the knowledge of things obscure, or future, which cannot be attained by any natural means.

It was a received opinion among the heathens, that the gods were wont to converse familiarly with some men, whom they endowed with extraordinary powers, and admitted to the knowledge of their councils and designs. Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, Cicero and others, divide divination into two sorts or species, viz. natural and artificial. The former was so called, because not attained by any rules or precepts of art, but infused or inspired into the diviner, without his taking any further care about it, than to purify and prepare himself for the reception of the divine affluence. Of this kind were all those who delivered oracles, and foretold future events by inspiration, without observing external signs or accidents. The second species of divination was called artificial, because it was not obtained by immediate inspiration, but was the effect of experience and observation. observation. Such was southsaying, as depending upon human art and invention, which however was supposed not to be altogether destitute of divine direction and concurrence, and such was divination by lots. Of this sort there were various kinds, as by sacrifices, entrails, flame, cakes, flour, wine, water, augury, birds, lots, verses, omens, &c.