pearing spirits are commonly in
such a hurry to be gone, viz. that they may be delivered of the
unnatural pressure of their tender vehicles,[81] which I confess
holds more in the apparition of good than evil spirits ... the
reason of which probably is the greater subtlety and tenuity of
the former, which will require far greater degrees of compression
and consequently of pain to make them visible; whereas the latter
are feculent and gross, and so nearer allied to palpable
existences, and more easily reducible to appearance and
visibility.'[82]

[81] So specious a theory must have occurred to, and its
propriety will easily be recognised by, the spirit and ghost
advocates of the present day.

[82] _Sadducismus Triumphatus._ Considerations about
Witchcraft. Sect. xi.

'Palpable intercourses between the bad genii and mankind' are
more frequent than Dr. Glanvil was disposed to believe; and he
must have been conversant with the acts of Incubus and Succubus.
In the first age (orbe novo c[oe]loque recenti) under the
Saturnian regime, 'while yet there was no fear of Jove,'[83]
innocence prevailed undisturbed; but soon as the silver age was
inaugurated by the usurpation of Jove, _liaisons_ between gods
and mortals became frequent. Love affairs between good or bad
'genii' and mankind are of common occurrence in the mythology of
most peoples. In the romance-tales of the middle age lovers find
themselves unexpectedly connected with some mysterious being of
inhuman kind. The writers in defence of witchcraft quote Genesis
vi. in proof of the reality of such intercourses; and Justin
Martyr and Tertullian, the great apologists of Christianity, and
others of the Fathers, interpret _Filios Dei_ to be angels or
evil spirits who, enamoured with the beauty of the women, begot
the primeval giants.[84]

[83] 'Jove nondum Barbato.'

[84] Milton indignantly exclaims, alluding to this common
fancy of the leaders of the Primitive Church, 'Who would
think him fit to write an apology for Christian faith to the
Roman Senate that could tell them "how of the angels"--of
which he must needs mean those in Genesis called the Sons of
God--"mixing with women were begotten the devils," as good
Justin Martyr in his Apology told them.' (_Reformation in
England_, book i.). And 'Clemens Alexandrinus, Sulpicius
Severus, Eusebius, &c., make a twofold fall of angels--one
from the beginning of the world; another a little bef