From Psychosomatic and Maternal Fancy to Demonic and Cosmic Imagination. : Wonders, Imagination and Spirit of Nature in Henry More.

See also the related article: Vermeir, K. (2012) ‘Castelli in aria: immaginazione e Spirito della Natura in Henry More’ in LoSguardo, 10 (3), 99-122.The recent secondary literature has discussed theories of the maternal imagination in relation to animal generation and heredity, ignoring the broader context of theories of the powerful imagination. In this article, I will show how van stories about the maternal imagination were used to explore the action of souls after death, the power of demons and the shape of paradise. For Henry More (1614-1687), these stories provided empirical proof for the activity of the Spirit of Nature, and they were instrumental in his defense of Christianity against atheists and enthusiasts. More would attribute special powers, even a cosmic reach, to the imagination. These extended powers were made plausible or were rejected by comparing or contrasting them to the effects of the maternal imagination