much the same Case of one in a _Dream_, who thinks he _burns_ and is in a _Fire_, or as much tormented, as if he did _really burn_, tho’ far enough from any Substance of _Fire_; only because of a _Resemblance_ apprehended by the Strength of _IMAGINATION_.
AND besides, this _IMAGINATION_ hath not only such Power over the _Body_, but also over the very _Soul_ of Man; which Power of the _Soul_, hath its respective _Influence_ upon the _Body_: As _Avicen_ remarkably describes a certain _Man_, who (when he pleas’d) could affect his _Body_ with the PALSY.
IT is wonderfully related of _Gallus Vibius_, that he became _Mad_, not casually, but on purpose; for whilst he imitated Mad-Men, he so assimilated their _Madness_ to himself by the _Counterfeit_, that he fell at last into _real_ MADNESS.
ST. _AUSTIN_ mentions _some Men_, who could move their _Ears_; and _others_ who could move the _Crown_ of their Heads to their _Foreheads_, and _replace_ them at Pleasure. He writes of _Another_ also, who could sweat whenever he had a mind.
I have likewise known some _Persons_ myself, who could weep and shed abundance of _Tears_ at Will and Pleasure; _others_, who could bring up what they had _swallow’d_ of any kind, as _Gold_, _Silver_, &c; and _others_ again, who could so naturally _imitate_ and express the VOICES of _Birds_, _Cattle_, _Dogs_, &c; that they could not easily be distinguished.