"him to prescribe me somewhat for sleeping, which he did, and a sleeping potion was brought me, but I set it "by, being very desirous and inclined "to sleep without it. The fourth night "I could hardly forbear sleeping, but "the spirit, lying on the bed by me, told "me again, I should be killed if I slept; "whereupon I rose, and sate by the fire-side, and in a while returned to "my bed; and so I did a third time, "but was still threatened as before:

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whereupon I grew impatient, and "asked the spirits what they would "have? Told them I had done thé

part of a christian, in humbling myself "to God, and feared them not, and ડેર rose from my bed, took a cane, and "knocked at the ceiling of my cham“ber, a near relation of mine lying then "over me, who presently rose and came "down to me, about two o'clock in the morning, to whom I said, you have ઉદ seen me disturbed these four days past,

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" and that I have not slept; the occasion "of it was, that five spirits, which are "now in the room with me, have "threatened to kill me if I told any person of their being here, or if I slept, but I am not able to forbear sleeping longer, and acquaint you "with it, and now stand in defiance of "them; and thus I exerted myself about “them; and notwithstanding their con"tinued threats, I slept very well the "next night, and continued so to do, though they continued with me above "three months, day and night."*

The celebrated visions of Tasso appear to have been of the same nature. He fancied that he beheld a celestial being, with whom he held converse, in the presence of spectators, who perceived no apparition, and who heard no voice but that of the poet. Would that we could

* Beaumont's Treatise, p. 91, 4.

have exchanged the narratives of Beaumont's reveries, for those of Tasso!

To this class of morbid perceptions, belong also the visions of Christopher Kotter, and Drabicius, which made a considerable noise in the seventeenth century. They were published by Comenius, aided by very ghostly engravings, under the title of Lux é Tenebris.' I must refer to Bayle, for many curious observations respecting the tendency of these prophetic rhapsodies: my business is only with the faculty of spectral representation.

For this reason, I shall not notice Drabicius. As a man of superior information, he might be suspected of politic views, in his pretended visions: but there can be no doubt that Kotter was sincere in his enthusiasm, and was as much a Seer as any second-sighted prophet of the Hebrides.

Kotter's first vision was detailed by him, on oath, before the magistrates of Sprottaw, in 1619. While he was tra velling on foot, in open day-light, in June 1616, a man appeared to him, who ordered him to inform the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, that great evils were impending over Germany, for the punishment of the sins of the people; after which he vanished. The same apparition met him at different times, and compelled him at length, by threats, to make this public declaration,

After this, his visions assumed a more imposing appearance: on one occasion, the angel (for such he was now confessed to be) shewed him three suns, filling one half of the heavens; and nine moons, with their horns turned towards the east, filling the other half. At the same time, a superb fountain of pure water spouted from the arid soil, under his feet.

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At another time, he beheld a mighty lion, treading on the moon, and seven other lions around him, in the clouds.

Sometimes he beheld the encounter of hostile armies, splendidly accoutred; sometimes he wandered through palaces, whose only inhabitants were devouring monsters; or beheld dragons of enormous

size, in various scenes of action.

He was at length attended by two angels, in his ecstasy; one of his visions at this time was of the most formidable

and impressive kind.*

"On the 13th

Die 13 Septembris amb. illi Juvenes ad me redierunt, dicentes: Ne metue, sed rei quæ Tibi exhibebitur, attende! 2. Et conspexi ante me subito circulum quandam, magni solis instar, rubrum, ac velut sanguineum: in quo lineæ fuerunt, seu maculæ, albæ & nigræ, tanta mixtura se invicem variantes, ut jam nigrarum, jam albarum major cerneretur numerus: duravitque spectaculum istud per justum spatium. 3. Et cum ad me dixissent Aspice! Attende! mihil metue! nihil tibi accidet mali! 4. Ecce fulmen tribus