tuale_, or Spiritual Being, rules so
mightily the body that many disorders may be ascribed to it. Therefore
unto these ye should not apply ordinary medicine, but heal the
spirit--therein lies the disorder."

PARACELSUS clearly states that by the power of Foresight--he uses the
exact word, _Fuersicht_--Man may, aided by Sleep, attain to knowledge--
past, present or future--and achieve Telepathy, or communion at a
distance. In the _Fragmenta, Caput de Morbis Somnii_ he writes:

"Therefore learn, that by Foresight man can know future things; and,
from experience, the past and present. Thereby is man so highly gifted
in Nature that he knows or perceives (_sicht_), as he goes, his
neighbor or friend in a distant land. Yet, on waking, he knows nothing
of all this. For God has given to us all--Art, Wisdom, Reason--to know
the future, and what passes in distant lands; but we know it not, for
we fools, busied in common things, sleep away, as it were, what is in
us. Thus, seeing one who is a better artist than thou art, do not say
that he has more gift or grace than thou; for thou hast it also, but
hast not tried, and so is it with all things. What Adam and Moses did
was to _try_, and they succeeded, and it came neither from the Devil
nor from Spirits, but from the Light of Nature, which they developed
in themselves. But we do _not_ seek for what is in us, therefore we
remain nothing, and are nothing."

Here the author very obscurely, yet vigorously, declares that we can
do or learn what we _will_, but it must be achieved by foresight,
will, and the aid of sleep.

It seems very evident, after careful study of the text, that here, as
in many other places, our author indicates familiarity with the method
of developing mental action in its subtlest and most powerful forms.
Firstly, by determined Foresight, and, secondly, by the aid of sleep,
corresponding to the bringing a seed to rest a while, and thereby
cause it to germinate; the which admirable simile he himself uses in a
passage which I have not cited.

PARACELSUS was the most original thinker and the worst writer of a
wondrous age, when all wrote badly and thought badly. There is in
his German writings hardly one sentence which is not ungrammatical,
confused, or clumsy; nor one without a vigorous idea, which shows the
mind or character of the man.

As a curious instance of the poetic originality of PARACELSUS we may
take the following:

"It is an error to suppose that