Heliodorus lib. 3. proves at large, that love is witch-craft, it gets in at our eys, pores, nostrils, ingenders the same qualities, and affections in us, as were in the party whence it came. The manner of the fascination, as Ficinus 10. cap. com. in Plat. declares it, is thus: Mortal men are then especially bewitched, when as by often gazing one on the other, they direct sight to sight, joyn eye to eye, and so drink and suck in Love between them; for the beginning of this disease is the Eye. And therefore he that hath a cleer Eye, though he be otherwise deformed, by often looking upon him, will make one mad, and tie him fast to him by the eye.

Leonard. Varius lib. 1. cap. 2. de fascinat. telleth us, that by this interview, the purer spirits are infected, the one Eye pierceth through the other with his rays, which he sends forth, and many men have those excellent piercing eys, that which Suetonius relates of Augustus, their brightness is such, they compel their spectators to look off, and can no more endure them then the Sun beams.

Barradius lib. 6. cap. 10. de Harmonia Evangel. reports as much of our Saviour Christ, and Peter Morales of the Virgin Mary, whom Nicephorus describes likewise to have been yellow-hair’d, of a wheat colour, but of a most amiable and piercing eye.

The rays, as some think, sent from the eys, carry certain spiritual vapours with them, and so infect the other party, and that in a moment. I know, they that hold visio fit intramittendo, will make a doubt of this; but Ficinus proves it from blear-eys, That by sight alone, make others blear eyed: and it is more then manifest, that the vapour of the corrupt blood doth get in together with the rays, and so by the contagion, the spectators eys are infected.

Other arguments there are of a Basilisk, that kills afar off by sight, as that Ephesian did of whom Philostratus speaks, of so pernicious an eye, he poysoned all he looked steddily on: and that other argument, menstruæ fæminæ, out of Aristotles Problems, morbosæ Capivaccius adds, and Septalius the Commentator, that contaminate a looking-glass with beholding it.

So the beams that come from the agents heart, by the eys infect the spirits about the patients, inwardly wound, and thence the spirits infect the blood. To this effect she complained in Apuleius, Thou art the cause of my grief, thy eys piercing through mine eys to mine inner parts, have set my bowels on fire, and therefore pitty me that am now ready to dye for thy sake.

Ficinus illustrates this with a familiar example of that Marrhusian Phædrus and Theban Lycias, Lycias he stares on Phædrus face, and Phædrus fastens the balls of his eys upon Lycias, and with those sparkling rays sends out his spirits. The beams of Phædrus eys are easily mingled with the beams of Lycias, and spirits are joyned to spirits. This vapour begot in Phædrus heart, enters into Lycias bowels: and that which is a greater wonder, Phædrus blood is in Lycias heart, and thence come those ordinary love-speeches, my sweet heart Phædrus, and mine own self, my dear bowels. And Phædrus again to Lycias, O my light, my joy, my soul, my life.

Phædrus follows Lycias, because his heart would have his spirits, and Lycias follows Phædrus, because he loves the seat of his spirits; both follow, but Lycias the earnester of the two: The river hath more need of the fountain, then the fountain of the river; as iron is drawn to that which is touched with a loadstone, but draws not it again: so Lycias draws Phædrus.

But how comes it to pass then, that the blind man loves, that never saw? We read in the Lives of the Fathers, a story of a child that was brought up in the wilderness, from his infancy, by an old Hermite: now come to mans estate, he saw by chance, two comely women wandring in the woods: he asked the old man what creatures they were, he told him Fayries; After a while talking obiter, the Hermite demanded of him, which was the pleasantest sight that ever he saw in his life? he readily replyed, the two Fayries he spied in the wilderness.

So that without doubt, there is some secret loadstone in a beautiful woman, a magnetique power, a natural inbred affection, which moves our concupiscence, and as he sings,

Me thinks I have a mistress yet to come, And still I seek, I love, I know not whom.

’Tis true indeed of natural and chaste love, but not of this Heroical passion, or rather brutish burning lust of which we treat; we speak of wandring, wanton, adulterous eys, which as he saith, lie still in wait as so many souldiers, and when they spy an innocent spectator fixed on them, shoot him through, and presently bewitch him: Especially when they shall gaze and glote, as wanton lovers do one upon another, and with a pleasant eye-conflict participate each others souls.

Hence you may perceive how easily, and how quickly we may be taken in love; since at the twinkling of an Eye, Phædras spirits may so perniciously infect Lycias blood. Neither is it any wonder, if we but consider how many other diseases closely, and as suddainly are caught by infection, Plague, Itch, Scabs, Flux, &c. The spirits taken in, will not let him rest that hath received them, but egg him on.

Idque petit corpus mens unde est saucia amore;

and we may manifestly perceive a strange eduction of spirits, by such as bleed at nose after they be dead, at the presence of the murderer; but read more of this in Lemnius lib. 2. de occult. nat. mir. cap. 7. Valleriola lib. 2. observ. cap. 7. Valesius controv. Ficinus, Cardan, Libavius de cruentis cadaveribus, &c.