1752. About visions that are illusions
Visions occur on earth with some who say and try to sell the notion that they have seen all kinds of things, and they are even called seers. This kind of visions occurs when some object is seen, whatever it may be, and certain spirits induce on it a shape, by way of fantasies. It is as when a cloud is seen, or something at night [in] moonlight, and certain spirits hold the person's mind, and thus imagination, in the portrayal of some real thing, whether it be an animal, or a little child, or something monstrous. And as long as one's imagination is kept by spirits in this kind of vision, one is quite convinced of having seen those things. Consequently a great many visions are peddled that are nothing but illusions such as come over those who indulge much in fantasizing and are therefore mentally unstable, and have become gullible.
1752. CONCERNING VISIONS WHICH ARE ILLUSIONS.
There are visions experienced by certain persons on the earth who say and boast that they have seen many [wonderful] sights; and they are also called seers [visionarii]. This kind of visions is such that when any object is presented, be it what it may, certain spirits induce upon it such an appearance by phantasies, that when a cloud for instance, or a certain lunar light is seen by night, then spirits hold his mind, and thus his imagination, in the representation of some particular thing, whether of an animal, or an infant, or any monstrosity; and as long as his imagination is held in things of this kind, he is persuaded that he actually sees such things. In this way very many visions are bruited, which are nothing else than illusions; but such things often happen to those who indulge much in phantasies, and who thus labor under an infirmity of mind, which renders them credulous.
1752. De visionibus, quae sunt illusiones
Sunt visiones quorundam in terra, qui dicunt se vidisse plura, et venditant, vocantur quoque visionarii, ejuscemodi visiones sunt tales: quando aliquod objectum est, qualecunque sit, spiritus quidam inducunt ei talem speciem, per phantasias, ut dum nubes aliqua visa sit, aut lunare quoddam lumen, noctu, tunc spiritus tenent animum ejus, et sic ejus imaginationem in repraesentatione alicujus rei, sive sit animalis, sive infantis, sive alicujus monstri, et quamdiu tenetur imaginatio ejus a spiritibus, in ejuscemodi, etiam persuadetur, quod talia videat, inde visiones perplures venditantur, quae nihil sunt nisi illusiones, sed talia in eos plerumque cadunt, qui phantasiis multum indulgent, et sunt sic in infirmitudine animi, et inde facti creduli.