Description of a Changeling-Cases of extraordinary Sleepers The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus-Men supposed, in the northern Regions, to be frozen during the Winter, and afterwards thawed into Life again-Dr. Oliver's Case of a Sleeper near Bath-Dr. Cheyne's Account of Colonel Townshend's power of voluntarily suspending AnimationMan buried alive for a Month at Jaisulmer-The Manner of his Burial, and his Preparation for it

CHAPTER XXIII.

BOTANICAL SUPERSTITIONS AND DELUSIONS.

PAGE

290

Botanical Absurdities numerous-Shepherds study the Nature of Plants-The doctrine of Signatures deseribed-Supposed Qualities of Plants, according to that Doctrine-Maidenhair, Quinces, Balm, Woodsorrel, Walnut-The Shamrock an Emblem of the Trinity-Method of gathering and digging up Plants-Veneration in which the Misletoe was held-Fern-seed rendered the Bearer invisible-The Enchanter's Nightshade-The Mandrake-Mode of obtaining it-The Mandrake mentioned in Genesis-Pliny's Mention of it— The Root counterfeited by means of the Briony Root-Its soporific Virtues-The Tartarian Lamb, or Barometz, described-Poetical Descriptions of it by De la Croix and Darwin-Holy Trees-Early-budding Oaks in the New Forest Glastonbury Thorn-Miraculous Walnut Tree at Glastonbury-Early Blackthorn at Quainton-The Groaning Tree at Badesly-Hazel used for the Divining RodVindication of the Belief in the Divining Rod-Various Superstitions respecting Trees and Plants The Peridexion. 299

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE DELUSIONS OF ALCHEMY.

Origin of Alchemy-Arguments for Transmutation--Golden Age of Alchemy-Alchemists in the 13th century-Medals metaphorically described-Jargon of Dr. Dee-The Green Lion-Roger Bacon-Invention of Gunpowder-Imprisonment of Alchemists-Edict of Henry VI-Pope John XXII Pope Sixtus V-Alchemy applied to Medicine-Paracelsus -Evelyn's hesitation about Alchemy-Narrative of Helvetius Philadept on Alchemy-Rosicrucians-A VisionHaydon's description of Rosicrucians-Dr. Price-Mr. Woulfe-Mr. Kellerman

314

CHAPTER XXV.

ASTROLOGY.

Suppposed Origin of Astrology-Butler on the Transmission of Astrological Knowledge-Remarks on Astrology by Hervey Petrarch's Opinion of Astrology-Catherine of Medicis Casting of Nativities in England-Moore's Almanack-Writers for and against Atrology-Horoscope of Prince Frederick of Denmark-Astrologers contributed sometimes to realize their own Predictions Caracalla

Mr. Turner-Woman who Foretold, from a Portrait, the time when the Original would die-Stiff the Fortune Teller and his foolish Pupils-Expulsion of the Cholera from Jaypore-Cingalese Astrological Instructions

CHAPTER XXVI.

MEDICAL DELUSIONS AND FRAUDS.

State of Medicine in remote Ages-Animals Teachers of Medicine Gymnastic Medicine-Cato's Cure for a FractureDearness of Ancient Medicines and Medical Books-Absurdity of the Ancient Materia Medica: Gold, Bezoar, Mummy-Prescription for a Quartan-Amulets-Virtues of Gems-Corals-Charms-Charm for Sore Eyes-Medicine connected with Astrology-Cure by Sympathy-Sir Kenelm Digby-The real Cause of the Cure-The Vulnerary Powder, &c.-The Royal Touch-Evelyn's Description of the Ceremony-Valentine Greatrakes-Morley's Cure for Scrofula-Inoculation-Vaccination-Dr. Jenner -Animal Magnetism-M. Loewe's Account of it-Mesmer, and his Feats-Manner of Magnetizing-Report of a Commission on the Subject-Metallic Tractors-Baron Silfverkielm and the Souls in white robes Mr. Loutherbourg-Empirics-Uroscopy-Mayersback-Le FebreRemedies for the Stone The Anodyne Necklace-The Universal Medicine-Conclusion

PAGE

331

342

SKETCHES

OF

IMPOSTURE, DECEPTION,

AND

CREDULITY.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

Effects of Incredulity and Credulity--Knowledge supposed to be Remembrance-Purpose of this Volume-Progress of rational Belief-Resemblance of Error to Truth-Contagious Nature of Excitement Improved State of the Human Mind in Modern Times.

INCREDULITY has been said, by Aristotle, to be the foundation of all wisdom. The truth of this assertion might safely be disputed; but, on the other hand, to say that credulity is the foundation of all folly, is an assertion more consonant to experience, and may be more readily admitted: and the contemplation of this subject forms a curious chapter in the history of the human mind.

A certain extent of credulity, or, more properly, belief, may, indeed, be considered as absolutely necessary to the well-being of social communities; for universal scepticism would be universal distrust. Nor could knowledge ever have arrived at its present amazing height, had every intermediate step in the

B

ladder of science, from profound ignorance and slavery of intellect, been disputed with bigoted incredulity.

It has been said, that all knowledge is remembrance, and all ignorance forgetfulness,-alluding to the universal knowledge which, in the opinion of the schoolmen, our first father, Adam, possessed before the fall,—and that the subsequent invention of arts and sciences was only a partial recovery or recollection, as it were, of what had been originally well known. The undefined aspirations of many minds, to seek for what is distant and least understood, in preference to that near at hand and more in unison with our general state of knowledge, seem to favour this idea.

It will be the endeavour of the following pages to show that the credulity of the many-in some cases synonymous with the foolish-has been, from the beginning, most readily imposed upon by the clever and designing few. It is a curious task to investigate the gradual development of rational belief, as exhibited in the proportionate disbelief and exposure of those things which, in earlier ages, were considered points of faith, and to doubt which was a dangerous heresy; and how, at first, the arts and sciences were weighed down, and the advantages to be derived from them neutralised, by the fallacies of misconception or fanaticism. We are, in spite of ourselves, the creatures of imagination, and the victims of prejudice, which has been justly called the wrong bias of the soul, that effectually keeps it from coming near the path of truth; a task the more difficult to accomplish, since error often bears so near a resemblance to it. Error, indeed, always borrows something of truth, to make her more acceptable to the world, seldom appearing in her native deformity; and the subtilty of grand deceivers

has always been shown in grafting their greatest errors on some material truths, and with such dexterity, that Ithuriel's spear alone, whose touch

66 no falsehood can endure,"

would have power to reveal them.

Many, and even contradictory, causes might be assigned for the constant disposition towards credulity; the mind is prone to believe that for which it most anxiously wishes; difficulties vanish in desire, which thus becomes frequently the main cause of success. Thus, when Prince Henry, believing his father dead, had taken the crown from his pillow, the King in reproach said to him,*

"Thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought."

Belief is often granted on trust to such things as are above common comprehension, by some, who would thus flatter themselves with a superiority of judgment; on the other hand, what all around put faith in the remaining few will, from that circumstance, easily believe. This is seen in times of popular excitement, when an assertion, quite at variance with common sense or experience, will run like a wild-fire through a city, and be productive of most serious results. It would appear that this springs from that inherent power of imitation, which is singularly exemplified even in particular kinds of disease, comitial, as they were called by the Romans, from their frequent occurrence in assemblies of the people,-and, more fatally, when it impels us to "follow a multitude to do evil."

* Second Part of King Henry IV.