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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:07:04 -0700 |
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diff --git a/37047-h/37047-h.htm b/37047-h/37047-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..78b5a3d --- /dev/null +++ b/37047-h/37047-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9292 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The History of the Life and Adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell , by Daniel Defoe. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + h1 { text-align:center; line-height:1.5; } + p.title { text-align:center; text-indent:0; + font-weight:bold; + line-height:1.4; margin-bottom:3em; } + small { font-size:60%; } + big { font-size:140%; } + + h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + + + +blockquote,.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 5%; + font-size: 90%;} + +p.quotdate { /* date of a letter aligned right */ + text-align: right; + } +p.quotsig { /* author signature at end of letter */ + margin-left: 35%; + text-indent: -4em; /* gimmick to move 2nd line right */ + } + + +.gap4 {margin-top: 4em;} +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.bigfont {font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold;} + +.ralign {position: absolute;right: 11%; top: auto;} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ + + div.poem {border:none; + text-align:left; + margin: 1em auto; + } + .poem .stanza { + margin-top: 1em; + } + .stanza span + {border:none; + display:block; + line-height: 1.2em; + padding-left: 2em; + text-indent: -2em; + margin-top: 0; + } + .stanza br { + display: none; + } + + .poem .i0 {display:block; margin-left: 0em;} + .poem .i1 {display:block; margin-left: 1em;} + .poem .i2 {display:block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem .i3 {display:block; margin-left: 3em;} + .poem .i4 {display:block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .i5 {display:block; margin-left: 5em;} + .poem .i6 {display:block; margin-left: 6em;} + .poem .i10 {display:block; margin-left: 10em} + .poem .i20 {display:block; margin-left: 20em} + + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Life and Adventures of +Mr. Duncan Campell, by Daniel Defoe + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of the Life and Adventures of Mr. Duncan Campell + A Gentlen, who, tho' Deaf and Dumb, Writes down any + Stranger's name at first Sight; + +Author: Daniel Defoe + +Release Date: August 12, 2011 [EBook #37047] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUNCAN CAMPELL *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Pat McCoy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + + + +<h1> +THE<br /> +HISTORY<br /> +<small>OF THE</small><br /> +LIFE<br /> +<small>AND</small><br /> +ADVENTURES<br /> +<small>OF</small><br /> + +<span class="smcap">Mr. Duncan Campbell</span>,</h1> + +<p class="title">A<br /> + +Gentleman, who, tho' Deaf and Dumb, writes down +any Stranger's name at first Sight; with their +future Contingencies of Fortune.</p> + +<p class="title">Now Living<br /> + +In <i>Exeter</i> Court over-against the <i>Savoy</i> in the +<i>Strand</i>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><i>Gentem quidem nullam video neque tam humanam atque doctam; nequtam +immanem tamque barbaram, quĉ non significari futura et a quie +busdam intelligi prĉdicique posse censeat.</i><br /> + +<span class="ralign">Cicero de Divinatione, lib. x.</span></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center gap4"><i>LONDON</i>:</p> + +<p>Printed for <span class="smcap">E. Curll</span>: And sold by <span class="smcap">W. Mears</span> and +<span class="smcap">T. Jauncy</span>, without <i>Temple Bar</i>, <span class="smcap">W. Meadows</span> in <i>Cornhill</i>, +<span class="smcap">A. Bettesworth</span> in <i>Pater-Noster-Row</i>. <span class="smcap">W. Lewis</span> +in <i>Covent Garden and</i> <span class="smcap">W. Graves</span> in St. <i>James's</i> Street. +<span class="smcap">M.DCC.XX.</span><span style="float: right;"> (Price 5<i>s.</i>)</span> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p class="center"> +<a href="#THE_INTRODUCTION"><b>THE INTRODUCTION.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#APPENDIX"><b>APPENDIX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#VERSES"><b>VERSES</b></a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><small>TO THE</small><br /> +LADIES AND GENTLEMEN<br /> +<small>OF</small><br /> +GREAT BRITAIN.</h2> + + +<p>I am not unacquainted, that, ever since this book was first +promised by way of advertisement to the world, it was +greedily coveted by a great many persons of airy tempers, +for the same reason that it has been condemned by those of +a more formal class, who thought it was calculated partly to +introduce a great many new and diverting curiosities in the +way of superstition, and partly to divulge the secret intrigues +and amours of one part of the sex, to give the other part +room to make favourite scandal the subject of their discourse; +and so to make one half of the fair species very merry, over +the blushes and the mortifications of the other half. But +when they come to read the following sheets, they will find +their expectations disappointed, but I hope I may say too, +very agreeably disappointed. They will find a much more +elegant entertainment than they expected. Instead of making +them a bill of fare out of patchwork romances of polluting +scandal, the good old gentleman who wrote the Adventures +of my Life, has made it his business to treat them with a +great variety of entertaining passages, which always terminate +in morals that tend to the edification of all readers, of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span>whatsoever sex, age, or profession. Instead of seducing +young, innocent, unwary minds into the vicious delight which +is too often taken in reading the gay and bewitching chimeras +of the cabalists, and in perusing the enticing fables of new-invented +tricks of superstition, my ancient friend, the writer, +strikes at the very root of these superstitions, and shows them +how they may be satisfied in their several curiosities, by +having recourse to me, who by the talent of the second-sight, +which he so beautifully represents, how nature is so kind frequently +to implant in the minds of men born in the same climate +with myself, can tell you those things naturally, which +when you try to learn yourselves, you either run the hazard +of being imposed upon in your pockets by cheats, gipsies, and +common fortune-tellers, or else of being imposed upon in a +still worse way, in your most lasting welfare, by having recourse +to conjurors or enchanters that deal in black arts, and +involve all their consulters in one general partnership of their +execrable guilt; or, lastly, of imposing worst of all upon your +own selves, by getting into an itch of practising and trying +the little tricks of female superstition, which are often more +officiously handed down by the tradition of credulous nurses +and old women, from one generation to another, than the first +principles of Christian doctrine, which it is their duty to instil +early into little children. But I hope when this book +comes to be pretty generally read among you ladies, as by +your generous and numerous subscriptions I have good reason +to expect, that it will afford a perfect remedy and a +thorough cure to that distemper, which first took its rise from +too great a growth of curiosity, and too large a stock of credulity +nursed prejudicially up with you in your more tender +and infant years.</p> + +<p>Whatever young maid hereafter has an innocent but longing +desire to know who shall be her husband, and what time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span> +she shall be married, will, I hope, when she has read the following +sheets of a man that can set her right in the knowledge +of those points, purely by possessing the gift of the +second sight, sooner have recourse innocently to such a man +than use unlawful means to acquire it, such as running to +conjurors to have his figure shown in their enchanted glasses, +or using any of those traditional superstitions, by which they +may dream of their husbands, or cause visionary shapes of +them to appear on such and such festival nights of the year; +all which practices are not ordinarily wicked and impious, +but downright diabolical. I hope that the next 29th of June, +which is St. John Baptist's day, I shall not see the several +pasture fields adjacent to this metropolis, especially that behind +Montague House, thronged, as they were the last year, +with well dressed young ladies crawling busily up and down +upon their knees, as if they were a parcel of weeders, when +all the business is to hunt superstitiously after a coal under the +root of a plantain, to put under their heads that night, that +they may dream who should be their husbands. In order to +shame them out of this silly but guilty practice, I do intend to +have some spies out on that day, that shall discover who they +are, and what they have been about; and I here give notice to +the public, that this ill-acted comedy, if it be acted at all this +year, must begin according to the rule of their superstition, +on that day precisely at the hour of twelve. And so much +for the pretty weeders. But as you, ladies, have had several +magical traditions delivered to you, which, if you put in exercise +and practice, will be greatly prejudicial to your honour +and your virtue, let me interpose my counsels, which will +conduct you innocuously to the same end, which some ladies +have laboured to arrive at by these impieties. Give me leave +first to tell you, that though what you aim at may be arrived +to by these means, yet these means make that a miserable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span> +fortune which would have been a good one; because, in order +to know human things beforehand, you use preternatural +mediums, which destroy the goodness of the courses, which +nature herself was taking for you, and annexes to them diabolical +influences, which commonly carry along with them +fatalities in this world as well as the next. You will, therefore, +give me your pardon likewise, ladies, if I relate some +other of these practices, which bare relation of itself, after +what I have said before, seems to me sufficient to explode +them.</p> + +<p>Another of the nurse's prescriptions is this: upon a St. +Agnes's night, the 21st day of January, take a row of pins +and pull out every one, one after another, saying a <i>Pater +Noster</i>, or Our Father, sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you +will dream of her you shall marry. Ben Johnson, in one of +his masks, makes some mention of this:</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">And on Sweet Agnes' night</span> +<span class="i0">Please you with the promis'd sight,</span> +<span class="i0">Some of husbands, some of lovers,</span> +<span class="i0">Which an empty dream discovers.</span> +</div> + +<p>Now what can be more infinitely profane than to use the +prayer our Lord instituted in such a way?</p> + +<p>There is another prescription, which is as follows: You +must lie in another county, and knit the left garter about the +right-legged stocking, let the other garter and stocking alone, +and as you rehearse these following verses, at every comma, +knit a knot:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">This knot I knit,</span> +<span class="i0">To know the thing I know not yet,</span> +<span class="i0">That I may see</span> +<span class="i0">The man that shall my husband be;</span> +<span class="i0">How he goes, and what he wears,</span> +<span class="i0">And what he does all days and years.</span></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + +<p>Accordingly in your dream you will see him: if a musician, +with a lute or other instrument; if a scholar, with a book, +&c. Now I appeal to you, ladies, what a ridiculous prescription +is this? But yet as slight a thing as it is, it may be of +great importance if it be brought about, because then it must +be construed to be done by preternatural means, and then +those words are nothing less than an application to the devil.</p> + +<p>Mr. Aubrey, of the Royal Society, says, a gentlewoman, +that he knew, confessed in his hearing that she used this +method, and dreamt of her husband whom she had never +seen. About two or three years after, as she was one Sunday +at church, up pops a young Oxonian in the pulpit; she +cries out presently to her sister, this is the very face of the +man I saw in my dream. Sir William Somes's lady did the +like.</p> + +<p>Another way is to charm the moon thus, as the old +nurses give out, at the first appearance of the moon, after +New-year's-day, some say any other new moon is as good, +go out in the evening, and stand over the spars of a gate +or stile, looking on the moon (here remark that in Yorkshire +they kneel on a ground-fast stone) and say,</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">All hail to the moon, all hail to thee,</span> +<span class="i0">I prithee, good moon, reveal to me</span> +<span class="i0">This night who my husband shall be.</span> +</div> + +<p>You must presently after go to bed. The aforesaid Mr. +Aubrey knew two gentlewomen that did thus when they +were young maids, and they had dreams of those that married +them.</p> + +<p>But a great many of the wittiest part of your sex laugh at +these common superstitions; but then they are apt to run +into worse: they give themselves up to the reading of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> +cabalistical systems of sylphs, and gnomes, and mandrakes, +which are very wicked and delusive imaginations.</p> + +<p>I would not have you imagine, ladies, that I impute these +things as infirmities and frailties peculiar to your sex. No; +men, and great men too, and scholars, and even statesmen, +and princes themselves, have been tainted with superstitions, +and where they infect the minds of such great personages, +they make the deeper impression, according to the stronger +and more manly ideas they have of them. Their greater degree +of strength in the intellect only subjects them to greater +weaknesses; such was even the great Paracelsus, the wonder +and miracle of learning in the age wherein he lived, and such +were all his followers, scholars, statesmen, divines, and +princes, that are talismanists.</p> + +<p>These talismans that Paracelsus pretends to owe to the +excogitation and invention of honest art, seem to me to be +of a very diabolical nature, and to owe their rise to being +dedicated by the author to the heathen gods. Thus the +cabalists pretending to a vast penetration into arts and sciences, +though all their thoughts are chimeras and extravagancies, +unless they be helped by preternatural means, say they have +found out the several methods appropriated to the several +planets. They have appropriated gold to the sun on the +Sunday, silver to the moon on the Monday, iron to Mars on +the Tuesday, quicksilver to Mercury on the Wednesday, tin +to Jupiter on the Thursday, copper or brass to Venus on the +Friday, and lead to Saturn on the Saturday. The methods +they take in forming these talismans are too long to dwell +upon here. But the properties which they pretend belong +to them are, that the first talisman or seal of the sun will +make a man beloved by all princes and potentates, and +cause him to abound with all the riches his heart can wish.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> +The second preserves travellers from danger, and is favourable +to merchants, tradesmen, and workmen. The third carries +destruction to any place where it is put: and it is said that +a certain great minister of state ordered one of these to be +carried into England in the times of the revolution of government +caused by Oliver Cromwell. The fourth they pretend +cures fevers and other diseases; and if it be put under the +bolster, it makes the proprietor have true dreams, in which +he sees all he desires to know. The fifth, according to them, +renders a man lucky and fortunate in all his businesses and +undertakings. It dissipates melancholy, drives away all +importunate cares, and banishes panic fears from the mind. +The sixth, by being put into the liquor which any one drinks, +reconciles mortal enemies, makes them intimate friends: it +gains the love of all women, and renders the proprietor very +dexterous in the art of music. The seventh makes women +be easily brought to bed without pain; and if a horseman +carries it in his left boot, himself and his horse become +invulnerable.</p> + +<p>This, Paracelsus and his learned followers say, is owing to +the influence of the stars; but I cannot help arguing these +acts of diabolical impiety. But as these arts are rarely known +among the middling part of mankind, I shall neither open +their mysteries, nor inveigh against them any farther.</p> + +<p>The persons who are most to be avoided are your ordinary +fortune-telling women and men about this town, whose houses +ought to be avoided as a plague or a pestilence, either because +they are cheats and impostors, or because they deal with +black arts, none of them that I know having any pretensions +to the gift of a second-sight. Among many, a few of the +most notorious that I can call to mind now, are as follow. +The first and chiefest of these mischievous fortune-tellers is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> +woman that does not live far from the Old Bailey. And +truly the justice hall in that place is the properest place for +her to appear at, where, if she was tried for pretending to +give charms written upon paper with odd scrawls, which she +calls figures, she would be probably convicted, and very +justly condemned, and doomed to have her last journey from +the Old Bailey to Newgate, and from Newgate to Tyburn. +The other is a fellow that lives in Moorfields, in which place +those who go to consult him ought to live all their lifetimes, +at the famous palaces of the senseless men: he is the successor +of the famous Dr. Trotter, whose widow he married; +and from being a tailor and patching men's garments, he now +cuts flourishes with his shears upon parchment, considers the +heavens as a garment, and from the spangles thereupon he +calculates nativities, and sets up for a very profound astrologer. +The third is an ignorant fellow that caws out strange +predictions in Crow-alley, of whose croaking noise I shall +here take no notice, he having been sufficiently mauled in +the most ingenious Spectators. These and such counterfeits +as these, I would desire all gentlemen and ladies to avoid. +The only two really learned men that I ever knew in the art +of astrology, were my good friends Dr. Williams and Mr. +Gadbury; and I thought it necessary to pay this esteem to +their names, let the world judge of them what it will. I will +here say no more, nor hinder you any longer, gentlemen and +ladies, from the diversion which my good old friend, who is +now departed this life, has prepared for you in his book, +which a young gentleman of my acquaintance revised, and +only subscribe myself,</p> + +<p class="quotsig"> +Yours, &c.,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Duncan Campbell</span>.<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><small>THE</small><br /> +HISTORY OF THE LIFE<br /> +AND SURPRISING ADVENTURES<br /> +<small>OF</small><br /> +MR. DUNCAN CAMPBELL.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_INTRODUCTION" id="THE_INTRODUCTION"></a>THE INTRODUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>Of all the writings delivered in an historical manner to the +world, none certainly were ever held in greater esteem than +those which give us the lives of distinguished private men at +full length; and, as I may say, to the life. Such curious +fragments of biography are the rarities which great men seek +after with eager industry, and when found, prize them as the +chief jewels and ornaments that enrich their libraries, and +deservedly; for they are the beauties of the greatest men's +lives handed down by way of example or instruction to posterity, +and commonly handed down likewise by the greatest +men. Since, therefore, persons distinguished for merit in +one kind or other are the constant subjects of such discourses, +and the most elegant writers of each age have been usually +the only authors who choose upon such subjects to employ +their pens, and since persons of the highest rank and dignity, +and genii of the most refined and delicate relish, are frequently +curious enough to be the readers of them, and to +esteem them the most valuable pieces in a whole collection +of learned works; it is a wonder to me that when any +man's life has something in it peculiarly great and remarkable +in its kind, it should not move some more skilful writer than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> +myself to give the public a taste of it, because it must be at +least vastly entertaining, if it be not, which is next to impossible, +immensely instructive and profitable withal.</p> + +<p>If ever the life of any man under the sun was remarkable, +this Mr. Duncan Campbell's, which I am going to treat upon, +is so to a very eminent degree.</p> + +<p>It affords such variety of incidents, and is accompanied +with such diversity of circumstances, that it includes within it +what must yield entire satisfaction to the most learned, and +admiration to persons of a moderate understanding. The +prince and the peasant will have their several ends of worthy +delight in reading it; and Mr. Campbell's life is of that extent, +that it concerns and collects, as I may say, within itself, +every station of life in the universe. Besides, there is a +demand in almost every page that relates any new act of +his, for the finest and closest disquisitions that learning can +make upon human nature, to account how those acts could +be done by him. For he daily practised, and still practises, +those things naturally, which puts art to the rack to find out +how nature can so operate in him; and his fleshly body, by +these operations, is a living practical system, or body of new +philosophy, which exceeds even all those that have hitherto +been compounded by the labour and art of many ages.</p> + +<p>If one that had speculated deep into abstruse matters, and +made it his study not only to know how to assign natural +reasons for some strange new acts that looked like miracles +by being peculiar to the individual genius of some particular +admired man, but carrying his inquiry to a much greater +height, had speculated likewise what might possibly be +achieved by human genius in the full perfection of nature, +and had laid it down as a thesis by strong arguments, that +such things might be compassed by a human genius, if in its +true degree of perfection, as are the hourly operations of the +person's life I am writing, he would have been counted a +wild romantic enthusiast, instead of a natural philosopher. +Some of the wisest would be infidels to so new and so refined +a scheme of thinking, and demand experiment, or cry it was +all against reason, and would not allow the least tittle to be +true without it. Yet the man that had found out so great a +mystery as to tell us what might be done by human genius, +as it is here actually done, would have been a great man +within himself; but wanting further experimental proof,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +could lay no claim to the belief of others, or consequently to +their esteem. But how great, then, is the man who makes +it constantly his practice actually to do what would not otherwise +have been thought to be of such a nature as might ever +be acquired by mortal capacity, though in its full complement +of all possible perfection? He is not only great within himself, +he is great to the world: his experiments force our belief, +and the amazing singularity of those experiments provokes +both our wonder and esteem.</p> + +<p>If any learned man should have advanced this proposition, +that mere human art could give to the deaf man what should +be equal to his hearing, and to the dumb man an equivalent +for his want of speech, so that he could converse as freely almost +as other hearing or talking persons; that he might, +though born deaf, be by art taught how to read, write, and +understand any language, as well as students that have their +hearing, would not the world, and many even of the learned +part of it, say that nothing could be more extravagantly wild, +more mad and frantic? The learned Dr. Wallis, geometry +professor of Oxford, did first of all lay down this proposition, +and was counted by many to have overshot the point of +learning, and to have been the author of a whimsical thesis. +And I should not have wondered if, after a man's having +asserted this might be done, before it was actually done, +some blind devout people in those days, had accused him +of heresy, and of attributing to men a power of working +miracles. The notion of the antipodes was by the most +learned men of the age in which St. Augustin lived, and +by the great St. Austin himself, treated in no milder a +manner: yet if the ability of teaching the deaf and the +dumb a language proved a truth in experience afterwards, +ought not those to turn their contempt into admiration, +ought not those very people to vote him into the Royal +Society for laying down the proposition, who, before it proved +true, in fact, would have been very forward to have sent him +to Bedlam? The first instance of this accomplishment in a +dumb person was proved before King Charles II. by this +same Dr. Wallis, who was a fellow of the Royal Society, and +one of the most ingenious of that society.</p> + +<p>But, notwithstanding this, should I come afterwards and +say, that there is now living a deaf and dumb man, and born +so, who could by dint of his own genius teach all others deaf<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +and dumb to read, write, and converse with the talking and +hearing part of mankind, some would, I warrant, very religiously +conclude, that I was about to introduce some strange +new miracle-monger and impostor into the world, with a design +of setting up some new sect of anti-christianism, as formidable +as that of Brachmans. Should I proceed still further, +and say, that this same person, so deaf and dumb, might be +able also to show a presaging power, or kind of prophetical +genius, (if I may be allowed to use the expression,) by telling +any strange persons he never saw before in his life, their +names in writing, and by telling them the past actions of +their lives, and predicting to them determined truths of future +contingencies, notwithstanding what divines say, that "in +futuris contingeatibus non datur determinata veritas," would +not they conclude that I was going to usher in a new Mahomet? +Since, therefore, there does exist such a man in London, +who actually is deaf and dumb, and was born so, who +does write and read, and converse as well as anybody, who +teaches others deaf and dumb to write, and read and converse +with anybody, who likewise can, by a presaging gift, set +down in writing the name of any stranger at first sight, tell +him his past actions, and predict his future occurrences in +fortune, and since he has practised this talent as a profession +with great success for a long series of years upon innumerable +persons in every state and vocation in life, from the +peeress to the waiting-woman, and from the lady mayoress to +the milliner and sempstress, will it not be wonderfully entertaining +to give the world a perfect history of this so singular +a man's life? And while we are relating the pleasant adventures +with such prodigious variety, can anything be more +agreeably instructive in a new way than to intersperse the +reasons, and account for the manner how nature, having a +mind to be remarkable, performs by him acts so mysterious.</p> + +<p>I have premised this introduction, compounded of the +merry and the serious, with the hopes of engaging many curious +people of all sorts to be my readers, even from the airy +nice peruser of novels and romances, neatly bound and finely +gilt, to the grave philosopher, that is daily thumbing over the +musty and tattered pieces of more solid antiquity. I have all +the wonders to tell that such a merry kind of a prophet has +told, to entertain the fancies of the first gay tribe, by which +means I may entice them into some solid knowledge and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +judgment of human nature; and I have several solid disquisitions +of learning to make, accounting for the manner of +these mysterious operations, never touched upon before in +due form and order by the hands of the ancient or modern +sages, that I may bribe the judgment of this last grave class, +so far as to endure the intermixing entertainment with their +severer studies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="title">MR. CAMPBELL'S DESCENT, FAMILY, BIRTH, ETC.</p> + + +<p>Of the goodness and antiquity of the name and family of +this gentleman, nobody can ever make any question. He is +a Campbell, lineally descended from the house of Argyll, and +bears a distant relation to the present duke of that name in +Scotland, and who is now constituted a duke of England, by +the style and title of Duke of Greenwich.</p> + +<p>It happens frequently that the birth of extraordinary persons +is so long disputed by different people, each claiming him +for their own, that the real place where he first took breath +grows at last dubious. And thus it fares with the person +who is the subject of the following sheets; as, therefore, +it is my proposal to have a strict regard to historical +faith, so I am obliged to tell the reader that I can with no +certainty give an account of him till after he was three years +old; from which age I knew him, even to this day; I will +answer for the truths which I impart to the public during +that time, and as for his birth and the circumstances of it, +and how the first three years of his life passed, I can only +deliver them the same account I have received from others, +and leave them to their own judgments whether it ought to +be deemed real or fabulous.</p> + +<p>The father of our Mr. Duncan Campbell, as these relate +the story, was from his infancy of a very curious, inquisitive +nature, and of an enterprising genius, and if he heard of +anything surprising to be seen, the difficulty in practice was +enough to recommend to him the attempting to get a sight of +it at any rate or any hazard. It is certain, that during some +civil broils and troubles in Scotland, the grandfather of our +Mr. Campbell was driven with his wife and family, by the +fate of war, into the isle of Shetland, where he lived many +years; and during his residence there, Mr. Archibald Campbell, +the father of our Duncan Campbell, was born.</p> + +<p>Shetland lies north-east from Orkney, between sixty and +sixty-one degrees of latitude. The largest isle of Shetland, +by the natives called the Mainland, is sixty miles in length +from south-west to the north-east, and from sixteen, to one +mile, in breadth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<p>The people who live in the smaller isles have abundance +of eggs and fowl, which contributes to maintain their families +during the summer.</p> + +<p>The ordinary folks are mostly very nimble and active in +climbing the rocks in quest of those eggs and fowl. This +exercise is far more diverting than hunting and hawking +among us, and would certainly for the pleasure of it, be followed +by people of greater distinction, was it not attended +with very great dangers, sufficient to turn sport into sorrow, +and which have often proved fatal to those who too eagerly +pursue their game. Mr. Archibald Campbell, however, delighted +extremely in this way of fowling, and used to condescend +to mix with the common people for company, because +none of the youths of his rank and condition were venturesome +enough to go along with him.</p> + +<p>The most remarkable experiment of this sort, is at the isle +called the Noss of Brassah: the Noss standing at sixteen +fathoms distance from the side of the opposite main: the +higher and lower rocks have two stakes fastened in each of +them, and to these there are ropes tied; upon the ropes there +is an engine hung which they call a cradle, and in this a man +makes his way over from the greater to the smaller rocks, +where he makes a considerable purchase of eggs and fowl; +but his return being by an ascent, makes it the more dangerous, +though those on the great rock have a rope tied to +the cradle, by which they draw it and the man safe over for +the most part. Over this rock Mr. Archibald Campbell and +five others were in that manner let down by cradles and +ropes; but before they could be all drawn back again, it +grew dark, and their associates not daring to be benighted, +were forced to withdraw, and Mr. Campbell was the unfortunate +person left behind, having wandered too far, and not +minded how the day declined, being intent on his game. He +passed that night, you may easily guess, without much sleep, +and with great anxiety of heart. The night, too, as he lay +in the open air, was, to add to his misfortunes, as boisterous +and tempestuous as his own mind; but in the end the tempest +proved very happy for him. The reader is to understand +that the Hamburghers, Bremeners, and Hollanders, carry on +a great fish trade there. Accordingly, a Holland vessel, that +was just coming in the sound of Brassah, was by this tempest +driven into a creek of the rock, which nature had made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +into a harbour, and they were providentially saved from the +bottom of the sea by a rock, from which, humanly speaking, +they could expect nothing but destruction, and being sent to +the bottom of that sea. As never could a man be taken hold +of with so sudden and surprising a disaster, so nobody could +meet with a more sudden and surprising relief than Mr. +Campbell found when he saw a ship so near. He made to +the vessel, and begged the Hollanders to take him in; they +asked him what he would give them, or, said the barbarous +sailors, we will even leave you where you are; he told them +his disaster, but they asked money, and nothing else would +move them: as he knew them a self-interested people, he +bethought himself, that if he should tell them of the plenty of +fowls and eggs they would get there, he might not only be +taken in a passenger, but made a partner in the money arising +from the stock; it succeeded accordingly: when he +proposed it, the whole crew were all at work, and, in four +hours, pretty well stored the vessel, and then, returning on +board, set sail for Holland. They offered Mr. Campbell to +put him in at his own island; but having a mind to see Holland, +and being a partner, to learn their way of merchandize, +which he thought he might turn to his countrymen's advantage, +he told them he would go the voyage out with them, +and see the country of those who were his deliverers; a +necessary way of speech, when one has a design to sooth +barbarians, who, but for interest, would have left him unredeemed, +and, for aught they knew, a perpetual sole inhabitant +of a dreadful rock, encompassed round with precipices, +some three hundred fathoms high. Not so the islanders, who +are wrongly called a savage set of mortals; no, they came in +quest of him after so bitter a night, not doubting to find him, +but fearing to find him in a lamentable condition; they +hunted and ransacked every little hole and corner in the +rock, but all in vain. In one place they saw a great slaughter +of fowls, enough to serve forty families for a week; and +then they guessed, though they had not the ill fortune to +meet the eagles frequently noted to hover about those isles, +that they might have devoured part of him on some precipice +of the rock, and dropped the remnant into the sea. Night +came upon them, and they were afraid of falling into the +same disaster they went to relieve Mr. Campbell from. They +returned each to their proper basket, and were drawn up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +safe by their respective friends, who were amazed that one +basket was drawn up empty which was let down for Mr. +Campbell, and that there was not the least intelligence to be +had concerning him, but the suppositious story of his having +been devoured by eagles. The story was told at home; and +with the lamentation of the whole family, and all his friends, +he was looked upon to be murdered or dead.</p> + +<p>Return we now to Mr. Archibald Campbell, still alive, +and on board the Holland vessel; secure, as he thought within +himself that, from the delivery he lately had by the gift of +Providence, he was not intended to be liable to any more +misfortunes and dangers of life, in the compass of so small a +voyage. But his lot was placed otherwise in the book of +fate, than he too fondly imagined: his time of happiness +was dated some pages lower down, and more rubs +and difficulties were to be encountered with, before his stars +intended to lead him to the port of felicity. Just as he +arrived within sight of Amsterdam, a terrible storm arose, +and, in danger of their lives, for many hours, they weathered +out the tempest; and a calm promising fair afresh, they +made to the coast of Zealand; but a new hurricane prevented +the ship from coming there also; and after having +lost their masts and rigging, they were driven into Lapland. +There they went ashore in order to careen and repair their +ship, and take in provisions; while the ship was repairing +by the Dutch, our islander made merry with the inhabitants, +being the most inclined to their superstitious customs; he +there became acquainted with a very beautiful woman, who +fell in love with him, and after a very short space of time +he married her. About the time when the ship departed, +his wife, who was very rich, was big with child of a son, +namely, Mr. Duncan Campbell. He wrote a letter by the +master of the vessel to his parents in Shetland, concerning +the various adventures he had met with, which was delivered +the June following, about the time of fishing, to his parents, +and several persons had copies thereof, and, for aught I know, +some retain them to this very day; sure I am that many remember +the particulars of this, surprising affair, who are +now living in that island.</p> + +<p>The letter being very remarkable and singular in all its +circumstances, I shall present it to the reader word for word, +as it was given into my hands, together with some others<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +which he wrote afterwards, in all which I am assured by +very credible persons, and undoubted authorities, there are +not the least alterations, but what the version of it from the +then Scotch manner of expression into a more modern +English dress, made absolutely necessary.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +<span class="smcap">My Dearest Father,</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>The same odd variety of accident, which put it out of +my power to be personally present with you for so long a +time, put it likewise out of my power to write to you. At +last fortune has so ordered it, that I can send a letter to you +before I can come myself, and it is written expressly to tell +you the adventures I have met with, which have detained +me this tedious space of time from my dear father, and because +the same captain of a ship that brings you this, might +as easily have brought your son to speak for himself. I shall +in the next place lay before you the necessity there is for my +stay a little longer among the strange natives of the country +where I now inhabit, and where I am, in a manner, become +naturalized.</p> + +<p>You have, no doubt of it, been informed by my companions, +some of whom I hope got safe back again, if not all, that I +was lost, where many a brave man has perished before me, +by going over the high precipices of the mountain Brassah, +in a basket, sliding down by a rope. I must suppose I have +given you the anguish of a father for a son, who you thought +had lost his life by such a foolhardy attempt, and I implore +your pardon with all the power of filial contrition, penitence, +and duty. You have always showed me such singular marks of +paternal affection, that I know your receipt of this letter will +fill your heart with joy, and cause you to sign me an absolution +and free pardon for all the errors I have committed, and think +the sufferings I have undergone for my rashness and indiscretion, +a sufficient atonement for my crime of making you +by my undutifulness, a partner of my sorrows. To free you +the more from this uneasiness, I know I need only tell you, +that every grief of mine is gone excepting one, which is, that +I must still lose the pleasure of seeing you a little longer. +There was never surely a more bitter night than that which +must by me be for ever remembered, when I was lost in the +mountain of Brassah, where I must, for aught I know, have +lived for ever a wild single inhabitant, but that the storm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +which made the night so uneasy to me, rendered the first approach +of daylight, beyond measure delightful. The first +providential glimpse of the morning gave me a view of a ship +driven by the tempest into a creek of the rock, that was by +nature formed like a harbour; a miraculous security of deliverance, +as I thought, both for the ship's crew and myself. +I made all the haste I could, you may be sure, to them, and +I found them to be Dutchmen that were come for fish; but +in lieu of fish I instructed them to load it with eggs and fowl, +which we compassed very happily in a short space of time, +and I was to be a sharer with the captain in the lading, and +bargained to go for Holland, to see the sale, and nature of the +traffic; but when we were at sea, after much bad weather, +we made towards Zealand, but we were driven upon the +coast of Finland by a new storm, and thence into Lapland, +where I now am, and from whence I send you this letter.</p> + +<p>I could not come into a place so properly named for my +reception; as I had been undutiful to you, and fortune +seemed to make me an exile, or a banished man, by way of +punishment for the vices of my youth; so Lapland (which is +a word originally derived from the Finland word <i>lappi</i>, that +is, exiles, and from the Sweden word <i>lap</i>, signifying banished, +from which two kingdoms most of our inhabitants were banished +hither, for not embracing the Christian religion), was +certainly the properest country in the world to receive me.</p> + +<p>When first I entered this country, I thought I was got +into quite another world; the men are all of them pigmies +to our tall, brawny Highlanders; they are, generally speaking, +not above three cubits high, insomuch that though the +whole country of Lapland is immensely large, and I have +heard it reckoned by the inhabitants to be above a hundred +German leagues in length, and fourscore and ten in breadth, +yet I was the tallest man there, and looked upon as a giant. +The district in which I live now, is called Uma Lapmark. +You must understand, sir, that when I landed at North Cape, +in Kimi Lapmark, another district of Lapland, there was at +that time a most beautiful lady come to see a sick relation of +her father's, who was prefect, or governor of Uma Lapmark, +which is a post of great distinction. This lady, by being +frequently in the company of French merchants, who traffic +now and then in that province of Uma Lapmark, understood +French, and having heard of a man six foot and a half high, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>desired to see me, and when I came, she happened mightily +to like my person; and she talked French, which when I +answered, she made great signs of joy, that she could communicate +her sentiments to me, and she told me who +she was, how rich, and that not one in the company besides +could understand a syllable we said, and so I might +speak my mind freely to her; she told me the customs +of the country, that it was divided into cantons, like our +shires, and those cantons into rekars, or certain grounds +allotted to families, that are just like our clans. As she was +beyond measure beautiful, she was extremely good humoured, +a thing rarely to be met among Lapland women, of a better +stature than her country women, and very rich, and of good +birth: I thought it would be a prodigious turn of fortune, +for a man in my circumstances, if I could make any progress +in her heart, which she seemed a little to open to me, in such +a manner, for the beginning, as if such a successful event, if +managed with prudence, might not be despaired off. Souls +that are generous are apt to love, and compassion is the best +introducer of love into a generous bosom, and that was the +best stock I had to go upon in my courtship! I told her of +all my calamities, my dangers, and my escapes; the goodness +of my birth, as being allied to one of the greatest nobles in +our island; and still she would ask me to tell it her over +again, though every time I told it, just at such and such +passages, she was forced to drop the tears from her eyes. +In fine, I grew more in love with her, more out of a +sense of gratitude now, than by the power of her charms before; +the matter in a few days went so far, that she owned to +me I had her heart. As to marriage, I did not then know +the custom of the nation; I thought that if it proved only +dangerous to me, I loved her so well that I intended to +marry her, though the law was to pronounce me dead for it; +but I did not know whether it might not be perilous for her +too, to engage in such a state with me, and I resolved in that +case, rather to be singly unhappy, than to involve her in +distress, and make her the fair companion of my woes. I +would not tell her so, for fear she should out of love hide +from me those dangers, and therefore using a kind sort of +dissimulation, I conjured her to tell me the laws and customs +of marriages in that country to a tittle, and that nothing +should hinder us from happiness. She told me exactly, as I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +find since. Our marriage, said she, will be very hard to +compass; provided we follow the strict rule of the country. +For our women here, are bound not to see the man who +makes their addresses to them, in some time. His way of +courtship is to come to the parents, and his nearest friends +and relations must make her father presents, and supplicate +him like a king, to grant him his daughter. The courtship +often lasts two or three years, and sometimes has not its +effect at last; but if it has, the woman is dragged by her +father and brother to church, as unwilling to go to be married, +which is looked upon as a greater part of modesty in her, +according to the greater disinclination she shows. My father +and brother, said she, will both be against it; you have no +relations in this country to move your suit, I cannot be so +hypocritical as to be dragged unwillingly to him I own I desire +for my lawful husband, and therefore, as I have an inclination +to you, and I dare own I have, I will not follow +those methods which I disapprove. I have talked with +several Swedes, and several polite Frenchmen, about their +manner of espousals, and I am told, that when souls are +naturally united by affection, the couple so mutually and reciprocally +loving, though they had rather have their parents' +leave if likely to be got, yet, unwilling to be disappointed, +only go to the next minister's and marry for better for worse. +This way I approve of, for where two persons naturally love +each other, the rest is nothing but a modest restraint to their +wishes, and since it is only custom, my own reason teaches +me there is no error committed, nor any harm done in breaking +through it upon so commendable an occasion. I have, +added she, a thousand rein-deer belonging to me, beyond my +father's power of taking away, and a third share in a rekar +or clan, that is ten leagues in compass, in the byar or canton +of Uma Lapmark. This is at my own disposal, and it is all +your own, if you please to accept of it with me. Our women +are very coy, when they are courted, though they have never +so much an inclination to their suitor; but good reason and the +commerce I have had with persons of politer nations than +ours is, teach me that this proceeds entirely from vanity and +affectation, and the greatest proof of a woman's modesty, +chastity, and sincerity, certainly consists, contrary to the +general corrupted opinion, in yielding up herself into the +arms of the man she loves. For she that can dally with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> a +heart she prizes, can give away her heart, when she is once +balked, to any man, even though she dislikes him. You must +judge, my dear father, I must be touched with a woman that +was exceeding beautiful, beyond any of her nation, and who +had thoughts as beautiful as her person. I therefore was all +in rapture, and longed for the matrimony, but still loved her +enough to propose the question, I resolved, to her, viz., if it +would not be in her nation accounted a clandestine marriage, +and prove of great damage to her.</p> + +<p>To this she answered with all the wisdom which could be +expected from a woman who had given such eminent tokens +of her judgment on other points, amidst a nation so barbarous +in its manners, and so corrupt in its principles, as Lapland is. +I am, said she, answerable to my father, for nothing by our +laws, having no portion of him, but only what was presented +me by my relations at my birth, according to custom, in lands +and rein-deer. My father is but deputy governor; it is a +Swede who is the governor of Uma; and if I pay to him at +every mart and fair the due tribute, which must either consist +of fifty rein-deer or one hundred and fifty rixdollars, he +will have the priest that marries us present at the court of +justice, according to our custom, and keep us in possession of +our rights, that we may be enabled to pay tribute to the crown +of Sweden. Indeed, before the abolition of the Birkarti, +which were our native judges, we could not have married +thus without danger to us both; but now there is none at +all.</p> + +<p>My dear father, you must easily imagine that I could not +help embracing with all tenderness so dear and so lovely a +woman. In fine, I am married to her, I have lived very +happy hitherto, and am now grown more happy, for she is +big with child; and likely, before my letter comes to your +hands, to make you a grandfather of a pretty boy. You will +perhaps wonder that I name the sex of the child before it +comes into the world, but we have a way in Lapland of finding +that out, which though some judicious people call +superstitious, I am really persuaded of by experience, and +therefore I indulged my dear wife's curiosity, when she signified +to me she had a mind to make the usual trial, whether +the child she was going to be delivered of would be a boy or +a girl.</p> + +<p>You must understand, my dear father, the people here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +judge of the sex of the child by the moon, unto which they +compare a big-bellied woman. If they see a star appear just +above the moon, it is a sign it will be a boy, but, if the star +be just below the moon, they conjecture her to be big with a +girl. This observation and remark of Laplanders has, I +know, been accounted by some, and those wise and judicious +men too, to be ridiculously superstitious; but I have been led +into an easy belief of this mystery, by a mistress that is superior +to wisdom itself, constant, and therefore probably infallible, +experience. I therefore indulged my wife in this her request, +and went with her to the ceremony; the star appeared above +the moon, which prognosticates a boy, which I wish may, +and I scarce doubt will, prove true, and when she is brought +to bed I will send you word of it. It is remarkable, likewise, +that a star was seen just before the moon, which we also +count a very good omen. For it is a custom likewise here +in Lapland, to consult the moon, as an oracle about the health +and vigour of the child. If a star be seen just before the +moon, we count it a sign of a lusty and well grown child, +without blemish; if a star comes just after, we reckon it a +token that the child will have some defect or deformity, or die +soon after it is born.</p> + +<p>Having thus told you the manners of the country I live in +at present, as much at large as the nature of a letter will +permit, and related to you my own happy circumstances, and +the kindly promises of the heavens that are ushering in the +birth of my child, I would not have you think that I addict +myself to the superstitions of the country, which are very +many and groundless, and arising partly from the remainder +of Pagan worship, which is still cultivated among some of +the more obstinate inhabitants. I have, on the contrary, +since I married her, endeavoured to repay my wife's temporal +blessings to me with those that are endless, instructed +her in all the points of religion, and made her perfectly a +Christian; and she, by her devotion and prayers for me, +makes me such amends for it that I hope in us two St. +Paul's saying will be verified, viz., "That the woman shall +be sanctified in her husband, and the husband shall be sanctified +in his wife."</p> + +<p>However, I must take notice in this place, with all due +deference to Christianity, that though I am obliged to applaud +the prudence and piety of Charles the Ninth of Sweden, who,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +constituting Swedish governors over this country, abrogated +their practice of superstitions and art magic upon pain of +death, yet that king carried the point too far, and intermingled +with these arts the pretensions to the gift of a second-sight, +which you know how frequent it is with us in Scotland, +and which, I assure you, my wife (though she durst not +publicly own it for fear of incurring the penalty of those +Swedish laws) does, as it were, inherit (for all her ancestors +before her have had it from time immemorial) to a greater +degree than ever I knew any of our countrywomen or countrymen.</p> + +<p>One day last week she distracted me between the extremes +of joy and sorrow. She told me I should see you shortly, +and that my coming son would grow to be one of the most +remarkable men in England and Scotland, for his power of +foresight; but that I should speedily lose her, and meet with +difficulties in my own country, in the same manner as my +father, meaning you, sir, had done before me, and on the +same account, viz., of civil broils, and intestine wars in +Scotland.</p> + +<p>These unfortunate parts of her relation I would not conceal +from you, because the veracity of her notions should appear, +if they are true, though you may be sure I much wish they +all may prove false to the very last; excepting that wherein +she tells me, my son will be greatly remarkable, and that I +shall shortly see my dear father, which I daily long for, and +will endeavour to do as soon as possible. Pray remember me +to all friends; being,</p> + +<p class="quotsig"> +Honoured sir,</p> +<p class="quotsig">Your most dutiful and loving son,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Archibald Campbell.</span><br /> +</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="center">THE SECOND LETTER.</p> + +<blockquote><p>I am now the happiest man alive; the prosperous part of +my wife's predictions, which I mentioned to you in my last, +is come in some measure to pass. The child she has brought +me proves a boy, and as fine a one as I ever beheld, (if fondness +for my own makes me not blind); and sure it cannot be +fondness, because other plain circumstances joined at his +birth to prove it a more than ordinary remarkable one. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +was born with a caul upon his head, which we count one of +the luckiest signs that can be in nature; he had likewise three +teeth ready cut through the gums, and we reckon that an undeniable +testimony and promise given to the world by nature, +that she intends such a person for her extraordinary favourite, +and that he is born for great things, which I daily beg of +heaven may come to pass.</p> + +<p>Since I have known for some months what it is to be a +father, it adds a considerable weight to those affections which +I had for my wife. I thought that my tenderness for her was +at the height of perfection before; which shows how little +we know of those parts of nature that we have yet never +tried, and of which we have not yet been allotted our share +to act upon the stage of life. I find that I did love her then +as well as a husband could love a wife, that is, a wife without +a child; but the love to a wife that has a child, is a feeling +wonderful and inexpressibly different. A child is the seal +and the pledge of love. Meditating upon this, has likewise +doubled my affection to you. I loved you before, as a son, +and because as such, I felt your tenderness; but my love is +much increased now, because I know the tenderness which +you felt for me as a father. With these pleasing images of +thought, I often keep you nearer company at this vast distance, +than when I lived irregularly under your eye. These +reflections render a solitary life dear to me. And though I +have no manner of acquaintance with her relations, who hate +me, as I am told, nor indeed with almost any of the inhabitants, +but my own domestics, and those I am forced to deal +with, yet I have as much, methinks, as I wish for, unless I +could come over to Shetland and live with you, which I the +more ardently desire, because I think I and my wife could be +true comforts to you, in your advanced years; now I know +what living truly is. I am daily persuading my wife to go +with me; but she denies me with kind expressions, and says, +she owes too much to the place, however less pleasant in +itself than other climates, where she had the happiness of first +joining hands with me in wedlock, ever to part from it. But +I must explain how I ask, and how she refuses. I resolved +never directly and downrightly to ask her, because I know +she can refuse me nothing; and that would be bearing hard +upon the goodness of her will. But my way of persuading +her consists in endeavouring to make her in love with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +place, by agreeable descriptions of it, and likewise of the +humane temper of the people; so that I shortly shall induce +her to signify to me that it is her own will to come with +me, and then I shall seem rather to consent to her will, +than to have moved it over to my own. These hopes I have +of seeing my dear father very shortly, and I know such news +would make this letter, which I therefore send, more acceptable +to him, to whom I will be,</p> + +<p class="quotsig"> +A most dutiful and<br /> +affectionate son, till death,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Archibald Campbell.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>P.S. If I cannot bring my wife to change this country for +another, I have brought her to that pitch of devotion, that +whenever Providence, which, notwithstanding her predictions, +I hope will be long yet, shall call her to change this world for +another, it will be happy with her there; she joins with me +in begging your blessing to me, herself, and our little Duncan, +whom we christened so, out of respect to the name you bear.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="center">THE THIRD LETTER.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +<span class="smcap">My dear Father</span>,<br /> +</p> + +<p>I am lost in grief; I had just brought my wife (her that was +my wife, for I have none now, I have lost all joy), in the +mind of coming over to be a comfort to you. But now grief +will let me say no more than that I am coming to beg comfort +from you, and by this I prepare you to receive, when he +comes, a son in tears and mourning.</p> + +<p class="quotsig"><br /> +<span class="smcap">Archibald Campbell.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>P.S. I have a babe, not much above two years old, must +bear the hardships of travelling over the ice, and all through +Muscovy, for no ships can stir here for many months; and I +cannot bear to live in this inhospitable place, where she died, +that only could make it easy to me, one moment beyond the +first opportunity I have of leaving it. She is in heaven; +that should make me easy, but I cannot; I am not so good a +Christian as she was—I am lost and ruined.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="title">AFTER THE DEATH OF MR. DUNCAN CAMPBELL'S MOTHER IN +LAPLAND, HIS FATHER, ARCHIBALD, RETURNED WITH HIS +SON TO SCOTLAND. HIS SECOND MARRIAGE, AND HOW +HIS SON WAS TAUGHT TO WRITE AND READ.</p> + +<p>Mr. Archibald Campbell, having buried his Lapland lady, +returned to Scotland, and brought over with him his son, Mr. +Duncan Campbell. By that time he had been a year in his +own country, he married a second wife; a lady whom I had +known very well for some years, and then I first saw the +boy; but, as they went into the western islands, I saw them +not again in three years. She being, quite contrary to the +cruel way much in use among stepmothers, very fond of the +boy, was accustomed to say, she did, and would always think +him her own son. The child came to be about four years of +age, as she has related to me the story since, and not able to +speak one word, nor to hear any noise; the father of him used +to be mightily oppressed with grief, and complain heavily to +his new wife, who was no less perplexed, that a boy so pretty, +the son of so particular a woman, which he had made his +wife, by strange accidents and adventures, and a child coming +into the world with so many amazing circumstances attending +his birth, should lose those precious senses by which alone +the social commerce of mankind is upheld and maintained, +and that he should be deprived of all advantages of education, +which could raise him to the character of being the great +man that so many concurring incidents at his nativity promised +and betokened he would be.</p> + +<p>One day, a learned divine, who was of the university of +Glasgow, but had visited Oxford, and been acquainted with +the chief men of science there, happening to be in conversation +with the mother-in-law of this child, she related to him +her son's misfortunes, with so many marks of sorrow, that +she moved the good old gentleman's compassion, and excited +in him a desire to give her what relief and consolation he +could in this unhappy case. His particular inclination to do +her good offices, made him recollect, that, at the time he was +at Oxford, he had been in company with one Doctor Wallis, +a man famous for learning, who had told him that he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +taught a born deaf and dumb man to write, and to read, and +even to utter some sounds articulately with his mouth; and +that he told him he was then going to commit to print the +method he made use of in so instructing that person, that +others, in the like unfortunate condition might receive the +same benefits and advantages from other masters, which his +deaf and dumb pupil had received from him. A dumb man +recovering his speech, or a blind man gaining his sight, or a +deaf one getting his hearing, could not be more overjoyed +than Mrs. Campbell was at these unexpected tidings, and she +wept for gladness when he told it. The good gentleman +animated and encouraged her with the kindest promises, and +to keep alive her hopes, assured her he would send to one of +the chief booksellers in London to inquire after the book, +who would certainly procure it him if it was to be got, and +that afterwards he would peruse it diligently, make himself +master of Doctor Wallis's method, and though he had many +great works upon his hands at that time, he would steal +from his other studies leisure enough to complete so charitable +an office, as teaching the dumb and deaf to read and +to write, and give her son, who was by nature deprived of +them, the advantages of speech, as far as art would permit +that natural defect to be supplied by her powerful interposition.</p> + +<p>When the mother came home, the child, who could hear +no knocking, and therefore it must be by a strange and inexplicable +instinct in nature, was the first that ran to the door, +and falling in a great fit of laughter, a thing it was not much +used to before, having on the contrary rather a melancholy +cast of complexion, it clung round its mother's knees, incessantly +embracing and kissing them, as if just at that time it +had an insight into what the mother had been doing for it, +and into its own approaching relief from its misery.</p> + +<p>When the mother came with the child in her hand to the +father, to tell him the welcome news, the child burst afresh +into a great fit of laughter, which continued for an unusual +space of time; and the scene of such reciprocal affection +and joy between a wife and her own husband, on so signal +an occasion, is a thing easier to be felt by parents of a good +disposition, imagining themselves under the same circumstances, +with regard to a child they loved with fondness, than +to be expressed or described by the pen of any writer. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +it is certain, whenever they spoke of this affair, as anybody, +who knows the impatience of parents for the welfare of an +only child, may guess, they must be often discoursing it over, +and wishing the time was come; the boy, who used seldom +so much as to smile at other times, and who could never hear +the greatest noise that could be made, would constantly look +wishfully in their faces and laugh immoderately, which is a +plain indication that there was then a wonderful instinct in +nature, as I said before, which made him foretaste his good +fortune, and, if I may be allowed the expression, the dawnings +as it were of the second-sight, were then pregnant +within him.</p> + +<p>To confirm this, the happy hour of his deliverance being +come, and the doctor having procured Mr. Wallis's book, +came with great joy, and desired to see his pupil; scarce +were the words out of his mouth when the child happened +to come into the room, and running towards the doctor, fell +on his knees, kissed his hand eagerly, and laughed as before, +which to me is a demonstration that he had an insight into +the good which the doctor intended him.</p> + +<p>It is certain, that several learned men, who have written +concerning the second-sight, have demonstrated by incontestable +proofs, and undeniable arguments, that children, nay, +even horses and cows, see the second-sight, as well as men +and women advanced in years. But of this I shall discourse +at large in its proper place, having allotted a whole future +chapter for that same subject of second-sightedness.</p> + +<p>In about half a year, the doctor taught his little dumb +pupil first to know his letters, then to name anything whatsoever, +to leave off some savage motions which he had taken of +his own accord before, to signify his mind by, and to impart +his thoughts by his fingers and his pen, in a manner as intelligible, +and almost as swift through the eyes, as that is of +conveying our ideas to one another, by our voices, through +the conduits and portholes of the ears. But in little more +than two years he could write and read as well as anybody. +Because a great many people cannot conceive this, and others +pretend it is not to be done in nature, I will a little discourse +upon Doctor Wallis's foundation, and show in a manner +obvious to the most ignorant, how this hitherto mysterious +help may be easily administered to the deaf and the dumb, +which shall be the subject of the ensuing chapter.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + +<p>But I cannot conclude this without telling the handsome +saying with which this child, when not quite six years old, +as soon as he thought he could express himself well, paid +his first acknowledgment to his master, and which promised +how great his future genius was to be, when so witty a child +ripened into man. The words he wrote to him were these, +only altered into English from the Scotch.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +<span class="smcap">Sir</span>,<br /> +</p> + +<p>It is no little work you have accomplished. My +thanks are too poor amends; the world, sir, shall give you +thanks; for as I could not have expressed myself without +your teaching me, so those that can talk, though they have +eyes, cannot see the things which I can see, and shall tell +them; so that in doing me this, you have done a general +service to mankind.</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="title">THE METHOD OF TEACHING DEAF AND DUMB PERSONS TO +WRITE, READ, AND UNDERSTAND A LANGUAGE.</p> + + +<p>It is, I must confess, in some measure, amazing to me that +men, of any moderate share of learning, should not naturally +conceive of themselves a plain reason for this art, and know +how to account for the practicability of it, the moment they +hear the proposition advanced; the reasons for it are so +obvious to the very first consideration we can make about it. +It will be likewise as amazing to me that the most ignorant +should not conceive it, after so plain a reason is given them +for it, as I am now going to set down.</p> + +<p>To begin: how are children at first taught a language that +can hear? are they not taught by sounds? and what are +those sounds, but tokens and signs to the ear, importing and +signifying such and such a thing? If, then, there can be +signs made to the eye, agreed by the party teaching the child, +that they signify such and such a thing, will not the eye of +the child convey them to the mind, as well as the ear? They +are indeed different marks to different senses, but both the +one and the other do equally signify the same things or +notions, according to the will of the teacher, and consequently +must have an equal effect with the person who is to be in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>structed, +for though the manners signifying are different, the +things signified are the same.</p> + +<p>For example; if, after having invented an alphabet upon +the fingers, a master always keeps company with a deaf child, +and teaches it to call for whatsoever it wants by such motions +of the fingers which, if put down by letters, according to each +invented motion of each finger, would form in writing a word +of a thing which it wanted; might not he by these regular +motions teach its eye the same notions of things, as sounds +do to the ears of children that hear? The manner of teaching +the alphabet by fingers, is plainly set down in the following +table.</p> + +<p>When the deaf child has learned by these motions a good +stock of words, as children that hear first learn by sounds, +we may, methinks, call not improperly, the fingers of such a +dumb infant, its mouth, and the eye of such a deaf child, its +ear. When he has learnt thus far, he must be taught to +write the alphabet, according as it was adapted to the motions +of his fingers; as for instance, the five vowels, <i>a</i>, <i>e</i>, <i>i</i>, <i>o</i>, <i>u</i>, +by pointing to the top of the five fingers, and the other +letters, <i>b</i>, <i>c</i>, <i>d</i>, &c., by such other place or posture of a finger, +as in the above-mentioned table is set forth, or otherwise, it +shall be agreed upon. When this is done, the marks B, R, +E, A, D, and so of all other words, corresponding with such +fingers, conveys through his eyes, unto his head, the same +notion, viz., the thing signified, as the sound we give to those +same letters, making the word 'bread,' do into our head, +through the ears.</p> + +<p>This once done, he may be easily taught to understand the +parts of speech, as the verb, the noun, pronoun, &c., and so, +by rules of grammar and syntax, to compound ideas, and +connect his words into a language. The method of which, +since it is plainly set forth in Doctor Wallis's letter to Mr. +Beverly, I shall set it down by way of extract; that people +in the same circumstances with the person we treat of, and +of the like genius, may not have their talents lost for want +of the like assistance.</p> + +<p>When once a deaf person has learned so far as to understand +the common discourse of others, and to express his mind +tolerably well in writing, I see no room to doubt but that, +provided nature has endowed him with a proper strength of +genius, as other men that hear, he may become capable, upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +farther improvement, of such farther knowledge as is attainable +by reading. For I must here join with the learned +Doctor Wallis in asserting, as to the present case before us, +that no reason can be assigned why such a deaf person may +not attain the understanding of a language as perfectly as +those that hear; and with the same learned author I take +upon me to lay down this proposition as certain, that allowing +the deaf person the like time and exercise, as to other +men is requisite in order to attain the perfection of a language, +and the elegance of it, he may understand as well, and write +as good language, as other men; and abating only what doth +depend upon sound, as tones, cadences, and such punctilios, +no whit inferior to what he might attain to, if he had his +hearing as others have?</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="center"><i>An Extract from Dr. Wallis, concerning the method of teaching +the Deaf and Dumb to Read.</i></p> + +<p>It is most natural, (as children learn the names of things), +to furnish him by degrees with a nomenclator, containing a +competent number of names of things common and obvious +to the eye, that you may show the thing answering to such a +name, and these digested under convenient titles, and placed +under them in such convenient order, in several columns, or +other orderly situation in the paper, as by their position best +to express to the eye their relation or respect to one another. +As contraries or correlatives one against the other, subordinates +or appurtenances under their principle, which may +serve as a kind of local memory.</p> + +<p>Thus, in one paper, under the title mankind, may be +placed, not confusedly, but in decent order, man, woman, +child (boy, girl).</p> + +<p>In another paper, under the title body, may be written, in +like convenient order, head (hair, skin, ear), face, forehead, +eye (eyelid, eyebrow), cheek, nose (nostril), mouth (lip, chin), +neck, throat, back, breast, side (right side, left side), belly, +shoulders, arm (elbow, wrist, hand,—back, palm), finger +(thumb, buckle, nail), thigh, knee, leg (shin, calf, ancle), foot +(heel, sole), toe.</p> + +<p>And when he hath learned the import of words in each +paper, let him write them in like manner, in distinct leaves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +or pages of a book, prepared for that purpose, to confirm his +memory, and to have recourse to it upon occasion.</p> + +<p>In a third paper, you may give him the inward parts; as +skull (brain), throat (windpipe, gullet), stomach, guts, heart, +lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, bladder (urine), vein (blood), +bone (marrow), flesh, fat, &c.</p> + +<p>In another paper, under the title beast, may be placed +horse (stonehorse, gelding), mare (colt), bull (ox), cow, calf. +Sheep, ram (wether), ewe (lamb), hog, boar, sow, pig, dog, +(mastiff, hound, greyhound, spaniel), bitch (whelp, puppy), +hare, rabbit, cat, mouse, rat, &c.</p> + +<p>Under the title bird, or fowl, put cock, capon, hen, chick, +goose (gander), gosling, duck (drake), swan, crow, kite, +lark, &c.</p> + +<p>Under the title fish, put pike, eel, place, salmon, lobster, +crawfish, &c.</p> + +<p>You may then put plants or vegetables under several heads +or subdivisions of the same head; as tree (root, body, bark, +bough, leaf, fruit), oak, ash, apple-tree, pear-tree, vine, &c. +Fruit: apple, pear, plum, cherry, grape, nut, orange, lemon. +Flower; rose, tulip, gilliflower herb, (weed), grass, corn, +wheat, barley, rye, pea, bean.</p> + +<p>And the like of inanimates; as heaven, sun, moon, star, +element, earth, water, air, fire; and under the title earth,—clay, +sand, gravel, stone. Metal; gold, silver, brass, copper, +iron (steel), lead, tin (pewter), glass. Under the title water, +put sea, pond, river, stream; under that of air, put light, +dark, mist, fog, cloud, wind, rain, hail, snow, thunder, lightning, +rainbow. Under that of fire; coal, flame, smoke, soot, +ashes.</p> + +<p>Under the title clothes, put woollen (cloth, stuff), linen +(holland, lawn, lockarum), silk, (satin, velvet), hat, cap, +band, doublet, breeches, coat, cloak, stocking, shoe, boot, +shirt, petticoat, gown, &c.</p> + +<p>Under the title house, put wall, roof, door, window, casement, +room.</p> + +<p>Under room, put shop, hall, parlour, dining-room, chamber, +study, closet, kitchen, cellar, stable, &c.</p> + +<p>And under each of these, as distinct heads, the furniture +or utensils belonging thereunto; with divisions and subdivisions, +as there is occasion, which I forbear to mention, that +I be not too prolix.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<p>And in like manner, from time to time, may be added +more collections, or classes of names or words, conveniently +digested, under distinct heads, and suitable distributions, to +be written in distinct leaves or pages of his book in such +order as may seem convenient.</p> + +<p>When he is furnished with a competent number of names, +though not so many as I have mentioned, it will be seasonable +to teach him under the titles singular and plural, the +formation of plurals from singulars, by adding <i>s</i>, or <i>es</i>; as +hand, hands; face, faces; fish, fishes, &c., with some few +irregulars, as man, men; woman, women; foot, feet; tooth, +teeth; mouse, mice; louse, lice; ox, oxen, &c.</p> + +<p>Which, except the irregulars, will serve for possessives, to +be after taught him, which are formed by their primitives +by like addition of <i>s</i> or <i>es</i>, except some few irregulars, as +my, mine; thy, thine; our, ours; your, yours; his, her, +hers; their, theirs, &c.</p> + +<p>And in all those and other like cases, it will be proper +first to show him the particulars, and then the general title.</p> + +<p>Then teach him in another page or paper, the particles, a, +an, the, this, that, these, those.</p> + +<p>And the pronouns, I, me, my, mine, thou, thee, thy, thine, +we, us, our, ours, ye, you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, +her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, shoes, heirs, who, whom, +whose.</p> + +<p>Then under the titles substantive, adjective, teach him to +connect these, as my hand, your head, his foot, his feet, her +arm, her arms, our hats, their John's coat, William's band, &c.</p> + +<p>And in order to furnish him with more adjectives, under +the title colours, you may place black, white, gray, green, +blue, yellow, red, &c., and having showed the particulars, let +him know that these are called colours. The like for taste +and smell; as sweet, bitter, sour, stink.</p> + +<p>And for hearing, sound, noise, word.</p> + +<p>Then for touch or feeling, hot, warm, cold, cool, wet, moist, +dry, hard, soft, tough, brittle, heavy, light, &c.</p> + +<p>From whence you may furnish him with more examples of +adjectives with substantives; as white bread, brown bread, +green grass, soft cheese, hard cheese, black hat, my black +hat, &c.</p> + +<p>And then inverting the order, substantive, adjective, with +the verb copulative between; as silver is white, gold is yel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>low, +lead is heavy, wood is light, snow is white, ink is black, +flesh is soft, bone is hard, I am sick, I am not well, &c., +which will begin to give him some notion of syntax.</p> + +<p>In like manner when substantive and substantive are so +connected; as gold is a metal, a rose is a flower, they are +men, they are women, horses are beasts, geese are fowls, larks +are birds, &c.</p> + +<p>Then as those before relate to quality, you may give him +some other words relating to quantity. As long, short, broad, +narrow; thick, thin; high, tall, low; deep, shallow, great, +big, small (little), much, little; many, few, full, empty; whole, +part, piece; all, some, none, strong, weak, quick, slow, equal, +unequal, bigger, less.</p> + +<p>Then words of figure; as straight, crooked, plain, bowed, +concave, hollow, convex; round, square, three-square, sphere, +globe, bowl, cube, die, upright, sloping, leaning forward, +leaning backward, like, unlike.</p> + +<p>Of gesture; as stand, lie, sit, kneel, sleep.</p> + +<p>Of motion; as move, stir, rest, walk, go, come, run, leap, +ride, fall, rise, swim, sink, drawn, slide, creep, crawl, fly, pull, +draw, thrust, throw, bring, fetch, carry.</p> + +<p>Then words relating to time; place, number, weight, measure, +money, &c., are, in convenient time, to be showed him +distinctly; for which the teacher, according to his discretion, +may take a convenient season.</p> + +<p>As likewise the time of the day; the days of the week, the +days of the month, the months of the year, and other things +relating to the almanack, which he will quickly be capable +to understand, if once methodically shown him.</p> + +<p>As likewise the names and situation of places and countries, +which are convenient for him to know; which may be orderly +written in his book, and showed him in the map of +London, England, Europe, the world, &c.</p> + +<p>But these may be done at leisure, as likewise the practice +of arithmetic, and other like pieces of learning.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, after the concord of substantive and +adjective, he is to be showed by convenient examples, that +of the nominative and verb; as, for instance, I go, you see, he +sits, they stand, the fire burns, the sun shines, the wind blows, +the rain falls, the water runs, and the like, with the titles in +the top nominative verb.</p> + +<p>After this, under the titles nominative verb, accusative,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +give him examples of verbs transitive; as I see you, you see +me, the fire burns the wood, the boy makes the fire, the +cook roasts the meat, the butler lays the cloth, we eat our +dinner.</p> + +<p>Or even with a double accusative; as, you teach me writing +or to write, John teacheth me to dance, Thomas, tell me +a tale, &c.</p> + +<p>After this you may teach him the flexion or conjugation of +the verb, or what is equivalent thereunto; for in our English +tongue each verb hath but two tenses, the present and the +preter; two participles, the active and the passive; all the +rest is performed by auxiliaries, which auxiliaries have no +more tenses than the other verbs.</p> + +<p>Those auxiliaries are, do, did, will, would, shall, should, +may, might, can, could, must, ought, to, have, had, am, be, +was. And if by examples you can insinuate the signification +of these few words, you have taught him the whole flexion +of the verb.</p> + +<p>And here it will be convenient, once for all, to write him +out a full paradigm of some one verb, suppose 'to see,' through +all those auxiliaries.</p> + +<p>The verb itself hath but these four words to be learned, +see, saw, seeing, seen, save that after thou, in the second +person singular, in both tenses, we add est, and in the third +person singular, in the present tense, eth or es, or instead +thereof, st, th, s, and so in all verbs.</p> + +<p>Then to the auxiliaries, do, did, will, would, shall, should, +may, might, can, could, must, ought, to, we join the indefinite +see. And after have, had, am, be, was, the passive particle +seen, and so for all other verbs.</p> + +<p>But the auxiliary, 'am,' or 'be,' is somewhat irregular in a +double form.</p> + +<p>Am, art, is; plural are; was, wast, was; plural were.</p> + +<p>Be, beest, be; plural be; were, wert, were; plural were.</p> + +<p>Be, am, was, being, been.</p> + +<p>Which, attended with the other auxiliaries, make us the +whole passive voice.</p> + +<p>All verbs, without exceptions, in the active participle, are +formed by adding ing, as see, seeing; teach, teaching, &c.</p> + +<p>The preter tense and the participle are formed regularly, +by adding ed, but are often subject to contractions and other +irregularities, sometimes the same in both, sometimes different,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +and therefore it is convenient here to give a table of verbs, +especially the most usual, for those three cases, which may +at once teach their signification and formation; as boil, boiled; +roast, roasted, roasted; bake, baked, baked, &c.; teach, +taught, taught; bring, brought, brought; buy, bought, +bought, &c.; see, saw, seen; give, gave, given; take, took, +taken; forsake, forsook, forsaken; write, wrote, written, &c.; +with many more fit to be learned.</p> + +<p>The verbs being thus dispatched, he is then to learn the +prepositions, wherein lies the whole regimen of the noun. +For diversity of cases we have none, the force of which is to +be insinuated by convenient examples, suited to their different +significations; as for instance, <i>of</i> a piece <i>of</i> bread, a pint <i>of</i> +wine, the colour <i>of</i> a pot, the colour <i>of</i> gold, a ring <i>of</i> gold, a +cup <i>of</i> silver, the mayor <i>of</i> London, the longest <i>of</i> all, &c.</p> + +<p>And in like manner, for, off, on, upon, to, unto, till, until, +from, at, in, within, out, without, into, out of; about, over, +under; above, below; between, among; before, behind, after; +for, by, with, through, against, concerning; and by this +time he will be pretty well enabled to understand a single +sentence.</p> + +<p>In the last place, he is in like manner to be taught conjunctions, +which serve to connect not words only, but sentences; +as and, also; likewise, either or whether; neither, nor, if, +then, why, wherefore, because, therefore, but, though, yet, +&c.; and these illustrated by convenient examples in each +case, as, <i>Because</i> I am cold, <i>therefore</i> I go to the fire, <i>that</i> I +may be warm, <i>for</i> it is cold weather.</p> + +<p><i>If</i> it were fair, <i>then</i> it would be good walking, but however, +<i>though</i> it rain, <i>yet</i> I must go, <i>because</i> I promised; with other +like instances.</p> + +<p>And by this time his book, if well furnished with plenty of +words, and those well digested under several heads, and in +good order, and well recruited from time to time as new +words occur, will serve him in the nature of a dictionary +and grammar.</p> + +<p>And in case the deaf person be otherwise of a good natural +capacity, and the teacher of a good sagacity, by this method, +proceeding gradually step by step, you may, with diligence +and due application of teacher and learner, in a year's time, +or thereabouts, perceive a greater progress than you would +expect, and a good foundation laid for farther instruction in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +matters of religion and other knowledge which may be taught +by books.</p> + +<p>It will be convenient all along to have pen, ink, and paper, +ready at hand, to write down in a word what you signify to +him by signs, and cause him to write, or show how to write +what he signifies by signs, which way of signifying their +mind by signs deaf persons are often very good at; and we +must endeavour to learn their language, if I may so call it, +in order to teach them ours, by showing what words answer +to their signs.</p> + +<p>It will be convenient, also, as you go along, after some +convenient progress made, to express, in as plain language +as may be, the import of some of the tables; as for +instance:—</p> + +<p>The head is the highest part of the body, the feet the +lowest part; the face is the fore part of the head, the forehead +is over the eyes, the cheeks are under the eyes, the nose is +between the cheeks, the mouth is under the nose and above +the chin, &c.</p> + +<p>And such plain discourse put into writing, and particularly +explained, will teach him by degrees to understand plain +sentences; and like advantages a sagacious teacher may +take, as occasion offers itself from time to time.</p> + +<p>This extract is mostly taken out of the ingenious Dr. Wallis, +and lying hid in that little book, which is but rarely inquired +after and too scarcely known, died in a manner with that +great man. And as he designed it for the general use of +mankind that laboured under the misfortune of losing those +two valuable talents of hearing and speaking, I thought it +might not be amiss (in the life of so particular a dumb person +as I am writing) to give them this small but particular fragment +of grammar and syntax.</p> + +<p>It is exactly adjusted to the English tongue; because such +are the persons with whom the Doctor had to deal, and such +the persons whose benefit alone I consult in this treatise.</p> + +<p>One of the chief persons who was taught by Dr. Wallis +was Mr. Alexander Popham, brother-in-law (if I am not +mistaken) to the present Earl of Oxford; and he was a very +great proficient in this way; and though he was born deaf +and dumb, understood the language so well as to give under +his hand, many rare indications of a masterly genius.</p> + +<p>The uncle of his present Sardinian Majesty, as I have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +credibly informed, had the want of the same organs, and yet +was a perfect statesman, and wrote in five or six different +languages elegantly well.</p> + +<p>Bishop Burnet, in his book of travels, tells us a wonderful +story, almost incredible; but tells it as a passage that deserves +our belief. It is concerning a young lady at Genoa, +who was not only deaf and dumb, but blind, too, it seems, into +the bargain; and this lady, he assures us as a truth, could, +by putting her hand on her sister's mouth, know everything +she said.</p> + +<p>But to return back to England. We have many rare instances +of our own countrymen, the principal of whom I shall +mention, as their names occur to my memory. Sir John +Gawdy, Sir Thomas Knotcliff, Sir —— Gostwick, Sir Henry +Lydall, and Mr. Richard Lyns of Oxford, were all of this +number, and yet men eminent in their several capacities, for +understanding many authors, and expressing themselves in +writing with wonderful facility.</p> + +<p>In Hatton garden, there now lives a miracle of wit and +good nature, I mean the daughter of Mr. Loggin, who, though +born deaf and dumb, (and she has a brother who has the same +impediments), yet writes her mind down upon any subject +with such acuteness as would amaze learned men themselves +and put many students that have passed for wits, to the blush, +to see themselves so far surpassed by a woman amidst that +deficiency of the common organs. If anybody speaks a +word distinctly, this lady will, by observing narrowly the +motion of the speaker's lips pronounce the word afterwards +very intelligibly.</p> + +<p>As there are a great many families in England and Ireland +that have several, and some even have five or six dumb persons +belonging to them; and as a great many more believe it impossible +for persons born deaf and dumb to write and read, +and have thence taken occasion to say and assert that Mr. +Campbell could certainly speak, I could never think it a digression +in the history of this man's life to set down the +grammar by which he himself was taught, and which he has +taught others (two of which scholars of his are boys in this +town), partly to confute the slander made against him, and +partly for the help of others dumb and deaf, whose parents +may by these examples be encouraged to get them taught.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="title">YOUNG DUNCAN CAMPBELL RETURNS WITH HIS MOTHER TO +EDINBURGH. THE EARL OF ARGYLE'S OVERTHROW. THE +RUIN OF MR. ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL AND HIS DEATH. +YOUNG DUNCAN'S PRACTICE IN PREDICTION AT EDINBURGH +WHILE YET A BOY.</p> + + +<p>Our young boy, now between six and seven years of age, +half a Highlander and half a Laplander, delighted in wearing +a little bonnet and plaid, thinking it looked very manly in his +countrymen, and his father, as soon as he was out of his +hanging sleeves, and left off his boy's vest, indulged him +with that kind of dress, which is truly antique and heroic. +In this early part of his nonage he was brought to Edinburgh +by his mother-in-law, where I myself grew afresh acquainted +with her, his father being then but lately dead, just after the +civil commotion, and off and on, I have known him ever +since, and conversed with him very frequently during that +space of time, which is now about three or four and thirty +years, so that whatever I say concerning him in the future pages +I shall relate to the reader from my own certain knowledge, +which, as I resolved to continue anonymous, may, perhaps, not +have so much weight and authority as if I had prefixed my +name to the account. Be that as it will, there are hundreds +of living witnesses that will justify each action I relate, and +his own future actions while he lives will procure belief and +credit to the precedent ones, which I am going to record; so +that if many do remain infidels to my relations, and will not +allow them exact (the fate of many as credible and more important +historians than myself), I can however venture to +flatter myself that greater will be the number of those who +will have a faith in my writings than of those who will reject +my accounts as incredible.</p> + +<p>Having just spoke of the decease of Mr. Archibald Campbell, +the father of our young Duncan Campbell, it will not be +amiss here to observe how true the predictions of his Lapland +mother were, which arose from second-sight, according to the +notices given by the child's father, to his grandfather, in his +letter from Lapland, even before it was born, which shows<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +that the infant held this second-sighted power, or occult faculty +of divination, even by inheritance.</p> + +<p>In the year 1685, the Duke of Monmouth and the Earl of +Argyle sailed out of the ports of Holland without any obstruction, +the Earl of Argyle in May; with three ships for Scotland, +and Monmouth in June, with the same number for England.</p> + +<p>The Earl setting out first, was also the first at landing. +Argyle having attempted to land in the north of Scotland, +and being disappointed by the vigilance of the Bishop of the +Orcades, landed in the west, and encamped at Dunstaffnage +Castle, in the province of Lorn, which had belonged to him. +He omitted nothing that might draw over to him all the +malcontents in the kingdom, whom he thought more numerous +than they afterwards appeared to be. He dispersed about +his declarations, wherein, after protesting that he had taken +up arms only in defence of religion and the laws, against an +unjust usurper (so he styled James the Second), he invited all +good Protestants, and such Scotch as would assert their liberty, +to join him against a prince, he said, who was got into the +throne to ruin the Reformation, and to bring in Popery and +arbitrary power. Next he sent letters to those he thought +his friends, among whom was Mr. Archibald Campbell, who, +according to the vast deference payed by the Scots to their +chief, joined him, though in his heart of quite a different +principle, to call them to his assistance. He detached two +of his sons to make inroads in the neighbourhood, and compel +some by threats, others by mighty promises, to join him. All +his contrivances could not raise him above three thousand +men, with whom he encamped in the Isle of Bute, where he +was soon, in a manner besieged by the Earl of Dumbarton, +with the king's forces, and several other bodies, commanded +by the Duke of Gordon, the Marquis of Athol, the Earl of +Arran, and other great men, who came from all parts to quench +the fire before it grew to a head.</p> + +<p>The Earl of Argyle being obliged to quit a post he could +not make good, went over into a part of the country of his +own name, where, having hastily fortified a castle called +Ellingrey, he put into it the arms and ammunition taken out +of his ships, which lay at anchor under the cannon of a fort +he erected near that place. There his rout began; for going +out from the castle with his forces to make an incursion, one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +of his parties was defeated by the Marquis of Athol, who +slew four hundred of his men; and Captain Hamilton, who +attacked his ships with some of the king's, and took them +without any resistance.</p> + +<p>The Earl of Dumbarton advancing towards him, at the +same time, by long marches, while he endeavoured to secure +himself by rivers, surprised him passing the Clyde in the +village of Killern, as he was marching towards Lenox. +Dumbarton coming upon them at night, would have stayed +till the next day to attack the rebels, but they gave him not +so much time, for they passed the river in the night, in such +confusion, that being overcome by fear, they dispersed as +soon as over. Argyle could scarce rally so many as would +make him a small guard, which was soon scattered again; +Dumbarton having passed the river, and divided his forces +to pursue those that fled. Argyle had taken guides to conduct +him to Galloway; but they mistaking the way, and +leading him into a bog, most of those that still followed him +quitted their horses, every man shifting for himself.</p> + +<p>Argyle himself was making back alone towards the Clyde, +when two resolute servants, belonging to an officer in the king's +army meeting him, though they knew him not, bid him surrender. +He fired at and missed them; but they took better +aim, and wounded him with a pistol ball. Then the earl +drawing his two pistols out of the holsters, quitted his horse, +that was quite tired, and took the river. A country fellow, +who came with those two, that had first assaulted him, pursued +him with a pistol in his hand; the earl would have +fired one of his, but the flint failing he was dangerously +wounded in the head by the peasant. He discovered himself +as he fell senseless, crying out. Unfortunate Argyle. +This nobleman, how far soever he may be thought misled in +principle, was certainly in his person a very brave and a very +gallant hero. They made haste to draw him out and bring +him to himself; after which, being delivered up to the officers, +the erring, unfortunate great man, was conducted to Edinburgh +and there beheaded.</p> + +<p>Many gentlemen that followed the fortunes of this great +man, though not in his death, they shared in all the other +calamities attending his overthrow. They most of them fled +into the remotest isles and the obscurest corners of all Scotland; +contented with the saving of their lives; they grew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +exiles and banished men of their own making, and abdicated +their estates before they were known to be forfeited, because, +for fear of being informed against by the common fellows +they commanded, they durst not appear to lay their claims. +Of this number was Mr. Archibald Campbell, and this new +disaster wounded him deep into the very heart, after so many +late misadventures, and sent him untimely to the grave. +He perfectly pined away and wasted; he was six months +dying inch by inch, and the difference between his last breath +and his way of breathing during all that time, was only, +that he expired with a greater sigh than he ordinarily fetched +every time when he drew his breath.</p> + +<p>Everything the Lapland lady had predicted so long before, +being thus come to pass, we may the less admire at the +wonders performed by her son, when we consider this faculty +of divination to be so derived to him from her, and grown as +it were hereditary.</p> + +<p>Our young prophet, who had taught most of his little +companions to converse with him by finger, was the head at +every little pastime and game they played at. Marbles, +which he used to call children's playing at bowls, yielded +him mighty diversion; and he was so dexterous an artist at +shooting that little alabaster globe from between the end of +his forefinger and the knuckle of his thumb, that he seldom +missed hitting plum, as the boys call it, the marble he aimed +at, though at the distance of two or three yards. The boys +always when they played coveted to have him on their side, +and by hearing that he foretold other things, used to consult +him, when they made their little matches, which were things +of great importance in their thoughts, who should get the +victory. He used commonly to leave these trifles undecided, +but if ever he gave his opinion in these trivial affairs, the +persons fared well by their consultation, for his judgment +about them was like a petty oracle, and the end always +answered his prediction. But I would have my reader +imagine, that though our Duncan Campbell was himself but +a boy, he was not consulted only by boys; his penetration +and insight into things of a high nature, got air, and being +attested by credible witnesses won him the esteem of persons +of mature years and discretion.</p> + +<p>If a beautiful young virgin languished for a husband, or a +widow's mind was in labour to have a second venture of in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>fants +by another spouse; if a housekeeper had lost anything +belonging to her master, still little Duncan Campbell was at +hand; he was the oracle to be applied to, and the little +chalked circle, where he was diverting himself with his play-fellows +near the cross at Edinburgh, was frequented with as +much solicitation, and as much credit, as the tripos of Apollo +was at Delphos in ancient times.</p> + +<p>It was highly entertaining to see a young blooming beauty +come and slily pick up the boy from his company, carry him +home with as much eagerness as she would her gallant, +because she knew she should get the name of her gallant out +of him before he went, and bribe him with a sugarplum to +write down the name of a young Scotch peer in a green +ribbon that her mouth watered after.</p> + +<p>How often after he has been wallowing in the dust, have I +myself seen nice squeamish widows help him up in their gilded +chariots, and give him a pleasant ride with them, that he +might tell them they should not long lie alone; little Duncan +Campbell had as much business upon his hands as the parsons +of all the parishes in Edinburgh. He commonly was +consulted, and named the couples before the minister joined +them; thus he grew a rare customer to the toyshop, from +whence he most usually received fees and rewards for his +advice. If Lady Betty Such a one was foretold that she +should certainly have Beau Such a one in marriage, then +little Duncan was sure to have a hobby-horse from the toyshop, +as a reward for the promised fop. If such a widow, +that was ugly, but very rich, was to be pushed hard for as +she pretended, though in reality easily won, little Duncan, +upon insuring her such a captain, or such a lieutenant-colonel, +was sure to be presented from the same child's warehouse, +with a very handsome drum, and a silvered trumpet.</p> + +<p>If a sempstress had an itching desire for a parson, she +would, upon the first assurance of him, give the little Apollo +a pasteboard temple, or church, finely painted, and a ring of +bells into the bargain, from the same toy-office.</p> + +<p>If a housekeeper lost any plate, the thief was certain to +be catched, provided she took little master into the store +room, and asked him the question, after she had given him +his bellyful of sweetmeats.</p> + +<p>Neither were the women only his consulters; the grave +merchants, who were anxious for many ventures at sea,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +applied to the boy for his opinion of their security, and they +looked upon his opinion to be as safe as the insurance office +for ships. If he but told them, though the ship was just set +sail, and a tempest rose just after on the ocean, that it would +have a successful voyage, gain the port designed, and return +home safe laden with the exchange of traffic and merchandize, +they dismissed all their fears, banished all their cares, +set their hearts at ease, and, safe in his opinion, enjoyed a +calm of mind amidst a storm of weather.</p> + +<p>I myself knew one Count Cog, an eminent gamester, who +was a person so far from being of a credulous disposition, +that he was an unbeliever in several points of religion, and +the next door to an infidel; yet, as much as he was a stranger +to faith, he was mastered and overpowered so far in his +incredulity by the strange events which he had seen come +frequently to pass from the predictions of this child, that he +had commonly daily access to this boy to learn his more +adverse and more prosperous hours of gaming. At first +indeed he would try, when the child foretold him his ill +fortune, whether it would prove true, and relying upon the +mere hazard and turn of the die, he had always, as he +observed, a run of ill luck on those forbidden days, as he +never failed of good if he chose the fortunate hours directed +by the boy. One time above all the rest, just before he was +departing from Edinburgh, and when the season of gaming +was almost over—most persons of wealth and distinction +withdrawing for pleasure to their seats in the country—he +came to young Duncan Campbell to consult, and was extremely +solicitous to know how happily or unluckily he +should end that term, as we may call it, of the gamester's +weighty business, viz., play, there being a long vacation +likely to ensue, when the gaming table would be empty, and +the box and dice lie idle and cease to rattle. The boy +encouraged him so well with his predictions on this occasion, +that Count Cog went to the toyshop, brought him from thence +a very fine ivory T totum, as children call it, a pretty set of +painted and gilded little ninepins and a bowl, and a large +bag of marbles and alloys; and what do you think the gamester +got by this little present and the prediction of the boy? +why, without telling the least tittle of falsehood, within the +space of the last week's play, the gains of Count Cog really +amounted to no less than 20,000<i>l</i>. sterling neat money.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>Having mentioned these persons of so many different professions +by borrowed names, and perhaps in a manner seemingly +ludicrous, I would not have my reader from hence take +occasion of looking on my account as fabulous. If I was not to +make use of borrowed names, but to tell the real characters and +names of the persons, I should do injury to those old friends +of his who first gave credit to our young seer, while I am endeavouring +to gain him the credit and esteem of new ones, +in whose way it has not yet happened to consult him. For +many persons are very willing to ask such questions as the +foregoing ones; but few or none willing to have the public told +they asked them; though they succeeded in their wish, and +were amply satisfied in their curiosity. I have represented +them perhaps in a ludicrous manner, because though they are +mysterious actions they are still the actions of a boy, and +as the rewards he received for his advices did really and +truly consist of such toys as I mentioned, so could they not +be treated of in a more serious manner, without the author's +incurring a magisterial air of pedantry, and showing a mind, +as it were, of being mighty grave and sententious about trifles. +There are, however, some things of greater weight and importance +done by him in a more advanced stage of life, +which will be delivered to the public with that exactitude +and gravity which becomes them; and in some of those +relations the names of some persons that are concerned shall +be printed, because it will not at all be injurious to them, or +because I have their leave, and they are still living to testify +what I shall relate.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, as the greatest part of his nonage was +spent in predicting almost innumerable things, which are all, +however, reducible to the general heads above mentioned, I +will not tire the reader with any particulars; but instead of +doing that, before I come to show his power of divination, +in the more active parts of his life, and when after removing +from Edinburgh to London, he at last made it his public profession; +I shall account how such divinations may be made, +and divert the reader with many rare examples, taken from +several faithful and undoubted historians, of persons who +have done the like before him, some in one way, and some +in another; though in this he seems to be peculiar, and to +be, if I may be allowed the expression, a species by himself, +alone in the talent of prediction; that he has collected with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>in +his own individual capacity all the methods which others +severally used, and with which they were differently and +singly gifted in their several ways of foreseeing and foretelling.</p> + +<p>This art of prediction is not attainable any otherwise, than +by these three ways; first, it is done by the company of familiar +spirits and genii, which are of two sorts; some good +and some bad; who tell the gifted person the things of which +he informs other people. Secondly, it is performed by the +second-sight, which is very various, and differs in most of +the possessors, it being but a very little in some, very extensive +and constant in others; beginning with some in their +infancy, and leaving them before they come to years; happening +to others in a middle age, to others again in an old +age, that never had it before, and lasting only for a term of +years, and now and then for a very short period of time; and +in some, intermitting, like fits as it were, of vision, that leave +them for a time, and then return to be as strong in them as +ever, and it being in a manner hereditary to some families, +whose children have it from their infancy, without intermission, +to a great old age, and even to the time of their death, +which they often foretell before it comes to pass, to a day, +nay, even to an hour. Thirdly, it is attained by the diligent +study of the lawful part of the art of magic.</p> + +<p>Before I give the reader an account, as I shall do in three +distinct discourses, first, concerning the intercourse which +familiar spirits, viz., the good and bad genii, have had and +continue to have to a great degree with some select parts of +mankind; secondly, concerning the wonderful and almost +miraculous power of a second-sight, with which many, +beyond all controversy, have been extraordinarily but visibly +gifted; and, thirdly, concerning the pitch of perfection to +which the magic science has been carried and promoted by +some adepts in that mysterious art; I will premise a few +particulars about the genii which attended our little Duncan +Campbell, and about the second-sight which he had when +yet a child, and when we may much more easily believe that +the wonders he performed and wrote of, must have been +rather brought about by the intervention of such genii and +the mediation of such a sight, than that he could have invented +such fables concerning them, and compassed such +predictions as seem to want their assistance, by the mere dint +of a child's capacity.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<p>One day, I remember, when he was about nine years of +age, going early to the house where he and his mother lived, +and it being before his mother was stirring, I went into little +Duncan Campbell's room to divert myself with him, I found +him sitting up in his bed with his eyes broad open, but as +motionless as if he had been asleep, or even, if it had not +been for a lively beautiful colour which the little pretty fair +silver-haired boy always had in his cheeks, as if he had been +quite dead; he did not seem so much as to breathe; the eyelids +of him were so fixed and immoveable, that the eyelashes +did not so much as once shake, which the least motion imaginable +must agitate; not to say that he was like a person in +an ecstacy, he was at least in what we commonly call a +brown study, to the highest degree, and for the largest space +of time I ever knew. I, who had been frequently informed +by people who have been present at the operations of second-sighted +persons, that at the sight of a vision the eyelids of the +person are erected, and the eyes continue staring till the +object vanishes; I, I say, sat myself softly down on his bed-side, +and with a quiet amazement observed him, avoiding diligently +any motion that might give him the least disturbance, +or cause in him any avocation or distraction of mind from the +business he was so intent upon. I remarked that he held his +head sideways, with his mouth wide open, and in a listening +posture, and that after so lively a manner, as, at first general +thought, made me forget his deafness, and plainly imagine he +heard something, till the second thought of reflection brought +into my mind the misfortune that shut up all passage for any +sound through his ears. After a steadfast gaze, which lasted +about seven minutes, he smiled, and stretched his arms as +one recovering from a fit of indolence, and rubbed his eyes; +then turning towards me, he made the sign of a salute, and +hinted to me, upon his fingers, his desire for pen, ink, and +paper, which I reached him from a little desk that stood at +his bed's feet.</p> + +<p>Placing the paper upon his knees, he wrote me the following +lines, which together with my answers I preserve by me, +for their rarity, to this very day, and which I have transcribed +word for word, as they form a little series of dialogue.</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> I am sorry I cannot stay with you; but +I shall see my pretty youth and my lamb by and by, in the +fields, near a little coppice or grove, where I go often to play<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +with them, and I would not lose their company for the whole +world; for they and I are mighty familiar together, and the +boy tells me everything that gets me my reputation among +the ladies and nobility, and you must keep it secret.</p> + +<p><i>My question.</i> I will be sure to keep it secret; but how do +you know you are to meet them there to-day? Did the +little boy appoint you?</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> Yes, he did, and signified that he had +several things to predict to me concerning people, that he +foreknew would come to me the week following to ask me +questions.</p> + +<p><i>My question.</i> But what was you staring at when I came +in?</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> Why, at that little boy that goes along +with the lamb I speak of, and it was then he made me the +appointment.</p> + +<p><i>My question.</i> How does he do it? Does he write?</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> No, he writes sometimes, but oftener +he speaks with his fingers, and mighty swift; no man can do +it so quick, or write half so soon; he has a little bell in his +hand, like that which my mother makes me a sign to shake +when she wants the servants: with that he tickles my brain +strangely, and gives me an incredible delight of feeling in +the inside of my head; he usually wakes me with it in the +morning when he comes to make me an appointment. I +fancy it is what you call hearing, which makes me mighty +desirous I could hear in your way; it is sweeter to the feeling, +methinks, than anything is to the taste; it is just as if +my head was tickled to death, as my nurse used to tickle my +sides; but it is a different feeling, for it makes things like +little strings tremble in my temples and behind my ears. +Now I remember, I will tell you what it is like, that makes +me believe it is like your hearing, and that strange thing +which you that can speak, call sound or noise: because, +when I was at church with my mother, who told me the bells +could be heard ringing a mile off, as I was kneeling on the +bench, and leaning over the top of the pew and gnawing the +board, every time the man pulled the rope, I thought all my +head beat as if it would come to pieces, but yet it pleased me +methought, rather than pained me, and I would be always +gnawing the board when the man pulled the rope, and I +told my mother the reason: the feeling of that was some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>thing +like the little bell, but only that made my head throb, +as if it would break, and this tickles me, and makes, as it +were, little strings on the back of my ears dance and tremble +like anything; is not that like your way of hearing? If it +be, it is a sweet thing to hear; it is more pleasant than to +see the finest colours in the world; it is something like being +tickled in the nose with a feather till one sneezes, or like the +feeling after one strikes the leg when it has been numb, or +asleep, only with this difference, that those two ways give a +pain, and the other a pleasure. I remember, too, when I +had a great cold, for about two months, I had a feeling something +like it, but that was blunt, dull, confused, and troublesome. +Is not this like what you call hearing?</p> + +<p><i>My question.</i>—It is the finest kind of hearing, my dear: +it is what we call music. But what sort of a boy is that that +meets you? and what sort of a lamb?</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> Oh! though they are like other boys and +other lambs which you see, they are a thousand times prettier +and finer? you never saw such a boy nor such a lamb in your +lifetime.</p> + +<p><i>My question.</i> How big is he? As big as you are? And +what sort of a boy is he?</p> + +<p><i>Duncan Campbell.</i> He is a little little pretty boy, about as +tall as my knee, his face is as white as snow, and so are his +little hands; his cheeks are as red as a cherry, and so are +his lips; and when he breathes, it makes the air more perfumed +than my mother's sweet bags that she puts among +the linen; he has got a crown of roses, cowslips, and other +flowers upon his head, such as the maids gather in May; his +hair is like fine silver threads, and shine like the beams of +the sun; he wears a loose veil down to his feet, that is as +blue as the sky in a clear day, and embroidered with spangles, +that look like the brightest stars in the night; he carries a +silver bell in one hand, and a book and pencil in the other, +and he and the little lamb will dance and leap about me in a +ring as high as my head; the lamb has got a little silver collar +with nine little bells upon it; and every little piece of wool +upon its back, that is as white as milk, is tied up all round it +in puffs, like a little miss's hair, with ribbons of all colours; +and round its head, too, are little roses and violets stuck very +thick into the wool that grows upon its forehead, and behind +and between its ears, in the shape of a diadem. They first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +meet me dancing thus; and after they have danced some time, +the little boy writes down wonderful things in his book, +which I write down in mine; then they dance again, till he +rings his bell, and then they are gone all of a sudden, I know +not where; but I feel the tinkling in the inside of my head +caused by the bell less and less, till I don't feel it at all, and +then I go home, read over my lesson in my book, and when I +have it by heart, I burn the written leaves, according as the +little boy bids me, or he would let me have no more. But I +hear the little bell again, the little boy is angry with me, he +pulled me twice by the ear, and I would not displease him +for anything, so I must get up and go immediately to the joy +and delight of my life.</p> + +<p>I told him he might, if he would promise me to tell me +farther another time; he said he would, if I would keep it +secret. I told him I would, and so we parted; though just +before he went, he said he smelt some venison, and he was +sure they would shortly have some for dinner; and nothing +was so sure as that, my man had my orders to bring a side of +venison to me the next day to Mrs. Campbell's, for I had +been hunting, and came thither from the death of a deer that +morning; and intended, as usual, to make a stay there for +two or three days.</p> + +<p>There are, I know, many men of severe principles, and +who are more strict, grave, and formal in their manner +of thinking, than they are wise, who will be apt to judge +of these relations as things merely fabulous and chimerical, +and not contented with being disbelievers by themselves, will +labour to insinuate into others this pernicious notion, that it +is a sign of infirmity and weakness in the head to yield them +credit. But though I could easily argue these Sir Gravities +down, though a sentence or two would do their business, put +them beyond the power of replying, and strike them dumb, +yet do I think it not worth my while; their greatest and most +wonted objection against these Eudemons and Kakodemons, +being, that it arises all from the work of fancy, in persons of a +melancholic blood. If we consider the nature of this child's +dialogue with me, will it not be more whimsically strange +and miraculous, to say that a child of nine years' old had +only a fancy of such things as these, of which it had never +heard anybody give an account, and that it could, by the +mere strength of imagination, predict such things as really<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +after came to pass, than it is, when it does so strangely predict +things, to believe the child does it in the manner itself +owns it does, which is by the intervention of a good demon, +or a happy genius. Departing, therefore, from these singular +and wise men's opinions, who will believe nothing excellent +can happen to others, which it has not been their lot to enjoy +a share of, I shall take my farewell hastily of them, without +losing my own time or theirs, in the words of the ingenious +Monsieur le Clerc: <i>Acerbos homines non moror, indignos +quippe, qui hĉc studia tractent, aut quorum, judicii ulla ratio +habeatur.</i></p> + +<p>I shall rather see how far these things have lain open to +the eyes of, and been explained by the ancient sages; I will +relate who among them were happy in their genii, and who +among the moderns, whose examples may be authorities for +our belief; I will set down as clearly as I can what perception +men have had of genii or spirits by the sense of seeing; +what by the sense of hearing; what by the sense of feeling, +touching, or tasting; and in fine, what perception others have +had of these genii by all the senses, what by dreams, and what +by magic, a thing rarely to be met with at once in any single +man, and which seems particular to the child, who was the +subject of our last little historical account. When I have +brought examples and the opinions of wise philosophers, and +the evidence of undeniable witnesses, which one would think +sufficient to evince persons of the commerce men have with +spirits, if they were not past all sense of conviction; I shall, +not so much to corroborate what I say, as to shame some +wiseacres, who would by their frail reason scan all things, +and pretend to solve the mysteries ascribed to spirits, as facts +merely natural, and who would banish from the thoughts of +men all belief of spirits whatsoever, I shall, I say, in order to +put to shame these wiseacres, if they have any shame left, +produce the opinions of the Fathers as divines, show the +doctrines of spirits in general to be consistent with Christianity, +that they are delivered in the Scripture and by Christian +tradition, in which, if they will not acquiesce, I shall leave +them to the labyrinth of their own wild opinions, which in +the end will so perplex their judgments of things, that they +will be never able to extricate themselves; and these different +heads will be the subject of the chapter ensuing; and will, or +I am greatly mistaken, form both an instructive, edifying, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +entertaining discourse, for a reader really and truly intelligent, +and that has a good taste and relish for sublime +things.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="title">AN ARGUMENT PROVING THE PERCEPTION WHICH MEN HAVE, +AND HAVE HAD, BY ALL THE SENSES, AS SEEING, HEARING, +ETC., OF DEMONS, GENII, OR FAMILIAR SPIRITS.</p> + + +<p>It is said in the ninth book of the Morals of Aristotle, It is +better to come at the probable knowledge of some things +above us in the heavens, than to be capable of giving many +demonstrations relating to things here below. This is no +doubt an admirable proposition, and speaks the lofty aims of +that sublime mind from whence it proceeded. Among all +the disquisitions in this kind, none seem to me more excellent +than those which treat concerning the genii that attend upon +men, and guide them in the actions of life. A genius, or +demon, of the good kind, is a sort of mediate being, between +human and divine, which gives the mind of man a pleasant +conjunction with angelic and celestial faculties, and brings +down to earth a faint participation of the joys of heaven. +That there have been such fortunate attendants upon wise +men, we have many rare instances. They have been ascribed +to Socrates, Aristotle, Plotinus, Porphyrius, Iamblicus, Chicus, +Scaliger, and Cardan. The most celebrated of all these +ancients, was Socrates; and as for his having a genius, or +demon, we have the testimonies of Plato, Xenophon, and +Antisthenes, his contemporaries, confirmed by Laertius, +Plutarch, Maximus Tyrius, Dion Chrysostomus, Cicero, +Apuleius, Ficinus, and others; many of the moderns, besides +Tertullian, Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, Austin, and others; +and Socrates himself, in Plato's Theage, says, By some divine +lot I have a certain demon which has followed me from my +childhood as an oracle; and in the same place intimates that +the way he gained his instruction, was by hearing the demon's +voice. Nothing is certainly so easy as for men to be able to +contradict things, though never so well attested, with such an +air of truth as to make the truth of the history doubted by +others as well as themselves, where no demonstrative proof +can be brought to convince them. This has been the easy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +task of those who object against the demon of Socrates; but +when no demonstrative proof is to be had on either side, does +not wisdom incline us to lean to the most probable? Let us +then consider whether the evidences are not more credible, +and witnesses of such a thing are not persons of more authority +than these men are, who vouchsafe to give no reason but their +own incredulity, for maintaining the contrary, and whether +those, therefore, by the right rule of judging, ought not much +sooner than these, to gain over our assent to their assertions?</p> + +<p>We will, however, laying aside the histories of those ancient +times, the sense whereof, by various readings and interpretations +being put upon the words, is rendered obscure and +almost unintelligible, descend to more modern relations, the +facts whereof shall be placed beyond doubt, by reason of the +evidences we will bring to attest them, and shall consequently +prove the perception men have of spirits, or genii, by every +sense.</p> + + +<p class="center gap4"><big>SECTION I.</big></p> + +<p>We will first begin as to the perception of spirits by the +sight.</p> + +<p>Mr. Glanvil, in his Collections of Relations, for proving +Apparitions, Spirits, &c., tells us of an Irishman that had like +to have been carried away by spirits, and of the ghost of a +man, who had been seven years dead, that brought a medicine +to his bed-side.</p> + +<p>The relation is thus:—</p> + +<p>A gentleman in Ireland, near to the Earl of Orrery's, sending +his butler one afternoon to buy cards, as he passed a field, +to his wonder, he espied a company of people sitting round +a table, with a deal of good cheer before them, in the midst +of the field; and he, going up towards them, they all arose +and saluted him, and desired him to sit down with them; +but one of them whispered these words in his ear: Do +nothing this company invites you to. Hereupon he refused +to sit down at the table, and immediately table and all that +belonged to it were gone, and the company are now dancing +and playing upon musical instruments. And the butler being +desired to join himself with them, but he refusing this also, +they all fall to work, and he not being to be prevailed with +to accompany them in working, any more than in feasting or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +dancing, they all disappeared, and the butler is now alone; +but instead of going forwards, home he returns, as fast as he +could drive, in a great consternation; and was no sooner +entered his master's door, but he fell down and lay some time +senseless, but coming again to himself, he related to his master +what had passed.</p> + +<p>The night following, there comes one of his company to his +bed-side, and tells him, that if he offered to stir out of the +doors the next day, he would be carried away. Hereupon he +kept within; but towards the evening, having need to make +water, he adventured to put one foot over the threshold +(several standing by), which he had no sooner done but they +espied a rope cast about his middle; and the poor man +was hurried away with great swiftness, they following him as +fast as they could, but could not overtake him; at length +they espied an horseman coming towards him, and made signs +to him to stop the man whom he saw coming near him, and +both ends of the rope, but nobody drawing; when they met +he laid hold of one end of the rope, and immediately had a +smart blow given him over his arm with the other end; but +by this means the man was stopped, and the horseman brought +him back with him.</p> + +<p>The Earl of Orrery hearing of these strange passages, sent +to the master to desire him to send this man to his house, +which he accordingly did; and the morning following, or +quickly after, he told the earl that his spectre had been with +him again, and assured him that that day he should most certainly +be carried away, and that no endeavours should avail +to the saving of him; upon this he was kept in a large room +with a considerable number of persons to guard him, among +whom was the famous stroaker, Mr. Greatrix, who was a +neighbour. There were, besides other persons of quality, +two bishops in the house at the same time, who were consulted +concerning the making use of a medicine, the spectre +or ghost prescribed, of which mention will be made anon, but +they determined on the negative.</p> + +<p>Till part of the afternoon was spent, all was quiet; but at +length he was perceived to rise from the ground, whereupon +Mr. Greatrix and another lusty man clapped their arms over +his shoulders, one of them before him, and the other behind, +and weighed him down with all their strength; but he was +forcibly taken up from them, and they were too weak to keep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +their hold, and for a considerable time he was carried into the +air, to and fro over their heads, several of the company still +running under him to prevent his receiving hurt if he should +fall; at length he fell, and was caught before he came to the +ground, and had by that means no hurt.</p> + +<p>All being quiet till bed-time, my lord ordered two of his +servants to lie with him, and the next morning he told his +lordship, that his spectre was again with him, and brought a +wooden dish with grey liquor in it, and bid him drink it off; +at the first sight of the spectre he said he endeavoured to +awake his bed-fellows; but it told him, that that endeavour +should be in vain; and that he had no cause to fear him, he +being his friend, and he that at first gave him the good advice +in the field, which had he not followed, he had been before +now perfectly in the power of the company he saw there; he +added, that he concluded it was impossible but that he should +have been carried away the day before, there being so strong +a combination against him; but now he could assure him +there would be no more attempts of that nature, but he being +troubled with two sorts of sad fits, he had brought that liquor +to cure him of them, and bid him drink it; he peremptorily +refusing, the spectre was angry, and upbraided him with great +disingenuity, but told him, however, he had a kindness for +him, and that if he would take plantain juice he should be +well of one sort of fits, but he should carry the other to his +grave; the poor man having by this somewhat recovered himself, +asked the spectre whether by the juice of plantain he +meant that of the leaves or roots? It replied, The roots.</p> + +<p>Then it asked him whether he did not know him? He +answered, No; it replied, I am such a one; the man answered +he had been long dead; I have been dead, said the spectre or +ghost, seven years, and you know that I lived a loose life, +and ever since, I have been hurried up and down in a restless +condition with the company you saw, and shall be to the day +of judgment; then he proceeded to tell him, that had he +acknowledged God in his ways, he had not suffered such +severe things by their means; and farther said, you never +prayed to God before that day you met with this company in +the fields.</p> + +<p>This relation was sent to Dr. Henry More by Mr. E. Fowler, +who said, Mr. Greatrix told it several persons; the Lord +Orrery also owned the truth of it; and Mr. Greatrix told it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +to Dr. Henry More himself, who particularly inquired of Mr. +Greatrix about the man's being carried up into the air, above +men's heads, in the room, and he did expressly affirm that he +was an eye-witness thereof.</p> + +<p>A vision which happened to the ingenious and learned +Dr. Donne, may not improperly be here inserted. Mr. +Isaac Walton, writing the life of the said doctor, tells us, that +the doctor and his wife, living with Sir Robert Drury, who +gave them a free entertainment at his house in Drury-lane, it +happened that the Lord Haye was by King James sent in an +embassy to the French King, Henry IV., whom Sir Robert +resolved to accompany, and engaged Dr. Donne to go with +them, whose wife was then with child, at Sir Robert's house. +Two days after their arrival at Paris, Dr. Donne was left +alone in that room in which Sir Robert and he and some +other friends had dined together. To this place Sir Robert +returned within half an hour; and as he left so he found Dr. +Donne alone, but in such an ecstacy, and so altered in his +looks, as amazed Sir Robert to behold him, insomuch that he +earnestly desired Dr. Donne to declare what had befallen him +in the short time of his absence. To which Dr. Donne was +not able to make a present answer; but after a long and perplexed +pause, did at last say, I have seen a dreadful vision, +since I saw you; I have seen my dear wife pass twice by me, +through this room, with her hair hanging about her shoulders, +and a dead child in her arms; this I have seen since I saw +you. To which Sir Robert replied, Sure, sir, you have slept +since I saw you, and this is the result of some melancholy +dream, which I desire you to forget, for you are now awake. +To which Dr. Donne's reply was, I cannot be surer that I now +live than that I have not slept since I saw you, and am as +sure at her second appearing she stopped and looked me in +the face and vanished. Rest and sleep had not altered Dr. +Donne's opinion the next day; for he then affirmed this +vision with a more deliberate and so confirmed a confidence, +that he inclined Sir Robert to a faint belief that the vision +was true, who immediately sent a servant to Drury house, +with a charge to hasten back and bring him word whether +Mrs. Donne were alive; and if alive, what condition she was +in as to her health. The twelfth day the messenger returned +with this account; that he found and left Mrs. Donne very +sad and sick in bed, and that after a long and dangerous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +labour she had been delivered of a dead child, and upon +examination the abortion proved to be the same day, and +about the very hour that Dr. Donne affirmed he saw her pass +by in his chamber. Mr. Walton adds this, as a relation which +will beget some wonder, and well it may, for most of our +world are at present possessed with an opinion that visions +and miracles are ceased, and though it is most certain that two +lutes both being strung and tuned to an equal pitch, and +then one played upon, the other, that is not touched, being +laid upon the table at a fit distance, will, like an echo to a +trumpet, warble a faint, audible harmony in answer to the +same tune, yet many will not believe that there is any such +thing as a sympathy with souls, &c.</p> + + +<p class="center gap4"><big>SECTION II.</big></p> + +<p>I shall next relate some little histories to show what perception +men have had of spirits by the sense of hearing. For, as +Wierus says, spirits appear sometimes invisibly, so that only +a sound, voice, or noise, is perceived by men, viz., a stroke, +knocking, whistling, sneezing, groaning, lamenting, or clapping +of the hands, to make men attent to inquire or answer.</p> + +<p>In Luther's Colloquia Mensalia, &c., set forth in Latin, at +Frankfort, anno 1557, it being a different collection from +that of Aurifaber, which is translated from high Dutch into +English. We have the following relation:—</p> + +<p>It happened in Prussia, that as a certain boy was born, +there presently came to him a genius, or what you please to +call it, for I leave it to men's judgments, who had so faithful a +care of the infant, that there was no need either of mother or +servant; and, as he grew up, he had a like care of him; he +went to school with him, but so, that he could never be seen +either by himself, or any others in all his life. Afterwards he +travelled into Italy, he accompanied him, and whensoever +any evil was like to happen to him, either on the road or in +the inn, he was perceived to foretell it by some touch or +stroke; he drew off his boots as a servant; if he turned his +journey another way, he continued with him, having the +same care of him in foretelling evil; at length he was made a +canon; and as, on a time, he was sitting and feasting with +his friends in much jollity, a vehement stroke was struck on +a sudden on the table, so that they were all terrified; presently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +the canon said to his friends, be not afraid, some great evil +hangs over my head. The next day he fell into a great fever, +and the fit continued on him for three whole days, till he died, +miserably.</p> + +<p>Captain Henry Bell, in his narrative prefixed to Luther's +Table, printed in English, anno 1652, having acquainted us +how the German copy printed of it had been discovered +under ground, where it had lain hid fifty-two years, that +edition having been suppressed by an edict of the Emperor +Rudolphus the second, so that it was death for any person to +keep a copy thereof; and having told us that Casparus van +Spar, a German gentleman, with whom he was familiarly +acquainted, while he negotiated affairs in Germany for King +James the first, was the person that discovered it, anno 1626, +and transmitted it into England to him, and earnestly desired +him to translate the said book into English, says, he accordingly +set upon the translation of it many times, but was +always hindered from proceeding in it by some intervening +business. About six weeks after he had received the copy, +being in bed with his wife, one night, between twelve and one +of the clock, she being asleep, but himself awake, there +appeared to him an ancient man standing at his bed-side, arrayed +all in white, having a long and broad white beard +hanging down to his girdle, who taking him by his right ear, +said thus to him: Sirrah! will you not take time to translate +that book which is sent unto you out of Germany? I will +shortly provide for you both place and time to do it; and +then he vanished. Hereupon, being much affrighted, he fell +into an extreme sweat, so that his wife awaking and finding +him all over wet, she asked him what he ailed? He told her +what he had seen and heard; but he never regarded visions +nor dreams, and so the same fell out of his mind. But a fortnight +after, being on a Sunday; at his lodging in King-street, +Westminster, at dinner with his wife, two messengers were +sent from the whole council-board, with a warrant to carry +him to the Gate-house, Westminster, there to be kept till +farther order from the lords of the council; upon which warrant +he was kept there ten whole years close prisoner, where he +spent five years of it in translating the said book, having good +cause to be mindful of the old man's saying: I will shortly +provide for you both place and time to translate it.</p> + +<p>Though the perception of spirits chiefly affects the hearing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +and seeing faculties, yet are not the other senses without some +participation of these genial objects, whether good or evil; +for, as St. Austin says, The evil work of the devil creeps +through all the passages of the senses; he presents himself +in figures, applies himself to colours, adheres to sounds, introduces +odours, infuses himself in savours, and fills all the +passages of intelligence; sometimes cruelly tormenting with +grief and fear, sometimes sportingly diverting man or taunting +with mocks; and on the other hand, as the learned Walter +Hilton, a great master of contemplative life, in his Scale of +Perfection sets forth, that appearances or representations to +the corporeal senses may be both good and evil.</p> + +<p>But before I conclude upon this head, to give still more +weight and authority to the perception men have had of these +genii, both by the senses of hearing and seeing, I will relate +two very remarkable fragments of history of this kind, told +us by persons who demand our credit, and done within the +memory of our grandfathers and fathers.</p> + +<p>The first is concerning that Duke of Buckingham who +was stabbed by Felton, August the twenty-third, 1628.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lilly, the astrologer, in his book entituled Monarchy +or No Monarchy, in England, printed in quarto, 1651; having +mentioned the Duke of Buckingham, writes as follows: +Since I am upon the death of Buckingham, I shall relate a +true story, of his being admonished often of the death he +should die, in this manner:—</p> + +<p>An aged gentlemen, one Parker, as I now remember, +having formerly belonged unto the duke, or of great acquaintance +with the duke's father, and now retired, had a +demon appeared several times to him in the shape of Sir +George Villiers, the duke's father: this demon walked many +times in Parker's bedchamber, without any action of terror, +noise, hurt, or speech; but at last, one night, broke out in +these words: Mr. Parker, I know you loved me formerly, +and my son George at this time very well, I would have you +go from me, you know me very well to be his father, old Sir +George Villiers of Leicestershire, and acquaint him with these +and these particulars, &c.; and that he above all refrain the +council and company of such and such, whom he then nominated, +or else he will come to destruction, and that suddenly. +Parker, though a very discreet man, partly imagined himself +in a dream all this time; and being unwilling to proceed upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +no better grounds, forbode addressing himself to the duke; +for he conceived, if he should acquaint the duke with the +words of his father, and the manner of his appearance to him, +such apparitions being not usual, he should be laughed at +and thought to dote, in regard he was aged. Some few nights +past without farther trouble to the old man, but not very +many nights after, old Sir George Villiers appeared again, +walked quick and furiously in the room, seemed angry with +Parker, and at last said, Mr. Parker, I thought you had been +my friend so much, and loved my son George so well, that +you would have acquainted him with what I desired, but I +know you have not done it; by all the friendship that ever +was betwixt you and me, and the great respect you bear my +son, I desire you to deliver what I formerly commanded you +to my son. The old man seeing himself thus solicited, +promised the demon he would, but first argued it thus, that +the duke was not easy to be spoken withal, and that he would +account him a vain man to come with such a message from +the dead: nor did he conceive the duke would give any credit +to him; to which the demon thus answered: If he will not +believe you have this discourse from me, tell him of such a +secret and named it, which he knows none in the world ever +knew but myself and him. Mr. Parker being now well +satisfied that he was not asleep, and that the apparition was +not a vain delusion, took a fit opportunity, and seriously acquainted +the duke with his father's words and the manner of +his apparition. The duke laughed heartily at the relation, +which put old Parker to a stand, but at last he assumed +courage, and told the duke that he acquainted his father's +ghost with what he found now to be true, viz., scorn and derision. +But, my lord, says he, your father bid me acquaint you by +this token, and he said it was such as none in the world but +your two selves did yet know. Hereat the duke was amazed +and much astonished, but took no warning or notice thereof, +keeping the same company still, advising with such counsellors +and performing such actions as his father by Parker countermanded. +Shortly after, old Sir George Villiers, in a very +quiet but sorrowful posture, appears again to Parker, and said, +Mr. Parker, I know you delivered my words to George, my +son, I thank you for so doing, but he slighted them, and now +I only request this more at your hands, that once again you +repair to my son, and tell him that if he will not amend, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +follow the counsel I have given him, this knife or dagger, and +with that he pulled a knife or dagger from under his gown, +shall end him; and do you, Mr. Parker, set your house in order, +for you shall die at such a time. Mr. Parker once more engaged, +though very unwillingly, to acquaint the duke with the +last message, and so did; but the duke told him to trouble him +no farther with such messages and dreams, and told him he +perceived he was now an old man and doted; and within a +month after, meeting Mr. Parker on Lambeth bridge, said, Now, +Mr. Parker, what say you of your dream? Who only returned; +Sir, I wish it may never have success, &c. But within six +weeks after, he was stabbed with a knife, according to his +father's admonition beforehand, and Mr. Parker died soon +after he had seen the dream or vision performed.</p> + +<p>This relation is inserted also in the great Lord Clarendon's +History, and in Sir R. Baker's Chronicle. The Lord Clarendon, +in his History, vol. i. lib. i., having given some relations, +says, that amongst others, there was one, meaning this of +Parker, which was upon a better foundation of credit than +usually such discourses are founded upon. And he tells us +that Parker was an officer in the king's wardrobe in Windsor +Castle, of a good reputation for honesty and discretion, and +then about the age of fifty years or more. This man had, in +his youth, been bred in a school in the parish where Sir +George Villiers, the father of the duke lived, and had been +much cherished and obliged in that season of his age by the +said Sir George, whom afterwards he never saw. About six +months before the miserable end of the Duke of Buckingham +the apparition was seen. After the third appearance, he +made a journey to London, where the court then was; he +was very well known to Sir Ralph Freeman, one of the +masters of the requests, who had married a lady that was +nearly allied to the duke, and was himself well received by +him. He informed the duke with the reputation and honesty +of the man, and Sir Ralph Freeman carried the man the +next morning, by five of the clock, to Lambeth, according to +the duke's appointment, and there presented him to the duke, +who received him courteously at his landing, and walked in +conference near an hour with him, and Sir Ralph's and the +duke's servants at such a distance that they heard not a +word; but Sir Ralph always fixed his eyes on the duke, who +sometimes spoke with great commotion and disorder; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +the man told Sir Ralph in their return over the water, +that when he mentioned those particulars that were to gain +him credit, the duke's colour changed, and he swore he could +come to that knowledge only by the devil; for that those +particulars were known only to himself and to one person +more, who, he was sure, would never speak of them. So far +the Lord Clarendon.</p> + +<p>I will now subjoin an authentic relation, which Mr. +Beaumont tells us at the end of his book of Genii, or +Familiar Spirits, printed in the year 1705, he had just before +received from the mouth of the then Bishop of Gloucester +himself. It is as follows, word for word:—</p> + +<p>Sir Charles Lee, by his first lady, had only one daughter, +of which she died in childbirth; and when she died, her +sister, the Lady Everard, desired to have the education of +the child; and she was by her very well educated till she +was marriageable; and a match was concluded for her with Sir +William Perkins, but was then prevented in an extraordinary +manner. Upon a Thursday night, she thinking she saw a +light in her chamber after she was in bed, knocked for her +maid, who presently came to her; and she asked why she +left a candle burning in her chamber? The maid said she +left none, and there was none, but what she brought with her +at that time. Then she said it was the fire; but that the +maid told her was quite out, and said she believed it was +only a dream: whereupon she said it might be so, and +composed herself again to sleep; but about two of the clock +she was awakened again, and saw the apparition of a little +woman between her curtain and her pillow, who told her she +was her mother, and that she was happy, and that by twelve +of the clock that day she should be with her; whereupon +she knocked again for her maid, called for her clothes, and +when she was dressed, went into her closet, and came not +out again till nine; and then brought out with her a letter, +sealed, to her father, brought it to her aunt, the Lady +Everard, told her what had happened, and desired that, as +soon as she was dead, it might be sent to him; but the lady +thought she was suddenly fallen mad; and thereupon sent presently +away to Chelmsford for a physician and surgeon, who both +came immediately, but the physician could discern no indication +of what the lady imagined, or of any indisposition of +her body; notwithstanding, the lady would needs have her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +let blood, which was done accordingly; and when the young +woman had patiently let them do what they would with her, +she desired that the chaplain might be called to read prayers, +and when prayers were ended, she took her guitar and psalm +book, and sat down upon a chair without arms, and played +and sung so melodiously and admirably, that her music +master, who was then there, admired at it; and near the +stroke of twelve, she rose and sat herself down in a great +chair with arms, and presently fetching a strong breathing or +two, immediately expired, and was so suddenly cold as was +much wondered at by the physician and surgeon. She died +at Waltham, in Essex, three miles from Chelmsford; and +the letter was sent to Sir Charles, at his house in Warwickshire; +but he was so afflicted with the death of his daughter, +that he came not till she was buried: but when he came he +caused her to be taken up, and to be buried by her mother +at Edmonton, as she desired in her letter. This was about +the year one thousand six hundred and sixty-two or sixty-three; +and this relation the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop +of Gloucester had from Sir Charles Lee himself; and Mr. +Beaumont printed it in his book above mentioned, from the +bishop's own mouth.</p> + +<p>The relations which I have given above, are not like the +trifling accounts too often given of these things, and therefore +causing grave ones to be ridiculed in common with them. +They are of that nature, that, whoever attempts to ridicule +them, will, instead of turning them into jest, become the object +of ridicule himself.</p> + +<p>The first story, which has in it such amazing circumstances, +and such uncommon and dreadful incidents concerning +the butler in Ireland, is, as the reader sees, attested by no +less a personage than an Earl of Orrery, two bishops, and +many other noblemen and gentlemen being present and +eye-witnesses of what the earl said. What greater testimony +would the most incredulous have? They say such things +are told for interest. What interest could an earl and +many noblemen have in promoting such an imposture? The +incredulous say, likewise, great and learned men delight +sometimes in putting frauds upon the world, and after laugh +at their credulity. Would a number of noble laymen choose +two prelates to carry on such a fraud; and would two +pious bishops probably combine with several, and some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +servants there present, in spreading such a deceit? It is +past believing, and it demands the strictest of moral faith +that can be given to the most unquestioned history that the +pen of man ever wrote.</p> + +<p>The second story is founded, first, upon the experience of +one of the most ingenious men of that age, Dr. Donne, and +then upon the proof made by his friend Sir Robert Drury, +who could at first scarce believe it; and shall we doubt the +credit of men, whose company, for their credit be it spoken, +a British ambassador was proud of gaining.</p> + +<p>The third story is told by Luther himself, who began the +great work of the Reformation.</p> + +<p>The fourth is told by one that was a king's public minister +and told from his own trial of the matter, where he could +have no interest in the telling it.</p> + +<p>The fifth is related by those great historians, the Lord +Clarendon and Sir Richard Baker, as a truth relied upon by +themselves, and fit to be credited by their readers.</p> + +<p>The sixth and last was related to Mr. Beaumont, by the +Lord Bishop of Gloucester, who received the account from +Sir Charles Lee himself, to whose granddaughter the matter +happened.</p> + +<p>Men who will not believe such things as these, so well +attested to us, and given us by such authorities, because they +did not see them themselves, nor anything of the like nature, +ought not only to deny the demon of Socrates, but that there +was such a man as Socrates himself; they should not dispute +the genii of Cĉsar, Cicero, Brutus, Marc Antony, but avow +that there were never any such men existing upon earth, and +overthrow all credible history whatsoever. Meanwhile, all +men, but those who run such lengths in their fantastical incredulity, +will, from the facts above mentioned, rest satisfied, that +there are such things as evil and good genii, and that men +have sometimes a commerce with them by all their senses, +particularly those of seeing and hearing, and will not therefore +be startled at the strange fragments of histories which I +am going to relate of our young Duncan Campbell, and look +upon some wonderful adventures which he performed by the +intervention of his familiar demon or genius, as falsehoods, +only because they are uncommon and surprising, more especially +since they were not done in a corner, but by an open +way of profession of a predictor of things, in the face of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +metropolis of London, where he settled young, as will appear +in the progress of his life. However, some people, notwithstanding +all this, may allege, that though a man may have a +genius appear to him, so as to convey into his mind, through +his senses, the knowledge of things that are to come to pass, +yet this happens but on very eminent and extraordinary occasions. +The murder, for example, of a prime minister, and the +favourite of a monarch, in such a manner as it was performed +on the great Duke of Buckingham, by Felton, was a thing +so uncommon, that it might perhaps deserve, by the permission +of Heaven, an uncommon prediction; the others likewise are +instances eminent in their way, particularly that of the lady +Everard's niece; for that young lady being then marriageable, +and a treaty for that end being on foot with Sir William +Perkins, the Divine Providence foreseeing that such a state +might call away her thoughts, hitherto bent on him and +spiritual affairs, and fix them on the trifles of this world, +might perhaps permit her to be called by a holy mother to +the state of happiness she before her enjoyed, lest her +daughter's mind should change, and she go into the ways of +a sinner. But if these supereminent, these scarce and rare +examples, may be admitted of man's holding a conversation +with the spiritualized beings of another world; it will, however, +be far below the dignity of human reason, methinks, +to make such large concessions to people who pretend to +converse that wonderful way, as to allow them the credit +of being able to do it upon every slight occasion, and every +indifferent occurrence of human life.</p> + +<p>I cannot help acknowledging, that a man of wisdom may +at first thought, make such an objection; but reflection will +presently retract it, and the same good sense that taught him +to make an objection so well upon the first thought, will teach +him, upon second thoughts, to acquiesce in the answer.</p> + +<p>Infants may have, no doubt, the benefit of such an attending +genius, as well as people more advanced in years; as may be +seen in one of the instances, which is a very famous one, +relating to the boy born in Prussia, who was attended by one +constantly, from the time of his birth to his death. Besides, +it is a mistake in the understanding to imagine, that death, +which is the determination and end of life, is of more consequence +to be known than the manner of regulating that life; +for in reality, according to the right way of considering death, +or the determination of a man's life, derives its importance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +from the steps which he took in the due regulation of it; and +therefore, every, the least step proper to be taken for the due +regulation of life, is of more consequence to be known than +the death of a person, though this at first sight carries the +face of significance, and the other nothing better than the +look of a trifle. Marriage, for example, is a step in life of +the utmost importance, whether we consider that estate with +regard to this, or the next world. Death is but the finishing +of one person, but marriage may be the introducing of many +into the world with happiness; it is therefore a thing of more +importance to be known beforehand, and consequently more +worthy of the communication of a genius, to the man with +whom he conversed. Posidonius tells us, that a certain +Rhodian dying, nominated six of his equals, and said who +should die first, who next, and so on, and the event answered +the prediction; why, then, though some people are apt to +make a jest of it, may not a man, by the intervention of his +good genius, tell a woman that is to have six husbands, who +she shall have first, who next, and so on, and the event +answer the prediction? If men of learning may acquire such +knowledge as to attain to extraordinary things by their ordinary +faculties, why may not ordinary things be taught others +in this extraordinary way? For will anybody say that it is +easier for a man to accommodate himself to the knowledge of a +demon or genius than for a demon or genius to accommodate +himself to the knowledge of a man? Certain it is, indeed, +that if this good genius, that induces a man with a prophetic +kind of science, be anything resembling a good angel, +the primary end of his being permitted to direct mankind +must consist in things relating more to their welfare hereafter: +yet I know not why they may not sometimes inspire, +or openly direct them in human knowledge, and in things +relating to human life, so they are of a good tendency; +more especially since such a good inspiration may be a +counterbalance to the bad knowledge which some have +been inspired with by evil spirits. I would not be thought +to go too far in a point of this nature, and have, therefore, +though perhaps I could say much more if I followed entirely +my own private opinion, and would venture to introduce it +here, in order to communicate it to others, and make it a +public one, said no more on this head than what divines +generally teach.</p> + +<p>But the most unexceptionable mistress, that teaches these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +things to be in nature, is experience. If we had very many +people gifted this way, the extraordinary thing would have +been become ordinary, and therefore I cannot help wondering +that it should be so ordinary a thing for wise men themselves +to wonder too much at things because they are extraordinary, +and suspect them as frauds because they are uncommon.</p> + +<p>There has scarce been any period of time in which some +person of this prophetic class has not existed, and has not +been consulted by the greatest of men, and their predictions +found at the long run to come true; ignorant men always +rise to their belief of them by experience, and the most +learned men submit their great opinions to experience, but +your men of middling talents, who make up their want of +reason with bustling obstinacy and noisy contradiction, have +been and still continue to be their own opposers, and without +discovering the reason for what they say, they content themselves +with having the laugh on their sides, and barely affirming +without proving, that it is a kind of ideal juggle and +intellectual legerdemain, by which these modern predictors +impose things upon the eye of reason, as the corporeal eye is +imposed upon by sleight of hand; but it is a strange thing +that men of such quick reason cannot give us a sample of the +frauds. Thus, I remember to have read, I cannot tell where, +the story of some courtiers, who, when a great artist of +legerdemain was to act before the King, pretended to be so +quick-sighted, that nothing he did should escape their discovery, +were left by his nimble fingers in the dark, and +forced at last with blushes to own they had no better eyes +than other people. In a word, if people will be led by suspicions +and remote possibilities of fraud and contrivance of +such men, all historical truth shall be ended, when it consists +not with a man's private humour or prejudice to admit it. +Now, therefore, to prove by experience and undeniable +testimonies, that these kind of genii will submit to little offices, +in order to bring men to greater good, I will give three or +four curious passages that will set the reasonable reader +at ease, and prepare him for reading the passages of Mr. +Campbell's life with pleasure, and as a fine history of wonderful +facts, that, though they seem to surpass belief, yet ought +to have his credit.</p> + +<p>What in nature can be more trivial than for a spirit to +employ himself in knocking on a morning at a wainscot by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +the bed's-head of a man who got drunk over-night, according +to the way that such things are ordinarily explained? And +yet I shall give you such a relation of this, that not even +the most devout and precise Presbyterian will offer to call in +question. For Mr. Baxter, in his Historical Discourse of +Apparitions, writes thus:—</p> + +<p>There is now in London an understanding, sober, pious +man, oft one of my hearers, who has an elder brother, a +gentleman of considerable rank, who, having formerly seemed +pious, of late years does often fall into the sin of drunkenness, +he often lodges long together here in his brother's house; and +whensoever he is drunk and has slept himself sober, something +knocks at his bed's-head, as if one knocked on a wainscot; +when they remove his bed it follows him; besides other loud +noises, on other parts where he is, that all the house hears; +they have often watched him, and kept his hands lest he +should do it himself. His brother has often told it me, and +brought his wife, a discreet woman, to attest it; who avers, +moreover, that as she watched him, she has seen his shoes +under the bed taken up, and nothing visible to touch them. +They brought the man himself to me, and when we asked him +how he dare sin again after such a warning, he had no excuse: +but being persons of quality, for some special reason of worldly +interest, I must not name him.</p> + +<p>Two things are remarkable in this instance, says Mr. +Baxter. First, what a powerful thing temptation and fleshly +concupiscence is, and what a hardened heart sin brings men +to; if one rose from the dead to warn such sinners, it would +not of itself persuade them.</p> + +<p>Secondly, says Mr. Baxter, it poses me to think what kind +of spirit this is that has such a care of this man's soul, which +makes me hope he will recover. Do good spirits dwell so +near us, or are they sent on such messages? or is it his +guardian angel? or is it the soul of some dead friend that +suffers? and yet, retaining love to him, as Dives to his +brethren, would have him saved? God yet keeps such things +from us in the dark.</p> + +<p>So far we have the authority of the renowned and famous +Mr. Baxter, who makes this knocking of the spirit at the bed's-head, +though what we commonly call frivolous, an important +errand.</p> + +<p>Another relation of this kind was sent to Mr. John Beau<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>mont, +whom I myself personally know, and which he has inserted +in his Account of Genii, or Familiar Spirits, in a letter +by an ingenious and learned clergyman of Wiltshire, who had +given him the relation likewise before, by word of mouth. +It is as follows:—</p> + +<p>Near eighty years since, in the parish of Wilcot, which is +by Devizes, in the vicar's house, there was heard for a considerable +time the sound of a bell constantly tolling every +night. The occasion was this: A debauched person who +lived in the parish came one night very late and demanded +the keys of the church of the vicar, that he might ring a peal, +which the vicar refused to let him have, alleging the unseasonableness +of the time, and that he should, by granting +his desires, give a disturbance to Sir George Wroughton and +his family, whose house adjoined the churchyard. Upon this +refusal, the fellow went away in a rage, threatening to be revenged +of the vicar, and going some time after to Devizes, +met with one Cantle or Cantlow, a person noted in those days +for a wizard, and he tells him how the vicar had served him, +and begs his help to be even with him. The reply Cantle +made him was this; Does he not love ringing? he shall have +enough of it: and from that time a bell began to toll in his +house, and continued so to do till Cantle's death, who confessed +at Fisherton gaol, in Sarum, where he was confined by +King James during his life, that he caused that sound, and +that it should be heard in that place during life. The thing +was so notorious that persons came from all parts to hear it; +and King James sent a gentleman from London on purpose +to give him satisfaction concerning the truth of the report. +Mr. Beaumont had likewise this story, as he tells, from the +mouth of Sir George Wroughton's own son; with this remarkable +circumstance, that if any in the house put their +heads out of the window they could not hear the sound, but +heard it immediately again as soon as they stood in the +room.</p> + +<p>The reader here sees that good and bad genii exercise themselves +upon very little functions, knocking at bed's-heads, and +ringing of bells. For proof of this we have the testimonies of +two divines, of a man of quality and probity, and the same +satisfaction that a learned king had, who sent to inquire into +the matter; and after this there can be, I think, no room for +doubt.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span></p> + +<p>But to carry the point still nearer home; inasmuch as I +know some will leave no stone unturned to make the extraordinary +actions which the person whose life I write has +performed, appear impostures, and inasmuch as for this end +they may say, that though many people may have been gifted +in this extraordinary manner, yet not so as to make a profession +of it, and therefore, from thence they take their suspicions, +I shall in this place, to remove every nicest scruple +they can have touching this affair, give the reader one instance +of this kind likewise, before I proceed with my +history.</p> + +<p>There lived not many years since a very aged gentlewoman +in London, in Water-lane, by Fleet-street, whose name was +Pight, who was endowed with a prophetic spirit; and the +ingenious Mr. Beaumont, whom I personally knew, and who +had a familiar genius himself, gives the world this account of +her. She was very well known, says he, to many persons of +my acquaintance now living in London. Among others, a +gentleman, whose candour I can no way suspect, has told me, +that he often resorted to her as to an oracle; and that as soon +as he came into her presence, she would usually tell him, that +she knew what he was coming for, for that she had seen his +spirit for some time before; and without his saying anything +to her, she would commonly tell him what the business was +which he came to consult her about, and what the event of it +would be; which he always found to fall out as she said, and +many other persons now living can testify the like experience +of her as to themselves.</p> + +<p>Before I conclude this chapter, I am willing to give the +public one farther little history of the like kind with the foregoing +ones, with this only difference, that if it be valued according +to the worth the world has always attributed to the +very ingenious person whom it concerns, it will be far the most +famous of them all, and therefore fittest to finish this chapter, +and to crown this part of the work, in which we are showing +that persons have had a perception of genii or spirits, not visible +at the same time to others.</p> + +<p>The famous Torquatus Tasso, Prince of the Italian poets, +and scarce inferior to the immortal Virgil himself, and who +seems to enjoy the intermingled gifts of the most accurate +judgment of this Latin poet, and the more fertile and copious +invention and fancy of the Greek one, Homer, strongly as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>serted +his own experience in this kind. His life was written +and published in French, anno 1692, by D.C.D.D.V. who, in +his preface, tells us, that in what he writ he has followed +chiefly the history given us in Italian by John Baptista Manso, +a Neapolitan gentleman, who had been a very intimate friend +to Tasso. In his life, among other things, he acquaints us +that Tasso was naturally of that melancholic temperament, +which has always made the greatest men, and that this temperament +being aggravated by many hardships he had undergone, +it made him sometimes beside himself, and that those +melancholic vapours being despatched, he came again to himself, +like those that return from fits of the falling sickness, his +spirit being as free as before. That, near his latter end, he +retired from the city of Naples, to his friend Manso, at +Bisaccia, a small town in the kingdom of Naples, where +Manso had a considerable estate, and passed an autumn there +in the diversions of the season.</p> + +<p>And here the French author gives us an account of Tasso's +sensible perception of a genius, as follows:—As after these +amusements, he usually retired to his chamber, to entertain +himself there with his friend Manso, the latter had the +opportunity to inquire into one of the most singular effects +of Tasso's melancholy, of this heroic melancholy, as I may +call it, which raised and brightened his spirit, so far it was +from depressing or rendering it obscure; and which, among +the ancients, would have reasonably caused them to have +ascribed a familiar demon to him, as to Socrates. They +were often in a warm debate concerning this spirit, with +which Tasso pretended to have so free a communication. I +am too much your friend, said Manso to him one day, not to +let you know what the world thinks of you concerning this +thing, and what I think of it myself. Is it possible, that +being enlightened as you are, you should be fallen into so +great a weakness as to think you have a familiar spirit; and +will you give your enemies that advantage, to be able to +prove by your own acknowledgment, what they have already +published to the world? You know, they say, you did not +publish your Dialogue of the Messenger, as a fiction; but +you would have men believe that the spirit which you make +to speak there, was a real and true spirit; hence men have +drawn this injurious consequence, that your studies have embroiled +your imagination, so that there is made in it a con<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>fused +mixture of the fictions of the poets, the inventions of +the philosophers, and the doctrine of religion.</p> + +<p>I am not ignorant, answered Tasso, of all that is spread +abroad in the world on account of my Dialogue; I have +taken care divers times to disabuse my friends, both by letter +and word of mouth: I prevented even the malignity of my +enemies, as you know at the time I published my Dialogue. +Men could not be ignorant that I composed it for the young +Prince of Mantua, to whom I would explain after an agreeable +manner, the principal mysteries of the Platonic philosophy. +It was at Mantua itself, after my second flight from Ferrara, +that I formed the idea of it, and I committed it to paper a +little after my unfortunate return. I addressed it to this +prince, and all men might have read in the epistle dedicatory, +the protestation I there make, that this dialogue, being written +according to the doctrine of the Platonics, which is not +always conformable to revealed truths, men must not confound +what I expose there as a philosopher, with what I +believe as a Christian. This distinction is by so much the +more reasonable, that at that time nothing extraordinary had +happened to me, and I spake not of any apparition. This +can be attested by all those with whom I lodged, or whom +frequented in this voyage; and therefore there is no reason +for confounding the fiction of my Dialogue with what has +happened to me since. I am persuaded of all you say to me, +replied Manso; but truly I cannot be of what you believe, at +present, concerning yourself. Will you imagine that you are +in commerce with a spirit? And I ask you, of what order +is that spirit? Shall we place him in the number of the +rebels, whom their pride precipitated into the abyss? or of the +intelligences, who continued firm in faith and submission to +their creator? For there is no mean to take in the true +religion, and we must not fall into the extravagances of the +gnomes and sylphs of the cabalists.</p> + +<p>Now the spirit in question cannot be a demon: you own +that instead of inspiring you anything contrary to piety and +religion, he often fortifies in you the maxims of Christianity: +he strengthens your faith by profound reasonings, and has +the same respect with you for sacred names and things. +Neither can you say that it is an angel; for though you have +always led a regular life, and far from all dissoluteness; +though for some years past you have applied yourself, after a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +particular manner, to the duties of a true Christian, you will +agree with me, that these sorts of favours are not common; +that a man must have attained to a high degree of sanctity, +and not be far from the pureness of celestial spirits, to merit +a familiar converse, and bear a harmony with them. Believe +me, there is nothing in all these discourses which you imagine +you have with this spirit. You know, better than any man, +those symptoms which the black humours wherewith you are +tormented causes in you. Your vapours are the source of +your visions, and yourself would not judge otherwise of +another person to whom a like thing should happen; and you +will come to this in your own respect also, if you will make +a mature reflection, and apply yourself to blot out, by an +effort of reason, these imaginations which the violence of +your evil effect causes in you. You may have reason, replied +Tasso, to think so of the things that pass in me; but as to +myself, who have a sensible perception of them, I am forced +to reason after another manner. If it were true that the +spirit did not show himself to me, but in the violent assault +of my vapours; if he offered to my imagination but wandering +and confused species, without connection or due sequel; +if he used to me frivolous reasonings, which ended in nothing; +or if having begun some solid reasoning he broke it off on a +sudden, and left me in darkness, I should believe with you, +that all things that pass are but mere dreams and phantoms; +but it is quite otherwise. This spirit is a spirit of truth and +reason, and of a truth so distinct, of a reason so sublime, that +he raises me often to knowledges that are above all my reasonings, +though they appear to me no less clear; that he +teaches me things which, in my most profound meditations, +never came into my spirit, and which I never heard of any +man, nor read in any book. This spirit, therefore, is somewhat +of real; of whatsoever order he be, I hear him and see +him, nevertheless for its being impossible for me to comprehend +and define him. Manso did not yield to these facts, +which Tasso would have passed for proofs; he pressed him +with new questions, which were not without answers. Since +you will not believe me on my word, said Tasso to him +another day, after having well disputed, I must convince you +by your own eyes, that these things are not pure imaginations: +and the next day, conversing together in the same chamber, +Manso perceived that, on a sudden, he fixed his eyes towards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +the window, and that he stood, as it were, immoveable; he +called to him and jogged him many times, but instead of +answering him; See there the spirit, says Tasso, at last, that +has been pleased to come and visit me, and to entertain himself +with me; look on him, and you will acknowledge the +truth of what I say.</p> + +<p>Manso, somewhat surprised, cast his eyes towards the place +he showed him, and perceived nothing but the rays of the sun +passing through the glass, nor did he see anything in all the +chamber; though he cast his eyes round it with curiosity, +and he desired him to show him the spirit, which he looked +for in vain, while he heard Tasso speak with much vehemency. +He declares in a letter which he writ concerning +this to the Admiral of Naples, that he really heard no other +voice but Tasso's own; but they were sometimes questions +made by him to the pretended spirit, sometimes answers that +he made to the pretended questions of the spirit, and which +were couched in such admirable terms, so efficacious, concerning +subjects so elevated, and so extraordinary, that he +was ravished with admiration, and dared not to interrupt him. +He hearkened, therefore, attentively, and being quite beside +himself at this mysterious conversation, which ended at last +by a recess of the spirit, as he found by the last words of +Tasso; after which, Tasso, turning himself to him, Well, +said he, are your doubts at last dissipated? On the contrary, +answered Manso, I am more embroiled than ever; I have +truly heard wonderful things; but you have not showed me +what you promised me. You have seen and heard, resumed +Tasso, perhaps more than——he stopped here; and Manso, +who could not recover himself of his surprise, and had his +head filled with the ideas of this extraordinary entertainment, +found himself not in a condition to press him farther. +Meanwhile he engaged himself not to speak a word to any +man of these things he had heard, with a design to make +them public, though he should have liberty granted him. +They had many other conversations concerning this matter, +after which Manso owned he was brought to that pass, that +he knew not what to think or say, only, that if it were a +weakness in his friend to believe these visions, he much feared +it would prove contagious to him, and that he should become +at last as credulous as himself.</p> + +<p>Dr. Beaumont, who is still living, and with whom I have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +had formerly some acquaintance myself, has set down, among +the others, this relation at large concerning Tasso, and gives +this reason for it: Because, says the doctor, I think it contains +a sufficient answer to what many learned friends have said to +myself on the like occasion.</p> + +<p>Perhaps it may not be ungrateful to the reader, if I subjoin +here the short eulogium writ on Tasso, by the famous +Thuanas, which is as follows:—</p> + +<p>Torquatus Tasso died about the forty-fifth year of his age, +a man of a wonderful and prodigious wit, who was seized +with an incurable fury in his youth, when he lived at the +court of Ferrara, and nevertheless, in lucid intervals, he writ +many things both in verse and prose, with so much judgment, +elegancy, and extreme correctness of style, that he turned at +length that pity which many men had conceived for him, into +an amazement; while by that fury, which, in others, makes +their minds outrageous or dulls them, after it was over, his +understanding became as it were more purified, more ready +in inventing things, more acute in aptly disposing them after +they were invented, and more copious in adorning them with +choice words and weight of sentences; and that which a man +of the soundest sense would scarce excogitate at his leisure, +with the greatest labour and care imaginable, he, after a +violent agitation of the mind set beside itself, naturally performed +with a wonderful felicity, so that he did not seem +struck with an alienation of mind, but with a divine fury. +He that knows not these things, which all men know that +have been in Italy, and concerning which himself sometimes +complains, though modestly, in his writings; let him read his +divine works, and he must necessarily conclude, either that +I speak of another man than Tasso, or that these things were +written by another man than Tasso.</p> + +<p>After having given my readers so many memorable accounts +concerning the perception men have had in all ages, and still +continue to have of genii or familiar spirits, by all the senses, +as seeing, hearing, &c., which accounts have been attested by +men of the greatest learning and quality, if any of them still +remain dissatisfied, I am contented, and desire them, for their +punishment, to lay down the book before they arrive at the +more pleasant parts of it, which are yet to come, and not to +read one tittle farther. These unbelieving gentlemen shall +then be at liberty, according as their different spirits dictate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +to ridicule me in the same manner as many more learned and +greater men than I have been satirized, before my time, by +persons of a like infidel temper, who would fain pass incredulity +upon the world as wisdom; and they may, with all the +freedom in nature, bestow upon me those merry appellations +which, I very well know such extraordinary freethinkers +imagine to belong of right, to any author, that either believes +himself, or would possess the world with an opinion and +belief, that there is such a thing as the holding commerce +and conversation in this habitable world with genii, and +familiar spirits. I shall only first tell them all I have to say +to terminate the dispute between them and me.</p> + +<p>Those who, to give themselves the air and appearance of +men of solid wisdom and gravity, load other men, who believe +in spirits, with the titles of being men of folly, levity, or melancholy, +are desired to learn, that the same folly, as they are +pleased to term it, of opinion, is to be found in the greatest +men of learning that ever existed in the universe. Let them, +in order to be convinced of this, read Apuleius's book, <i>de deo +Socrat.</i>; Censorinus's book <i>de die Nat.</i> c. 3; Porphyrius, in +his book <i>de Abstinentia</i>; Agrippa, in his <i>Treatise de Occult. +Phil.</i> 1. 3, c. 22, and also c. 21; <i>Natalis</i> comes in his <i>Myth.</i> +1. 4, c. 3; Maraviglia, in his <i>Pseudomantia. Dissertation.</i> 9 +and 11, and <i>Animadversion</i>. 10; Plato in his <i>Timœus et Cratylus</i>; +Ammianus Marcellinus's History, book 21; Hieronimus +Cardanus in his book <i>de Vita Propria</i>, c. 47; the great +Kircher, in his <i>Œdipus Ĉgyptiacus</i>, vol. iii. p. 474; Pausanius, +in <i>Cliac. Poster.</i>; that immortal orator, Cicero, lib. i. +<i>de Divinatione</i>; lib. ii. <i>de Natura Deorum</i>; the <i>Histoire Prodigieuse</i>, +written by Pere Arnault; and a book entituled <i>Lux e +Tenebris</i>, which is a collection of modern visions and prophecies +in Germany by several persons, translated into Latin, by +Jo. Amos. Comenius, printed at Amsterdam, 1655. And if +they will be at the pains of having due recourse to these +quotations, they will find that all these men, whose learning +is unquestionable, and most of whom have been in a firm and +undisputed possession of fame for many centuries, have all +unanimously agreed in this opinion, how foolish soever they +may think it, that there ever was and ever would be a communication +held between some select men and genii, or +familiar spirits. I must therefore desire their pardon, if I +rejoice to see them remain wise by themselves, and that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +continue to be esteemed by them a fool among so much good +company.</p> + +<p>Others out of a mere contempt of religion, or cowardly, +for fear of being thought pusillanimous by men, turn bravos to +Heaven, and laugh at every notion of spirits as imbibed from +the nurse or imposed upon us by priests, and may top these +lines upon us with an elegant and a convincing magisterial +sneer, though the divine Socrates was of our opinion, and +even experienced it to be true, having a genius himself:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">The priests but finish what the nurse began,</span> +<span class="i0">And thus the child imposes on the man.</span> +</div> + +<p>These bring into my mind a saying of Sir Roger L'Estrange +on Seneca, which I must apply to Socrates; I join in opinion +with a Christian heathen, while they remain heathen Christians.</p> + +<p>The third sort, out of a pretended veneration to religion +and divinity, may call me superstitious and chimerical. To +them I answer, I will continue chimerical and superstitious +with St. Austin; who gives the same opinion in his <i>Civitate +Dei</i> with Ludovicus Vives; let them be solider and more +religious divines than St. Austin in disowning it. Thus I +bid these austere critics heartily farewell; but let my better-natured +readers go on and find a new example of this conversation +being held with the genii by our Duncan Campbell.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="title">A NARRATIVE OF MR. CAMPBELL'S COMING TO LONDON AND +TAKING UPON HIM THE PROFESSION OF A PREDICTOR; +TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF MANY STRANGE THINGS +THAT CAME TO PASS JUST AS HE FORETOLD.</p> + + +<p>To proceed on regularly with the life of young Duncan +Campbell, I must let the reader know that he continued thus +conversing with his little genius, as is set forth above in the +dialogue he had with me, and predicting many things of +the like nature, as I have described, till the year 1694, when +he was just fourteen years of age, and then he left Scotland.</p> + +<p>But before I come to speak of the manner of his departure +from thence, his half native country, inasmuch as his father<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +was of that country, and he had his education there, what +education he could have, being deaf and dumb. I must let +the reader know that in the year 1692, my very good friend, +Mrs. Campbell, his mother-in-law, died, and left him there at +Edinburgh, an orphan of twelve years of age.</p> + +<p>He was, I may venture to say, the most beautiful boy of +that age I ever knew; and the sensible reader, who considers +a child of good birth, with the misfortunes of being deaf and +dumb, left fatherless and motherless in the wide world, at +twelve years old, without any competency for his maintenance +and support, without any relations, in a manner, that knew +him or assisted him; all the little fortune his father had having +been lost in the civil commotions in Scotland, as I have +related above, need not hear me describe the compassion I and +many more had for him; because such a reader must certainly +feel in his own bosom the same lively acts of pity and commiseration +at the hearing of such a mishap as I had at the +seeing it, or at least as I have now revived afresh within me +at the relating it.</p> + +<p>However, it came so to pass, that a person of the name of +Campbell, and who was a distant relation of the boy, though +he himself was but in indifferent circumstances, was resolved +to see him provided for one way or another, in a manner +somewhat suitable to his condition, and till that time to take +the best care of him himself that he was able.</p> + +<p>Several ladies of quality who had known his perfections, +coveted to make the boy one of their domestics, as a page, or +a playfellow to their children; for though he could not speak, +he had such a vivacity in all his actions, such a sprightliness of +behaviour, and such a merriment accompanying all his gestures, +that he afforded more entertainment than the prettiest and +wittiest little prattlers at those years are wont to do. Mr. +Campbell had certainly accepted of some of these fortunate +offers for his little cousin, which were many of them likely +to prove very advantageous, if it had not been put in his head +by some friends, particularly myself, that if he had a mind +to dispose of the boy in that manner, the best way he could +take would be to present him to the late Earl of Argyle, who +for his namesake and for his father's sake, as well as the +qualifications and endowments of the boy, would more naturally, +according to all probability, take a greater pleasure +and delight in him, and consequently provide better for him,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +and with a more lasting care, than any other person of quality +that had a sudden liking to him, which might change, and +took him as a stranger out of a bare curiosity. Mr. Campbell +was by these reasons overruled in the disposal of his little +dumb prophetical cousin, as he called him, and resolved that +an offer should be made of him to the present illustrious +Duke of Argyle's most noble father. But it so unfortunately +happened, that the earl making very much a longer stay at +London than was expected, Mr. Campbell, the uncle, sent +our young Duncan Campbell, his nephew, handsomely accoutred, +and with a handsome sum of money in his pocket, by +sea, with Captain Meek of Kircaldie, to London, with letters +of recommendation to the earl's favour, and just a few days +before young Duncan arrived in London, the earl was set out +on his journey to his seat in Scotland.</p> + +<p>I had now left him for near three years, not having seen +him since about a year after his mother's death; and then +coming to London, I had by mere accident an appointment to +meet some Scotch gentlemen at the Buffalo at Charing-cross. +There happened at that time to be a great concourse of +Scotch nobility there at an entertainment; and one of the ladies +and gentlemen passing by and seeing one of my friends, +desired him to come in, and told him both he and his companion +should be very welcome to partake of the diversion. +The lady told him they had got a lovely youth, a Scotch +miracle, among them, that would give us exquisite delight, +and write down to us all the occurrences of our future lives, +and tell us our names upon our first appearance. The moment +I heard of it, Duncan Campbell came into my head; +but as it is a thing not rare to be met with in Scotland for second +sighted persons to tell such things, and as the Earl of +Argyle was in the north, I thought little Duncan had been +under his protection and with him, and did not dream +of meeting with him there; and accordingly told my friend, +before I went in, that I believed I knew a lad in Scotland +would exceed this in foresight, let him be as dexterous in his +art as he would.</p> + +<p>As soon as I entered the room, I was surprised to find myself +encompassed and surrounded by a circle of the most +beautiful females that ever my eyes beheld. In the centre of +this angelic tribe was seated a heavenly youth, with the most +winning comeliness of aspect that ever pleased the sight of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +any beholder of either sex; his face was divinely fair, and +tinged only with such a sprightly blush as a painter would +use to colour the picture of health with, and the complexion +was varnished over by a blooming like that of flourishing +fruit, which had not yet felt the first nippings of an unkind and +an uncivil air; with this beauty was joined such a smiling +draught of all the features as is the result of pleasantry and +good humour. His eyes were large, full of lustre, majestic, +well set, and the soul shone so in them, as told the spectators +plainly how great was the inward vivacity of his genius; the +hair of his head was thick, and reclined far below his shoulders; +it was of a fine silver colour, and hung down in ringlets +like the curling tendrils of a copious vine. He was by the +women entertained, according to the claim which so many +perfections joining in a youth just ripening into manhood +might lay to the benevolent dispositions of the tender sex. +One was holding the basin of water, another washing a hand, +a third with a towel drying his face, which another fair had +greedily snatched the pleasure of washing before, while a +fourth was disposing into order his silver hairs with an ivory +comb, in a hand as white, and which a monarch might have +been proud to have had so employed in adjusting the crown upon +his head; a fifth was setting into order his cravat; a sixth +stole a kiss, and blushed at the innocent pleasure, and mistook +her own thoughts as if she kissed the angel and not the man; +and they all rather seemed to adore than to love him, as if +they had taken him not for a person that enjoyed the frequent +gift of the second-sight, but as if he had been some little +prophet peculiarly inspired; and while they all thus admired +and wondered, they all consulted him as an oracle. The +surprise of seeing a young man so happy amidst the general +concurring favours of the fair, made me be for awhile lost in +a kind of delightful amazement, and the consideration of +what bliss he was possessed made me scarce believe my own +eyes, when they told me it was Duncan Campbell, who I had +left an unhappy orphan at Edinburgh. But so it was, though +he was much altered in stature, being now shot up pretty +fast in his growth since I had seen him, and having gained a +kind of a fixed comportment, such as we may daily observe +in those who are taking leave of their minority, and stepping +into a stage of maturer life.</p> + +<p>The first remarkable thing I knew him do in London, being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +in this splendid company, where there were so many undoubted +witnesses of quality too, that had ocular proof of his +predictions at that public tavern: I choose to record it here +in the first place according to its due order. It was in the +year 1698.</p> + +<p>Among this angelical class of beauties were Dr. W—lw—d's +lady and daughter. Upon earth there was not sure a more +beautiful creature than the daughter was; she was the leading +light of all the sparkling tribe; and Otway's character +suits her exactly; for she was among ten thousand eminently +fair. One would imagine prosperous and lucky fortune was +written upon her face, and that nothing unhappy could be +read in so fair a book; and it was therefore the unanimous +consent of all, that by way of good omen to the rest, his +predictions should begin to be opened luckily that day, and +that therefore he should first of all be consulted about her.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, the mother, to be satisfied of his talent before +she proceeded to any other questions, asked him in +writing if he knew the young lady, her name, and who she +was. After a little ruminating and pondering upon the +matter, and taking an exact view of the beauty, he wrote +down her name, told Mrs. W—lw—d she was her daughter, +and that her father was a doctor. Convinced by his so readily +telling the name and quality of persons he had never +seen in his lifetime, that fame had not given a false character +of his capacity, she proceeded in her questions as to her +future fortune. He gazed afresh at her very eagerly for +some time, and his countenance during that time of viewing +her seemed to be ruffled with abundance of disturbance and +perplexity. We all imagined that the youth was a little +touched at the heart himself with what he saw, and that instead +of telling hers, he had met in her bright eyes with his +own destiny, the destiny of being for ever made a slave and +a captive to so many powerful and almost irresistible +charms.</p> + +<p>At length, after having a long debate within himself, which +we thought proceeded from the strugglings of love and passion, +he fetching a great sigh, which still convinced us more, +took the pen and wrote to Mrs. W—lw—d, that he begged +to be excused, and that his pen might remain as dumb and +silent as his tongue on that affair. By this answer we concluded, +one and all, that our former conjectures were true,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +and we joined in pressing him the more earnestly to deliver +his real and sincere opinion concerning the accidents upon +which the future fortunes of her life were to turn and depend. +He showed many mighty reluctances in the doing it; and I +have often since considered him in the same anguish as the +late great Dr. Ratcliff, who was endeavouring by study to +save a certain fair one, whom he loved with a vehemence of +temper, and who was, as his reason told him, got far away +beyond the reach of the art of physic to recover. At last he +wrote in plain terms that his backwardness and unwillingness +to tell it, arose from his wishes that her fortune would be +better than his certain foreknowledge of it told him it would +be, and begged that we would rest satisfied with that general +answer, since it was in so particular a case, where he himself +was a well-wisher in vain, to the lady about whom he was +consulted. The young lady herself thinking that if she knew +any disasters that were to befall her she might, by knowing +the nature of them beforehand, and the time when they were +likely to happen, be able, by timely prudence and forecast, +to avert those evils, with many beseechings urged him to +reveal the fatal secret. After many struggles to avoid it, +and as many instances made to him both by mother and +daughter for the discovery of his prescience in that point, he +complied with very great difficulty; and blotting the paper +with tears that trickled fast from his eyes, he gave her the +lamentable scroll, containing the words that follow; viz., I +wish it had not fallen to my lot to tell this lady, whom +everybody that but once looks at her must admire, though +they must not have leave to love, that she is not much +longer to be possessor of that lovely face, which gains her +such a number of adorers. The smallpox will too soon turn +a ravisher, and rifle all those sweets and charms that might +be able to vanquish a king and to subdue a conqueror of +mighty battles. Her reign is doomed, alas! to be as short +as it is now great and universal; I believe she has internal +beauties of the mind, not the least inferior to those external +excellences of the body; and she might, perhaps, by the +power of her mind alone, be absolute queen of the affections +of men, if the smallpox threatened not too surely to be her +farther enemy, and, not contented to destroy the face, was +not perversely bent to destroy the whole woman. But I +want words to express my sorrow. I would not tell it if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +you did not extort the baneful secret from my bosom. This +fair creature, whose beauty would make one wish her immortal, +will, by the cruel means of the smallpox, give us too +sudden a proof of her mortality. But neither the mother +nor herself ought too much to repine at this, seeing it appears +to be the decree of Providence, which is always to be +interpreted as meant for our good, and seeing it may be the +means of translating her the sooner only to her kindred angels, +whose beauty she so much resembles here on earth, and +to be among the lowest class of whom, is better than being +the greatest beauty of the world here below, and wearing an +imperial crown. While I comfort you, I cannot help the +force of nature, which makes me grieve myself; and I only +give you, because you compel me to it, so particular and +so exact an answer to so particular and so exacting a question.</p> + +<p>The mother, who took the paper, was prudent enough to +conceal from the daughter what he said; but nature would +force its way, and bubbled from her eyes; and the daughter +perceiving that, pressed hard to see it, and wept at the consideration +that hard fate, though she knew not particularly +what way, was to befall her. Never surely was anything so +beautiful in tears, and I obtained of the mother to see the +writing. At last, in general terms, to free her from a suspense +of mind, it was told her that some trouble should +happen to her that should diminish her beauty. She had +courage enough to hear that misfortune with disdain, and +crying, If that be all, I am armed, I don't place much pride +in that which I know age must shortly after destroy, if +trouble did not do it before; and she dried up her tears; +and, if what Mr. Bruyere says, be true, viz., that the last +thing a celebrated woman thinks of when she dies, is the loss +of her beauty, she showed an admirable pattern of female +philosophy, in bearing such a cruel prediction with such unspeakable +magnanimity, as exceeded even the patience of +stern stoicism, considering she was a woman, to whom +beauty is more dear than life.</p> + +<p>If any evil, that is impending over people's heads, could +be evaded by foreknowledge, or eluded by art, she had the +fairest opportunity of having this prediction annulled, which +would have been more to the satisfaction of the predictor +than knowing it verified, than ever any woman had. Her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +mother was specifically told that the fatal distemper should +be the smallpox; her father was, and is still, a very eminent +physician; and distempers of that kind, especially, are much +more easily prevented by care, than cured by art, and by art +more easily set aside, when there is a timely warning given +to a physician to prepare the body against the danger of the +poison, than when the distemper has once catched hold of a +body at unawares, when it is unpurged of any gross humours +that may accompany it. But neither the foreknowledge and +caution of the mother, nor the skill and wisdom of the great +physician her father, were sufficient to ward off the approaching +harm, that was written in the books of fate. Not +many suns had finished their yearly courses, before she was +forced to submit to the inevitable stroke of death, after the +infectious and malicious malady had first ravished her +beauty, rioted in all her sweets, and made an odious deformed +spectacle of the charmer of mankind. The death of +the daughter worked hard upon the mother's bowels, and +dragged her speedily after her, with a broken heart to the +grave.</p> + +<p>This lady, whose fortune so great and so distinguished an +assembly had chosen to hear as a happy forerunner and lucky +omen of all their own, which were to be asked afterwards in +their turns, proving so contrary to their expectations, already +unfortunate in the prediction, and having been in tears about +the matter, disheartened all the rest of the beauties from consulting +him farther that day. The person who kept the +tavern, by name, Mrs. Irwin, alleged that as some people +were very fortunate, and others unfortunate upon the same +day, so one lady might be before told a mishap one minute, +and another lady all the prosperity in nature the very next +minute following, and therefore that what the unfortunate +lady had heard was not to be taken as ominous, or as what +could malignantly influence the day, neither ought it to be +the least hinderance to any who had the curiosity of being let +into the secrets of time beforehand. However, whether the +ladies were convinced or no; if she prevailed over their +belief in that point, she could not prevail over their humour, +which, though they might not believe the former prediction +ominous to themselves, were naturally awed for fear of the +like, peradventure, for a time, and so it was agreed, <i>nemine +contradicente</i>, as a witty lady wrote it down, That no more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +petitions should for that day be presented by any of that +company to his dumb, yet oracular, majesty. Mrs. Irwin, +however, would have her way; said she did not presume to +such honour as to call herself of that company, and that +therefore she might consult him without breaking through +the votes of the assembly. Many endeavoured to dissuade +her, but as she was passionately fond of knowing future +events; and had a mighty itch to be very inquisitive with +the oracle about what might happen, not only to herself, but +her posterity; it was agreed that he should have the liberty +of satisfying her curiosity, since she presumed her fortune +was sure to be so good, and was so forward and eager for +the knowledge of it. But, alas! such is too often the fantastical +impulse of nature unluckily depraved, that it carries +us often into wishes of knowing, what when known we +would be glad to unknow again, and then our memory will +not let us be untaught.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Irwin was at that time in a pretty commodious way +of business, everything in plenty round about her, and lived +more like a person of distinction, that kept such a cellar of +wine, open house, and a free table, than like one who kept a +tavern. She brought in her pretty children, that were then +almost babies, the youngest having not long been out of the +nurse's arms, or trusted to the use of its own legs. These +children she loved as a mother should love children; they +were the delight of her eyes all day, and the dream of her +imagination all night. All the passions of her soul were +confined to them; she was never pleased but when they +were so, and always angry if they were crossed; her +whole pride was centered in them, and they were clothed +and went attended more like the infants of a princess, than +of a vintner's relict. The fortune of these was what she +had near at heart, and of which she was so eager of being +immediately apprised. Her impatience was proportionable +to the love she had for them, and which made her wish to +foreknow all the happiness that was like to attend them. +She sat cheerfully down, presented one to him, and smiling, +wrote the question in general terms, viz., is this boy to be +happy or unhappy. A melancholy look once more spread +itself all over the face of the predictor, when he read the +too inquisitive words, and he seemed mightily to regret being +asked a question, to which he was by his talent of foreseeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +compelled to give so unwelcome an answer. The colour of +the poor woman flushed and vanished alternately, and very +quick, and she looked not quite like the picture of despair, +but a disconsolate woman, with little hopes on one hand, +and great doubts and dismal fears on the other. She professed +she read great evil in the troubles of his face, thanked +him for his good nature, told him that they all knew that +though he could foretell he could not alter the acts and +decretals of fate, and therefore desired him to tell her the +worst; for that the misfortunes, were they never so great, +would be less dreadful to her than remaining in the state of +fear and suspension. He at last wrote down to her that +great and unexpected and even unavoidable accidents would +involve the whole family in new calamities, that the son she +asked him about would have the bitterest task of hardship +to go through withal, while he lived, and that to finish +all more unhappily, he would be basely and maliciously +brought to an untimely end, by some mortal enemy or other, +but that she should not trouble herself so much on that head, +she would never see it, for it would happen some years after +she was departed from the world. This melancholy account +closed up the book of predictions for that day, and put a sad +stop to all the projected mirth and curiosity. Now I must +tell the reader how and when the event answered the prediction. +And in a few words, it was thus; poor Mrs. Irwin, +by strange accidents, decayed in the world, and dying poor, +her sons were forced to be put out apprentices to small trades, +and the son, whom the above-mentioned prediction concerned, +was, for stealing one cheese from a man in the Haymarket, +severely prosecuted at the Old Bailey, and on Wednesday, +the 23rd of December, 1713, hanged at Tyburn, with several +other criminals.</p> + +<p>The two foregoing passages are of so tragical a nature, +that it is time I should relieve the minds of my readers with +some histories of ladies who consulted him with more success +and advantage, to whom his predictions were very entertaining, +when they so came to pass in their favour, the relation +whereof will consequently be agreeable to all readers who +have within them a mixture of happy curiosity and good +nature.</p> + +<p>Two ladies, who were the most remarkable beauties in +London, and most courted, turned at the same time their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +thoughts to matrimony; and being satiated, I may say +wearied, with the pleasure of having continually after them +a great number and variety of adorers, resolved each, about +the same time, to make a choice of their several men, to +whom they thought they could give most happiness, and +from whom they might receive most. Their names, for they +are both persons of distinction, shall be Christallina and +Urbana. Christallina was a virgin, and Urbana a young +widow. Christallina engrossed the eyes, the hearts, and the +sighs of the whole court; and wherever she appeared, put +any court lady out of her place, that had one before in the +heart of any youth; and was the most celebrated toast among +the <i>beau monde</i>. Urbana's beauty made as terrible havock in +the city; all the citizens' daughters that had many admirers, +and were in fair hopes of having husbands when they pleased +themselves, as soon as Urbana had lost her old husband, +found that they every day lost their lovers; and it was a +general fear among the prettiest maids, that they should +remain maids still, as long as Urbana remained a widow. +She was the monopolizer of city affection, and made many girls, +that had large stocks of suitors, bankrupts in the trade of courtship, +and broke some of their hearts, when her charms broke +off their amours. Well, but the day was near at hand when +both the belles of the court and the city damsels were to be +freed from the ravages which these two tyrants, triumphant in +beauty and insolent in charms, made among the harvest of +love. Each had seen her proper man, to whom the enjoyment +of their person was to be dedicated for life. But it being an +affair of so lasting importance, each had a mind to be let into +the knowledge of the consequences of such a choice, as far as +possible, before they stepped into the irrevocable state of +matrimony. Both of them happened to take it into their +heads, that the best way to be entirely satisfied in their +curiosity, was to have recourse to the great predictor of +future occurrences, Mr. Duncan Campbell, whose fame was +at that time spread pretty largely about the town. Christallina +and Urbana were not acquainted with each other, only +by the report which fame had made of beauty. They came +to Mr. Campbell's on the same day, and both with the same +resolution of keeping themselves concealed and under masks, +that none of the company of consulters, who happened to be +there, might know who they were. It happened that on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +that very day, just when they came, Mr. Campbell's rooms +were more than ordinarily crowded with curious clients of +the fair sex, so that he was obliged to desire these two ladies, +who expressed so much precaution against, and fear of having +their persons discovered, to be contented with only one room +between them, and with much ado they complied with the +request, and condescended to sit together <i>incog.</i> Distant +compliments of gesture passed between them, the dress and +comportment of each making them appear to be persons of +figure and breeding, and after three or four modish courtesies, +down they sat, without so much as once opening their lips, +or intending so to do. The silence between them was very +formal and profound for near half an hour, and nothing was +to be heard but the snapping of fans, which they both did +very tunably, and with great harmony, and played as it were +in concert.</p> + +<p>At last, one of the civil, well-bred mutes, happening to +sneeze, the other very gracefully bowed, and before she was +well aware, out popped the words, Bless you, madam. The +fair sneezer returned the bow, with an—I thank you, madam. +They found they did not know one another's voices, and +they began to talk very merrily together, with pretty great +confidence, and they taking a mutual liking from conversation, +so much familiarity grew thereupon instantly between +them, that they began not only to unmask, but to unbosom +themselves to one another, and confess alternately all their +secrets. Christallina owned who she was, and told Urbana +the beau and courtier that had her heart. Urbana as frankly +declared that she was a widow, that she would not become +the lady's rival, that she had pitched upon a second husband, +an alderman of the city. Just by that time they had had +their chat out, and wished one another the pleasure of a successful +prediction, it came to Christallina's turn to visit the +dumb gentleman, and receive from his pen oracular answers +to all the questions she had to propose. Well, he accordingly +satisfied her in every point she asked him about; but +while she was about this, one of Mr. Campbell's family +going with Urbana to divert her a little, the widow rallied +at the virgin as a fool, to imagine that she should ever make +a conquest of the brightest spark about the court, and then +let fly some random bolts of malice to wound her reputation +for chastity. Now it became the widow's turn to go and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +consult; and the same person of Mr. Campbell's family in +the mean time entertained Christallina. The maid was not +behindhand with the widow; she rallied against the widow, +represented her as sometimes a coquette, sometimes a lady of +pleasure, sometimes a jilt, and lifted up her hands in wonder +and amazement that Urbana should imagine so rich a man +as an alderman such a one, should fall to her lot. Thus +Urbana swore and protested that Christallina could never arrive +at the honour of being the wife to the courtly Secretarius, let +Mr. Campbell flatter her as he would; and Christallina +vowed that Campbell must be a downright wizard if he +foretold that such a one as Urbana would get Alderman +Stiffrump as a husband, provided a thing so improbable +should come to pass.</p> + +<p>However, it seems, Duncan had told them their own names +and the names of their suitors, and told them farther, how +soon they were both to be married, and that too directly to +their heart's content, as they said rejoicingly to themselves, +and made their mutual gratulations.</p> + +<p>They went away each satisfied that she should have her +own lover, but Christallina laughed at Mr. Campbell for +assigning the alderman to Urbana; and Urbana laughed +at him for promising the courtier to the arms of Christallina.</p> + +<p>This a pretty good figure of the tempers of two reigning +toasts with regard to one another.</p> + +<p>First, their curiosity made them, from resolving to be concealed, +discover one another wilfully; from utter strangers +grow as familiar as old friends in a moment, swear one +another to secrecy, and exchange the sentiments of their +hearts together; and, from being friends, become envious of +each other's enjoying a similitude of happiness; the compliments +made on either side face to face, were, upon the turning +of the back, turned into reflections, detraction, and +ridicule; each was a self-lover and admirer of her own +beauty and merit, and a despiser of the other's.</p> + +<p>However, Duncan Campbell, proved at last to be in the +right; Urbana was wrong in her opinion of Christallina's +want of power over Secretarius, and Christallina was as +much out in her opinion that Urbana would miss in her aim +of obtaining Stiffrump; for they both proved in the right of +what they thought with regard to their own dear single<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +persons, and were made happy according to their expectations, +just at the time foretold by Mr. Campbell.</p> + +<p>Christallina's ill wishes did not hinder Urbana from being +mistress of Alderman Stiffrump's person and stock, nor did +Urbana's hinder Christallina from showing herself a shining +bride at the Ring, in Secretarius's gilded chariot, drawn by +six prancers of the proud Belgian kind, with her half dozen +of liveries with favours in their hats, waiting her return at +the gate of Hyde Park.</p> + +<p>Both loved and both envied, but both allowed of Mr. +Campbell's foreknowledge.</p> + +<p>Having told you two very sorrowful passages, and one +tolerably successful and entertaining; I shall now relate to +you another of my own knowledge, that is mixed up with +the grievous and the pleasant, and chequered, as it were, +with the shade and the sunshine of fortune.</p> + +<p>Though there are vicissitudes in every stage of life under +the sun, and not one ever ran continually on with the same +series of prosperity; yet those conditions which are the most +liable to the signal alterations of fortune, are the conditions +of merchants; for professed gamesters I reckon in a manner +as men of no condition of life at all; but what comes under +the statute of vagabonds.</p> + +<p>It was, indeed, as the reader would guess, a worthy and a +wealthy merchant, who was to run through these different +circumstances of being. He came and visited our Mr. +Campbell in the year 1707, he found him amidst a crowd of +consulters; and being very eager and solicitous to know his +own fortune just at that critical juncture of time, he begged +of him, if possible, to adjourn his other clients to the day +following, and sacrifice that one wholly to his use; which as +it was probably more important than all the others together, +so he wrote down that he would render the time spent about +it more advantageous to Mr. Campbell; and, by way of +previous encouragement, threw him down ten guineas as a +retaining fee.</p> + +<p>Mr. Campbell, who held money in very little esteem, and +valued it so much too little, that he has often had my +reprehensions on that head, paused a little, and after looking +earnestly in the gentleman's face, and reading there, as I +suppose, in that little space of time in general, according to +the power of the second-sight, that what concerned him was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +highly momentous, wrote him this answer; That he would +comply with his requests, adjourn his other clients to the +day following, and set apart all the remnant of that, till +night, for inspecting the future occurrences of which he had a +mind to be made a master.</p> + +<p>There is certainly a very keen appetite in curiosity; it +cannot stay for satisfaction, it is pressing for its necessary +repast, and is without all patience: hunger and thirst are +not appetites more vehement and more hard and difficult to +be repressed than that of curiosity; nothing but the present +now is able to allay it. A more expressive picture of this I +never beheld than in the faces of some, and the murmurs +and complaints of others, in that little inquisitive company, +when the unwelcome note was given about signifying an +adjournment for only twenty-four hours.</p> + +<p>The colour of a young woman there came and went a +hundred times, if possible, in the space of two minutes; she +blushed like a red rose this moment, and in the switch of an +eyelash she was all over as pale as a white one: the suitor, +whose name her heart had gone pit-a-pat for the space of an +hour to be informed of from the pen of a seer, was now +deferred a whole day longer; she was once or twice within +an ace of swooning away, but he comforted her in particular, +by telling her, though he said it only by way of jest, that the +day following would be a more lucky day to consult about +husbands than the present that she came on. The answer +was a kind of cordial to her hopes, and brought her a little +better to herself.</p> + +<p>Two others, I remember, sisters and old maids, that it +seems were misers, women ordinarily dressed and in blue +aprons, and yet, by relation, worth no less than two thousand +pounds each, were in a peck of troubles about his going and +leaving them unsatisfied. They came upon an inquiry after +goods that were stolen, and they complained that by next +morning at that time, the thief might be got far enough off, +and creep into so remote a corner, that he would put it beyond +the power of the devil and the art of conjuration to +find him out and bring him back again. The disturbance +and anxiety that was to be seen in their countenances was +like that which is to be beheld in the face of a great +losing gamester, when his all, his last great stake, lies upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +the table, and is just sweeping off by another winning hand +into his own hat.</p> + +<p>The next was a widow who bounced, because, as she +pretended, he would not tell her what was best to do with +her sons, and what profession it would be most happy for +them to be put to; but in reality all the cause of the widow's +fuming and fretting, was not that she wanted to provide for +her sons, but for herself; she wanted a second husband, and +was not half so solicitous about being put in a way of +educating those children she had already, as of knowing +when she should be in a likelihood of getting more. This +was certainly in her thoughts, or else she would never have +flounced about in her weed, from one end of the room to the +other, and all the while of her passion, smile by fits upon +the merchant, and leer upon a young pretty Irish fellow that +was there. The young Irishman made use of a little eye-language; +she grew appeased, went away in quite a good +humour, scuttled too airily down stairs for a woman in her +clothes, and the reason was certainly that she knew the +matter before, which we took notice of presently after: the +Irishman went precipitately after her down stairs without +taking his leave.</p> + +<p>But neither were the two misers for their gold, the virgin +for a first husband, nor the widow for a second, half so eager +as another married woman there was for the death of her spouse. +She had put the question in so expecting a manner for a lucky +answer, and with so much keen desire appearing plainly +in her looks, that no big-bellied woman was ever more eager +for devouring fruit; no young, hasty bridegroom, just +married to a beauty, more impatient for night and enjoyment, +than she was to know what she thought a more happy +moment, the moment of her husband's last agonising gasp. +As her expectation was the greatest, so was her disappointment, +too, and consequently her disorder upon his going and +leaving her unresolved. She was frantic, raging, and implacable; +she was in such a fury at the delay of putting off +her answer to the day following, that in her fury she acted +as if she would have given herself an answer which of the +two should die first, by choking herself upon the spot, with +the indignation that swelled in her stomach and rose into her +throat on that occasion. It may look like a romance to say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +it, but indeed they were forced to cut her lace, and then she +threw out of the room with great passion; but yet had so +much of the enraged wife left, beyond the enraged woman, +as to return instantly up stairs, and signify very calmly, she +would be certain to be there next day, and beseeched earnestly +that she might not meet with a second disappointment.</p> + +<p>All this hurry and bustle created a stay a little too tedious +for the merchant, who began to be impatient himself, especially +when word was brought up that a fresh company +was come in; but Mr. Campbell was denied to them; and +to put a stop to any more interruptions, the merchant and +the dumb gentleman agreed to slip into a coach, drive to a +tavern in the city, and settle matters of futurity over a bottle +of French claret.</p> + +<p>The first thing done at the tavern, was Mr. Campbell's +saluting him upon a piece of paper by his name, and drinking +his health. The next paper held a discourse of condolence +for a disaster that was past long since; namely, a great and +considerable loss that happened to his family, in the dreadful +conflagration of the city of London. In the third little +dialogue which they had together, he told the merchant that +losses and advantages were general topics, which a person +unskilled in that art might venture to assign to any man of +his profession; it being next to impossible that persons who +traffic should not sometimes gain, and sometimes lose. But, +said Mr. Duncan Campbell, I will sketch out particularly, +and specify to you some future misfortunes with which you +will unavoidably meet; it is in your stars, it is in destiny, +that you should have some trials, and therefore when you are +forewarned, take a prudent care to be forearmed with patience, +and by longanimity, and meekly and resignedly enduring +your lot, render it more easy, since impatience can't avert it, +and will only render it more burdensome and heavy. He +gave these words to the merchant; who pressed for his +opinion that moment. By your leave, resuming the pen, +said the dumb gentleman, in writing, we will have this +bottle out first and tap a fresh one, that you may be warmed +with courage enough to receive the first speculative onset of +ill fortune, that I shall predict to you, with a good grace, and +that may perhaps enable you to meet it when it comes to +reduce itself into action, with a manful purpose and all becoming +resolution. The merchant agreed to the proposal,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +and put on an air of the careless and indifferent as well as +he could, to signify that he had no need to raise up an +artificial courage from the auxiliary forces of the grape. But +nature, when hard pressed, will break through all disguises, +and not only notwithstanding the air of pleasantry he gave +himself, which appeared forced and constrained, but in spite +of two or three sparkling and enlivening bumpers, a cloud of +care would ever and anon gather and shoot heavily across +his brow, though he laboured all he could to dispel it as +quickly, and to keep fair weather in his countenance. Well, +they had cracked the first bottle, and the second succeeded +upon the table, and they called to blow a pipe together. +This pipe Mr. Campbell found had a very ill effect; it is +certainly a pensive kind of instrument, and fills a mind, anything +so disposed, with disturbing thoughts, black fumes, and +melancholy vapours, as certainly as it doth the mouth with +smoke. It plainly took away even the little sparks of +vivacity which the wine had given before; so he wrote for a +truce of firing those sort of noxious guns any longer, and +they laid down their arms by consent, and drank off the +second bottle. A third immediately supplied its place, and +at the first glass, the opening of the bottle, Mr. Campbell +began to open to him his future case, in the following words: +Sir, you have now some ventures at sea from such and such +a place, to such a value. Don't be discomforted at the news +which you certainly will have within three months, but it +will be false at last, that they are by three different tempests +made the prey of the great ocean, and enrich the bottom of +the sea, the palace of Neptune. A worse storm than all these +attends you at home, a wife who is, and will be more, the +tempest of the house wherein she lives. The high and lofty +winds of her vanity will blow down the pillars of your house +and family; the high tide of her extravagance will roll on +like a resistless torrent, and leave you at low water, and the +ebb of all your fortunes. This is the highest and the most +cutting disaster that is to befall you; your real shipwreck is +not foreign but domestic; your bosom friend is to be your +greatest foe, and even your powerful undoer for a time; +mark what I say, and take courage, it shall be but for a +time, provided you take courage; it will upon that condition +be only a short and wholesome taste of adversity given to +you, that you may relish returning prosperity with virtue,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +and with a greater return of thanks to Him that dispenses it +at pleasure to mankind. Remember, courage and resignation +is what I advise you to; use it, as becomes you, in your +adversity, and believe that as I foretold that adversity, so I +can foretell a prosperity will again be the consequence of +those virtues; and the more you feel the one ought not to +cast you down, but raise your hopes the more, that he who +foretold you that so exactly, could likewise foretell you the +other. The merchant was by this put into a great suspense +of mind, but somewhat easier by the second prediction being +annexed so kindly to the first fatal one. They crowned the +night with a flask of Burgundy, and then parting, each went +to their respective homes.</p> + +<p>The reader may perchance wonder how I, who make no +mention of my being there, as in truth I was not at the +tavern, should be able to relate this as of my own knowledge; +but if he pleases to have patience to the end of the +story, he will have entire satisfaction in that point.</p> + +<p>About half a year after, the merchant came again, told +him that his prediction was too far verified, to his very dear +cost, and that he was now utterly undone, and beyond any +visible means of a future recovery, and doubting lest the +other fortunate part of the prediction was only told him by +way of encouragement, for groundless doubts and fears always +attend a mind implunged in melancholy, besought him +very earnestly to tell him candidly and sincerely if there +was no real prospect of good, and rid him at once of the uneasiness +of such a suspension of thought; But pray too, said +he, with all the vehemence of repeated expostulation, satisfy +me if there are any farther hopes on this side the grave?</p> + +<p>To this Duncan Campbell made a short, but a very significant +reply in writing. May the heavens preserve you +from a threatening danger of life. Take care only of yourself, +great and mighty care; and if you outlive Friday next, you +will yet be great and more fortunate than ever you was in +all the height of your former most flourishing space of life. +He coloured inordinately when Duncan Campbell said Friday, +and conjured him to tell him as particularly as he could what +he meant by Friday. He told him he could not particularise +any farther, but that great danger threatened him that day; +and that without extraordinary precaution it would prove +fatal to him, even to death. He shook his head, and went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +away in a very sorrowful plight. Friday past, Saturday +came, and on that very Saturday morning came likewise the +joyful tidings, that what ventures of his were given over for +lost at sea, were all come safe into the harbour. He came +the moment he received those dispatches from his agent, to +Mr. Duncan Campbell's apartment, embraced him tenderly, +and saluted him with much gladness of heart, before a great +roomful of ladies, where I happened to be present at that +time; crying out in a loud voice, before he knew what he +said, that Mr. Campbell had saved his life, that Friday was +his birthday, and he had intended with a pistol to shoot +himself that very day. The ladies thought him mad; and +he, recovered from his ecstacy, said no more, but sat down, +till Mr. Campbell dismissed all his clients; and then we +three went to the tavern together, where he told me +the whole little history or narrative, just as is above +related.</p> + +<p>The fame which Mr. Duncan Campbell got by the foregoing, +and several other predictions of the like kind, was +become very large and extensive, and had spread itself into +the remotest corners of this metropolis. The squares rung +with it, it was whispered from one house to another through +the more magnificent streets, where persons of quality and +distinction reside; it catched every house in the city, like +the news of stock from Exchange-alley; it run noisily through +the lanes and little thoroughfares where the poor inhabit; it +was the chat of the tea-table, and the babble of the streets; +and the whole town, from the top to the bottom, was full of +it. Whenever any reputation rises to a degree like this, let +it be for what art or accomplishment, or on what account +soever it will, malice, envy, and detraction, are sure to be +the immediate pursuers of it with full mouth, and to hunt it +down if possible, with full cry. Even the great Nostradamus, +though favoured by kings and queens, which always +without any other reason creates enemies, was not more pursued +by envy and detraction for his predictions in Paris, and +throughout France, than our Duncan Campbell was in +London, and even throughout England. Various, different, +and many were the objections raised to blot his character +and extenuate his fame, that when one was confuted another +might not be wanting to supply its place, and so to maintain +a course and series of backbiting, according to the known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +maxim, Throw dirt, and if it does not stick, throw dirt continually, +and some will stick.</p> + +<p>Neither is there any wonder; for a man, that has got applauders +of all sorts and conditions, must expect condemners +and detractors of all sorts and conditions likewise. If a lady of +high degree, for example, should say smiling, though really +thinking absolutely what she says, for fear of being thought +over-credulous: Well, I vow, some things Mr. Campbell does +are surprising after all; they would be apt to incline one to a +belief that he is a wonder of a man; for one would imagine +the things he does impossible: why, then, a prude, with an +assumed, supercilious air and a scornful <i>tihee</i>, would, in order +to seem more wise than she was, reply; Laud, madam, it is +more a wonder to me that you can be imposed upon so. I +vow to Gad, madam, I would as soon consult an almanack +maker, and pin my faith upon what he pricks down; or believe, +like my creed, in the cross which I make upon the +hand of a gipsy. Lard, madam, I assure your la'ship he +knows no more than I do of you. I assure you so, and +therefore believe me. He has it all by hearsay. If the lady +that believed it, should reply, that if he had notice of every +stranger by hearsay he must be a greater man than she suspected, +and must keep more spies in pay than a prime minister; +the prude's answer would be with a loud laugh, and +giggling out these words; Lard, madam, I assure you nothing +can be more easy; and so take it for granted. Because she +was inclined to say so, and had the act of wisdom on her +side, forsooth, that she appeared hard of belief, which some +call hard to be put upon, and the other lady credulous, which +some though believing upon good grounds are called, and so +thought, foolish; the prude's answer would be thought sufficient +and convincing.</p> + +<p>Thus malice and folly, by dint of noise and impudence, +and strong though empty assertions, often run down modesty +and good sense. Among the common people it is the same, +but only done in a different manner. For example, an ordinary +person that had consulted, might say, as he walked +along, there goes the dumb gentleman who writes down any +name of a stranger at first sight. Steps up a blunt fellow, +that takes stubbornness for sense, and says, That is a confounded +lie; he is a cheat and an impostor, and you are one +of his accomplices; he will tell me my name, I suppose, if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +you tell it him first: he is no more dumb than I am; he can +speak and hear as well as us; I have been with those that +say they have heard him; I wish I and two or three more +had him in our stable, and I warrant you with our cartwhips +we would lick some words out of his chaps, as dumb as you +call him. I tell you it is all a lie, and all a bite. If the +other desires to be convinced for himself by his own experience, +the rougher rogue, who perhaps has stronger sinews +than the other, answers, If you lie any farther I will knock +you down; and so he is the vulgar wit, and the mouth of +the rabble-rout, and thus the detraction spreads below with +very good success, as it does above in another kind.</p> + +<p>As there are two comical adventures in his life, which +directly suit and correspond with the foregoing reflections, +this seems the most proper place to insert them in. The +first consists of a kind of mob-way of usage he met with +from a fellow who got to be an officer in the army, but by +the following behaviour will be found unworthy of the name +and the commission.</p> + +<p>In the year 1701, a lady of good quality came and addressed +herself to him much after the following manner. +She told him she had choice of lovers, but preferred one +above the rest; but desired to know his name, and if she +made him her choice what would be the subsequent fate of +such a matrimony. Mr. Duncan Campbell very readily gave +her down in writing this plain and honest reply; That of all +her suitors she was most inclined to a captain, a distinguished +officer, and a great beau, naming his name, and one that had +a great many outward, engaging charms, sufficient to blind +the eyes of any lady that was not thoroughly acquainted +with his manner of living. He therefore assured her, and +thought himself bound, being conjured so to do, having +received his fee, though there was danger in such plain and +open predictions, that he was a villain and a rogue in his +heart, a profligate gamester, and that if she took him to her +bed, she would only embrace her own ruin. The lady's +woman, who was present, being in fee with the captain, resolving +to give intelligence, for fear the officer, her so good +friend, should be disappointed in the siege, slily shuffled the +papers into her pocket, and made a present of them to the +military spark. Fired with indignation at the contents, he +vowed revenge; and in order to compass it, conspires with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +his female spy about the means. In fine, for fear of losing +the lady, though he quarrelled with Duncan Campbell, a +method was to be found out how to secure her by the very +act of revenge. At last it was resolved to discover to her, +that he had found out what she had been told by Mr. Campbell, +but the way how he had been informed was to remain +a secret. He did do so, and ended his discovery with these +words:—I desire, madam, that if I prove him an impostor, +you would not believe a word he says. The lady agreed to +so fair a proposal. Then the captain swore that he himself +would never eat a piece of bread more till he had made +Mr. Campbell eat his words; nay, he insisted upon it that +he would bring him to his tongue, and make him own by +word of mouth, that what he had written before was false +and calumnious. To which the lady answered again, that if +he performed what he said, she would be convinced. This +brave, military man, however, not relying upon his own +single valour and prowess, to bring about so miraculous a +thing as the making a person that was dumb to speak, he +took with him for this end three lusty assistants to combine +with him in the assassination. The ambuscade was settled +to be at the Five Bells tavern, in Wych-street, in the Strand. +After the ambush was settled with so much false courage, +the business of decoying Mr. Campbell into it was not practicable +any other way than by sending out false colours. +The lady's woman, who was by her own interest tied fast to +the interests of the beau, was to play the trick of Delilah, +and betray this deaf and dumb Samson, as he will appear to +be a kind of one in the sequel of the story, into the hands of +these Philistines. She smooths her face over with a complimenting +lie from her mistress to Mr. Campbell, and acted +her part of deceit so well, that he promised to follow her to +the Five Bells with all haste; and so she scuttled back to +prepare the captain, and to tell him how lucky she was in +mischief; and how she drew him out by smiles into perdition. +The short of the story is, when they got him in among +them, they endeavoured to assassinate him; but they missed +of their aim; yet it is certain they left him in a very terrible +and bloody condition; and the captain went away in as bad +a plight as the person was left in, whom he assaulted so +cowardly with numbers, and to such disadvantage. I was +sent for to him upon this disaster, and the story was delivered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +to me thus, by one of the drawers of the tavern, when I inquired +into it. They began to banter him, and speaking to +him as if he heard, asked him if he knew his own fortune; +they told him it was to be beaten to death. This was an +odd way of addressing a deaf and dumb man. They added, +they would make him speak before they had done. The +boy seeing he made no reply, but only smiled, thought what +passed between them was a jest with an old acquaintance, +and withdrew about his business. The door being fastened, +however, before they began the honourable attack, they +vouchsafed to write down their intent in the words above +mentioned, which they had uttered before to make sure that +he should understand their meaning, and what this odd way +of correction was for. All the while the maid who had +brought him into it was peeping through a hole and watching +the event, as appears afterwards. Mr. Campbell wrote them +the following answer, viz., That he hoped for fair play, that +he understood beargarden as well as they; but if a gentleman +was amongst them he would expect gentlemanly +usage. The rejoinder they made to this, consisted, it seems, +not of words but of action. The officer in conjunction with +another ruffian, one of the strongest of the three he had +brought, commenced the assault. As good luck would have +it, he warded off their first blows, it seems, with tolerable +success, and a wine quart pot standing upon the table, +Duncan took to his arms, and at two or three quick blows, +well managed, and close laid in upon the assailants, felled +them both to the ground. Here it was that the maid discovered +her knowledge of it, and privity to the plot to the +whole house; for she no sooner sees the famous leader, the +valiant captain, lie sprawling on the floor with bleeding +temples, but she shrieked out with all the voice she could +exert, Murder, murder, murder! Alarmed at this outcry, +the master and all the attendants of the tavern scampered +up stairs, burst into the room, and found Duncan Campbell +struggling with the other two, and the quart pot still fast +clenched in his hand, which they were endeavouring to +wrench from him. The drawers rescued him out of their +hands, and inquired into the matter. The maid in a fright +confessed the whole thing. The officer and his associate +rubbed their eyes as recovering from a stunning sleep, reeled +as they went to rise, paid the reckoning and slunk pitifully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +away; or, as the rakes' term for it is, they brushed off, and +for all their odds had the worst of the lay. I, who had some +authority with Mr. Campbell, by reason of my years, and +the strict acquaintance I had with his mother, when I came +and found him in that pickle, and had the whole relation +told to me by the people of the house, though I could not +forbear pitying him within my own mind, took upon me to +reprehend him, and told him that these hardships would by +Providence be daily permitted to fall upon him, for he met +with them twenty times, while he continued in that irregular +way of living and spending his time, that might be so +precious to himself and many others, in drunkenness and debauchery; +and I think the lessons I wrote down to him +upon that head, though a little severe just at that juncture, +were, notwithstanding, well timed, and did, as I guessed they +would, make a more solid impression in him than at any +other. In all these scuffles, whether it is that being deaf +and dumb an affront works deeper upon a man, and so +renders him far more fierce or resolute, it must be said, that, +though nature has been kind in making him very strong, +robust, and active withal, yet he has bore some shocks, one +would imagine, beyond the strength of a man, having sometimes +got the better of five or six ruffians in rencounters of +the like kind.</p> + +<p>The next banter he met with was in a gentler way, from +an unbelieving lady, and yet she came off with very ill +success, and the banter turned all upon herself in the end.</p> + +<p>A lady of distinction, whose name shall therefore be concealed +in this place, came with two or three of her special +friends, who took her for the most merry, innocent, spotless +virgin upon earth, and whose modesty was never suspected +in the least by her relations or servants that were nearest +about her; after having rallied Mr. Campbell with several +frivolous questions, doubting his capacity, and vexing and +teasing him with gay impertinences beyond all patience, was +by him told, that he did not take fees in his profession to be +made a jest of like a common fortuneteller, but to do real +good to those who consulted him, as far as he was able by +his predictions; that he was treated with more respect by +persons of a higher condition, though her own was very good, +and so offered her guinea back again with a bow and a +smile. She had a little more generosity of spirit than not to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +be a little nettled at the proffer she had caused by so coarse +an usage. She affected appearing grave a little, and told +him she would be serious for the future, and asked him to +set down her name, which she had neglected before, to ask +other questions that were nothing to the purpose. He promised +to write it down, but pausing a little longer than +ordinary about it, she returned to her former way of uncivil +merriment and ungallant raillery. She repeated to him in +three or four little scraps of paper, one after another, as fast +as she could write them, the same words, viz., That he could +not tell her name, nor whether she was maid, wife, or widow; +and laughed as if she would split her sides, triumphing to +the rest of her companions over his ignorance and her own +wit, as if she had posed him, and put him to an entire stand. +But see what this overweening opinion of security ended +in: the man of the second-sight was not to be so easily +baffled. Vexed at being so disturbed, and coming out of his +brown study, he reaches the paper and begins to write. +Now it was the lady's turn to suffer, she had deserved hearty +punishment, and it came into her hands with the note, to a +degree of severity, as you will perceive by the contents of it +just now. She read it, and swooning away, dropped from +her chair. The whole room being in a bustle, I, that was in +the outward chamber, ran in: while Mr. Campbell was +sprinkling water in her face, a lady snatched up the note to +read it, at which he seemed mightily displeased; I, therefore, +who understood his signs, recovered it out of her hands by +stratagem, and ran to burn it, which I did so quick that I +was not discovered in the curiosity which I must own I +satisfied myself in by reading it first; a curiosity raised too +high by so particular an adventure, to be overcome in so +little a time of thought, as I was to keep it in my hands, and +so I came by the knowledge of it myself, without being +informed by Mr. Campbell. This shows how a sudden +curiosity, when there is not time given to think and correct +it, may overcome a man as well as a woman; for I was +never over-curious in my life, and though I was pleased with +the oddness of the adventure, I often blushed to myself since +for the unmanly weakness of not being able to step with a +note from one room to another to the fireside, without peeping +into the contents of it. The contents of it were these: +Madam since you provoke me, your name is ——. You<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +are no widow, you are no wife, and yet you are no maid; +you have a child at nurse at such a place, by such a +gentleman, and you were brought to bed in Leicestershire. +The lady, convinced by this answer of his strange +and mystical power, and pleased with his civility in endeavouring +to conceal from others the secret, after so many +repeated provocations, though she showed great disorder for +that day, became one of his constant attenders some time +after, and would not take any step in her affairs without his +advice, which she often has said since, she found very much +to her advantage. She was as serious in her dealings with +him afterwards, and improved by being so, as she was gay +and turbulent with him before, and smarted for it. In fine, +she was a thorough convert, and a votary of his; and the +only jest she used afterwards to make, concerning him, was +a civil witticism to his wife; to whom she was wont, every +now and then, smiling, to address herself after this manner: +Your husband, madam, is a devil, but he is a very handsome +and a very civil one.</p> + +<p>Not long after this came another lady, with a like intent, +to impose upon him; and was resolved, as she owned, to +have laughed him to scorn if she had succeeded in her +attempt. She had very dexterously dressed herself in her +woman's habit, and her woman in her own; her footman +squired the new-made lady in a very gentlemanly dress, +hired for the purpose of a disguise, from Monmouth-street. +The strange and unknown masqueraders entered Mr. Campbell's +room with much art. The fellow was by nature of a +clean make, and had a good look, and from following a +genteel master when he was young, copied his gait a little, +and had some appearance of a mien, and a tolerable good air +about him. But this being the first time of his being so fine, +and he a little vain in his temper, he over-acted his part; he +strutted too much; he was as fond of his ruffles, his watch, +his sword, his cane, and his snuff box, as a boy of being newly +put into breeches; and viewed them all too often to be thought +the possessor of any such things long. The affectation of the +chambermaid was insufferable; she had the toss of the head, +the jut of the bum, the sidelong leer of the eye, the imperious +look upon her lady, now degraded into her woman, that +she was intolerable, and a person without the gift of the +second-sight would have guessed her to have been a pragma<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>tical +upstart, though it is very probable that during that +time she fancied herself really better than her mistress; the +mistress acted her part of maid the best; for it is easier for +genteel modesty to act a low part, than for affected vanity to +act a high one. She kept her distance like a servant, but +would, to disguise things the better, be every now and then +pert, according to their way, and give occasion to be chid. +But there is an air of gentility inborn and inbred to some +people; and even when they aim to be awkward a certain +grace will attend all their minutest actions and gestures, and +command love, respect, and veneration. I must therefore +own that there was not need of a man's being a conjuror to +guess who ought to be the lady and who the maid; but to +know who absolutely was the lady, and who was the maid +did require that skill. For how many such real ladies have +we that are made so from such upstarts, and how many genteel +waiting-women of great descent that are born with a +grace about them, and are bred to good manners. Mr. +Campbell's art made him positive in the case; he took the +patches from the face of the maid, and placed them on the +mistress's; he pulled off her hood and scarf, and gave it the +lady, and taking from the lady her riding-hood, gave it the +maid in exchange; for ladies at that time of day were not +entered into that fashion of cloaking themselves. Then he +wrote down that he should go out, and ought to send his +maid in to undress them quite, and give the mistress her own +clothes and the maid hers and with a smile wrote down +both their names, and commended her contrivance; but +after that it was remarked by the lady that he paid her less +respect than she expected, and more to her footman, who +was in gentleman's habit, whom he took by his side, and told +a great many fine things; whereas he would tell the lady +nothing farther. The lady nettled at this, wrote to him that +she had vanity enough to believe that she might be distinguished +from her maid in any dress, but that he had shown +his want of skill in not knowing who that gentleman was. +Mr. Campbell told her her mistake in sharp terms; and begging +her pardon, assured her he knew several chambermaids +as genteel and as well-born as her, and many mistresses more +awkward and worse born than her maid; that he did not go +therefore by the rule of guess and judging what ought to be, +but by the rule of certainty and the knowledge of what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +actually was. She, however, unsatisfied with that answer, +perplexed him mightily to know who the man was. He +answered, he would be a great man. The lady laughed scornfully, +and said she wanted to know who he was, not what he +would be. He answered again, he was her footman, but +that she would have a worse. She grew warm, and desired +to be informed, why, since he knew the fellow's condition, +he respected her so little and him so much, and +accused him of want of practising manners, if he had not +want of knowledge. He answered, Madam, since you will +be asking questions too far, this footman will advance +himself to the degree of a gentleman, and have a woman of +distinction to his wife; while you will degrade yourself by a +marriage to be the wife of a footman; his ambition is laudable, +your condescension, mean, therefore I give him the preference; +I have given you fair warning and wholesome advice, +you may avoid your lot by prudence; but his will certainly +be what I tell you.</p> + +<p>This coming afterwards to pass exactly as was predicted, +and his disappointing so many that had a mind to impose +upon him, has rendered him pretty free from such wily contrivances +since, though now and then they have happened, +but still to the mortification and disappointment of the contrivers. +But as we have not pretended to say, with regard +to these things, that he has his genius always at his elbow or +his beck, to whisper in his ear the names of persons, and +such little constant events as these; so, that we may not be +deemed to give a fabulous account of his life and adventures, +we think ourselves bound to give the reader an insight into +the particular power and capacity which he has for bringing +about these particular performances, especially that of writing +down names of strangers at first sight, which I don't +doubt will be done to the satisfaction of all persons who shall +read the succeeding chapter, concerning the gift of the +second-sight.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="title">CONCERNING THE SECOND-SIGHT.</p> + + +<p>Mr. Martin lately published a book, entituled, A Description +of the Western Isles of Scotland, called by the ancient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +geographers, Hebrides. It contains many curious particulars +relating to the natural and civil history of those islands, with +a map of them; and in his preface he tells us that, perhaps, +it is peculiar to those isles that they have never been described, +till now, by any man that was a native of the country, or +had travelled them, as himself has done; and in the conclusion +of the said preface he tells us, he has given here such +an account of the second-sight as the nature of the thing +will bear, which has always been reckoned sufficient among +the unbiassed part of mankind; but for those that will not +be satisfied, they ought to oblige us with a new scheme, by +which we may judge of matters of fact. The chief particulars +he has given us concerning the second-sight, are +here set down by way of abstract or epitome, that they may +not be too tedious to the reader.</p> + +<p>1. In the second-sight, the vision makes such a lively +impression on the seers, that they neither see nor think of +anything else but the vision as long as it continues, and +then they appear pensive or jovial, according to the object +which was presented to them.</p> + +<p>2. At the sight of a vision the eyelids of the person are +erected, and the eyes continue staring till the object vanish, +as has often been observed by the author and others present.</p> + +<p>3. There is one in Skye, an acquaintance of whom observed, +that when he sees a vision, the inner part of his eyelids +turns so far upwards, that, after the object disappears, +he must draw them down with his fingers, and sometimes +employs others to draw them down, which he finds to be +much the easier way.</p> + +<p>4. The faculty of the second-sight does not lineally +descend in a family, as some imagine; for he knows several +parents that are endowed with it, but not their children, and +so on the contrary; neither is it acquired by any previous +compact; and after a strict inquiry, he could never learn +from any among them that this faculty was communicable +any way whatsoever.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Note.</span> That this account is differing from the account +that is given by Mr. Aubrey, a gentleman of the Royal +Society; and I think Mr. Martin's reason here against the +descent of this faculty from parents to children is not generally +conclusive. For though he may know parents endowed +with it and not children, and so vice versa, yet there may be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +parents who are endowed with it, being qualified, as Mr. +Aubrey has said, viz., both being second-sighted, or even one +to an extraordinary degree, whose children may have it by +descent. And as to this faculty being any otherwise communicable, +since the accounts differ, I must leave it to a +farther examination.</p> + +<p>5. The seer knows neither the object, time, nor place of a +vision before it appears; and the same object is often seen +by different persons living at a considerable distance from +one another. The true way of judging as to the time and +circumstance of an object, is by observation; for several +persons of judgment, without this faculty, are more capable +to judge of the design of a vision, than a novice that is a seer. +As an object appears in the day or night, it will come to +pass sooner or later accordingly.</p> + +<p>6. If an object be seen early in the morning, which is not +frequent, it will be accomplished in a few hours afterwards; +if at noon, it will commonly be accomplished that very day; +if in the evening, perhaps that night; if after candles be +lighted, it will be accomplished that night; it is later always +in accomplishment by weeks, months, and sometimes years, +according to the time of the night the vision is seen.</p> + +<p>7. When a shroud is perceived about one, it is a sure +prognostic of death; the time is judged according to the +height of it about the person; for if it be not seen above the +middle, death is not to be expected for the space of a year, +and perhaps some months longer; and as it is frequently +seen to ascend higher towards the head, death is concluded to +be at hand in a few days, if not hours, as daily experience +confirms. Examples of this kind were shown the author, +when the persons, of whom the observations were made, +enjoyed perfect health.</p> + +<p>There was one instance lately of a prediction of this kind, +by a seer that was a novice, concerning the death of one of +the author's acquaintance; this was communicated to a few +only, and with great confidence; the author being one of +the number, did not in the least regard it, till the death of +the person, about the time foretold, confirmed to him the +certainty of the prediction. The foresaid novice is now a +skilful seer, as appears from many late instances; he lives +in the parish of St. Mary's, the most northern in Skye.</p> + +<p>8. If a woman be seen standing at a man's left hand, it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +a presage that she will be his wife, whether they are +married to others, or unmarried, at the time of the apparition. +If two or three women are seen at once standing near a man's +left hand, she that is next him will undoubtedly be his wife +first, and so on, whether all three, or the man, be single or +married at the time of the vision; of which there are several +late instances of the author's acquaintance. It is an ordinary +thing for them to see a man, that is to come to the house +shortly after; and though he be not of the seer's acquaintance +yet he not only tells his name, but gives such a lively +description of his stature, complexion, habit, &c., that upon +his arrival he answers the character given of him in all respects. +If the person so appearing be one of the seer's +acquaintance, he can tell by his countenance whether he +comes in good or bad humour. The author has been seen +thus, by seers of both sexes, at some hundreds of miles' +distance; some that saw him in this manner had never seen +him personally, and it happened according to their visions, +without any previous design of his to go to those places, his +coming there being purely accidental; and in the nineteenth +page of his book he tells us, that Mr. Daniel Morrison, a +minister, told him, that upon his landing in the island Rona, +the natives received him very affectionately, and addressed +themselves to him with this salutation; God save you, +Pilgrim! you are heartily welcome here, for we have had +repeated apparitions of your person amongst us; viz., after +the manner of the second-sight.</p> + +<p>9. It is ordinary with them to see houses, gardens, and +trees, in places void of all three, and this in process of time +used to be accomplished; of which he gives an instance in +the island of Skye.</p> + +<p>10. To see a spark of fire fall upon one's arm, or breast, +is a forerunner of a dead child to be seen in the arms of those +persons, of which there are several fresh instances.</p> + +<p>To see a seat empty at the time of one's sitting in it, is a +presage of that person's death quickly after.</p> + +<p>When a novice, or one that has lately obtained the second-sight, +sees a vision in the night-time without doors, and +comes near a fire, he presently falls into a swoon.</p> + +<p>Some find themselves, as it were, in a crowd of people, +having a corpse, which they carry along with them; and +after such visions the seers come in sweating, and describe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +the people that appeared; if there are any of their acquaintance +among them, they give an account of their names, and +also of the bearers. But they know nothing concerning the +corpse.</p> + +<p>All those that have the second-sight, do not always see +these visions at once, though they are together at the time; +but if one, who has this faculty, designedly touch his fellow +seer, at the instant of a vision's appearing, then the second +sees it as well as the first.</p> + +<p>11. There is the way of foretelling death by a cry, that +they call <i>taisk</i>, which some call a <i>wraith</i>, in the lowland. +They hear a loud cry without doors, exactly resembling the +voice of some particular person, whose death is foretold by +it, of which he gives a late instance, which happened in the +village Rigg, in Skye isle.</p> + +<p>12. Things are also foretold by smelling, sometimes, as +follows: Fish or flesh is frequently smelt in the fire, when +at the same time neither of the two are in the house, or, in +any probability, like to be had in it for some weeks or +months. This smell several persons have who are endued +with the second-sight, and it is always accomplished soon +after.</p> + +<p>13. Children, horses, and cows, have the second-sight, as +well as men and women advanced in years.</p> + +<p>That children see it, it is plain, from their crying aloud +at the very instant that a corpse or any other vision +appears to an ordinary seer; of which he gives an instance +in a child when himself was present.</p> + +<p>That horses likewise see it is very plain, from their violent +and sudden starting, when the rider, or seer in company +with them, sees a vision of any kind by night or day. It is +observable of a horse, that he will not go forward that way, +till he be led about at some distance from the common road, +and then he is in a sweat; he gives an instance of this in a +horse in the Isle of Skye.</p> + +<p>That cows have the second-sight appears from this; that +if a woman milking a cow happens to see a vision by the +second-sight, the cow runs away in a great fright at the same +time, and will not be pacified for some time after.</p> + +<p>In reference to this, Paracelsus, tom. ix. l. <i>de arte presagâ</i>, +writes thus; "Horses also have their auguries, who perceive, +by their sight and smell, wandering spirits, witches,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +and spectres, and the like things; and dogs both see and +hear the same."</p> + +<p>Here in the next place the author answers objections that +have lately been made against the reality of the second-sight.</p> + +<p>First, it is objected, that these seers are visionary and +melancholy people, who fancy they see things that do not +appear to them or anybody else.</p> + +<p>He answers, the people of these isles, and particularly the +seers, are very temperate, and their diet is simple and +moderate in quantity and quality; so that their brains are +not, in all probability, disordered by undigested fumes of +meat or drink. Both sexes are free from hysteric fits, convulsions, +and several other distempers of that sort. There +are no madmen among them, nor any instance of self-murder. +It is observed among them, that a man drunk, never has a +vision of the second-sight; and he that is a visionary would +discover himself in other things as well as in that; nor are +such as have the second-sight, judged to be visionaries by +any of their friends or acquaintance.</p> + +<p>Secondly, it is objected, that there are none among the +learned able to oblige the world with a satisfactory account +of these visions; therefore they are not to be believed.</p> + +<p>He answers, if everything of which the learned are not +able to give a satisfactory account, shall be condemned as +false and impossible, we shall find many other things, +generally believed, which must be rejected as such.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, it is objected, that the seers are impostors, and +the people who believe them are credulous, and easy to be +imposed upon.</p> + +<p>He answers, the seers are generally illiterate, and well-meaning +people, and altogether void of design; nor could he +ever learn that any of them made the least gain of it; +neither is it reputable among them to have that faculty; beside, +the people of the Isles are not so credulous as to believe +an impossibility, before the thing foretold be accomplished; +but when it actually comes to pass, afterwards it is not in +their power to deny it, without offering violence to their +senses and reason; beside, if the seers were deceivers, can +it be reasonable to imagine that all the islanders, who have +not the second-sight, should combine together and offer +violence to their understandings and senses, to force themselves +to believe a lie from age to age? There are several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +persons among them, whose birth and education raise them +above the suspicion of concurring with an imposture merely +to gratify an illiterate and contemptible sort of persons. +Nor can a reasonable man believe, that children, horses, and +cows, could be engaged in a combination to persuade the +world of the reality of a second-sight.</p> + +<p>Every vision that is seen comes exactly to pass according +to the rules of observation, though novices and heedless +persons do not always judge by those rules; concerning +which he gives instances.</p> + +<p>There are visions seen by several persons, in whose days +they are not accomplished; and this is one of the reasons +why some things have been seen, that are said never to have +come to pass; and there are also several visions seen, which +are not understood till they are accomplished.</p> + +<p>The second-sight is not a late discovery, seen by one or +two in a corner, or a remote isle; but it is seen by many +persons of both sexes, in several isles, separated about forty +or fifty leagues from one another; the inhabitants of many +of these isles never had the least converse by word or writing; +and this faculty of seeing visions having continued, as we +are informed by tradition, ever since the plantation of these +isles, without being disproved by the nicest sceptic after the +strictest inquiry, seems to be a clear proof of its reality.</p> + +<p>It is observable, that it was much more common twenty +or thirty years ago than at present; for one in ten does not +see it now, that saw it then.</p> + +<p>The second-sight is not confined to the Western Isles alone, +the author having an account that it is in several parts of +Holland, but particularly in Bommel, where a woman has it, +for which she is courted by some, and dreaded by others. +She sees a smoke about one's face, which is the forerunner of +the death of a person so seen, and she actually foretold the +deaths of several that lived there. She was living in that +town a few winters ago.</p> + +<p>The second-sight is likewise in the Isle of Man, as appears +by this instance: Captain Leathes, the chief commander of +Belfast, in his voyage 1690, lost thirteen men by a violent +storm; and upon his landing in the Isle of Man, an ancient +man, clerk to a parish there, told him immediately that he +had lost thirteen men there; the captain inquired how he +came to the knowledge of that; he answered that it was by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +thirteen lights, which he had seen come into the churchyard; +as Mr. Sacheverel tells us in his late description of the Isle +of Man. Note, that this is like the sight of the corpse-candles +in Wales, which is also well attested.</p> + +<p>Here the author adds many other instances concerning +the second-sight, of which I shall set down only a few.</p> + +<p>A man in Knockow, in the parish of St. Mary's, the +northernmost part of Skye, being in perfect health, and sitting +with his fellow-servants at night, was on a sudden taken +ill, dropped from his seat backward, and then fell a vomiting; +at which the family was much concerned, he having never +been subject to the like before; but he came to himself soon +after, and had no sort of pain about him. One of the family, +who was accustomed to see the second-sight, told them that +the man's illness proceeded from a very strange cause, which +was thus: An ill-natured woman, whom he named, who +lives in the next adjacent village of Bornskittag, came before +him in a very angry and furious manner, her countenance +full of passion, and her mouth full of reproaches, and +threatened him with her head and hands, till he fell over, as +you have seen him. This woman had a fancy for the man, +but was like to be disappointed as to her marrying of him. +This instance was told the author by the master of the family, +and others who were present when it happened.</p> + +<p>Sir Norman Macleod and some others, playing at tables, +at a game called in Irish, Falmermore, wherein there are +three of a side, and each of them throw the dice by turns, +there happened to be one difficult point in the disposing of +one of the tablemen; this obliged the gamester to deliberate +before he was to change his man, since upon the disposing +of it, the winning or losing of the game depended; at length +the butler, who stood behind, advised the player where to +place the man, with which he complied, and won the game. +This being thought extraordinary, and Sir Norman hearing +one whisper him in the ear, asked who advised him so skilfully? +He answered it was the butler; but this seemed +more strange, for it was generally thought he could not play +at tables. Upon this Sir Norman asked him how long it +was since he had learned to play? and the fellow owned +that he had never played in his life, but that he saw the +spirit Brownie, a spirit usually seen in that country, reaching +his arm over the player's head, and touching the part with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +his finger where the tableman was to be placed. This was +told the author by Sir Norman, and others who happened to +be present at the time.</p> + +<p>Daniel Bow, <i>alias</i> Black, an inhabitant of Bornskittag, +who is one of the precisest seers in the Isles, foretold the +death of a young woman in Minginis, within less than +twenty-four hours before the time, and accordingly she died +suddenly in the fields, though at the time of the prediction +she was in perfect health; but the shroud appearing close +about her head, was the ground of his confidence that her +death was at hand.</p> + +<p>The same person foretold the death of a child in his +master's arms, by seeing a spark of fire fall on his left arm; +and this was likewise accomplished soon after the prediction.</p> + +<p>Some of the inhabitants of Harris, sailing round the Isle +of Skye, with a design to go to the opposite mainland, were +strangely surprised with an apparition of two men hanging +down by the ropes that secured the mast, but could not conjecture +what it meant; they pursued their voyage, but the +wind turning contrary, they were forced into Broad-ford, in +the Isle of Skye, where they found Sir Donald Macdonald +keeping a sheriff's court, and two criminals receiving sentence +of death there. The ropes and mast of that very boat +were made use of to hang those criminals. This was told +the author by several, who had this instance related to them +by the boat's crew.</p> + +<p>Several persons, living in a certain family, told the author +that they had frequently seen two men standing at a gentle-woman's +left hand, who was their master's daughter; they +told the men's names, and being her equals, it was not +doubted but she would be married to one of them; and +perhaps to the other after the death of the first. Some time +after a third man appeared, who seemed always to stand +nearest to her of the three, but the seers did not know him, +though they could describe him exactly; and within some +months after, this man who was seen last, actually came to +the house, and fully answered the description given of him +by those who never saw him but in a vision; and he married +the woman shortly after. They live in the Isle of Skye, and +both themselves and others confirmed the truth of this instance +when the author saw them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> + +<p>Archibald Macdonald, of the parish of St. Mary's, in the +Isle of Skye, being reputed famous in his skill of foretelling +things to come, by the second-sight, happening to be in the +village Knockow one night, and before supper, told the +family that he had just then seen the strangest thing he ever +saw in his life, viz., a man with an ugly long cap, always +shaking his head; but that the strangest of all was a little +kind of a harp which he had, with four strings only, and +that it had two hart's horns fixed in the front of it. All that +heard this odd vision fell a laughing at Archibald, telling +him that he was dreaming, or had not his wits about him, +since he pretended to see a thing which had no being, and +was not so much as heard of in any part of the world. All +this could not alter Archibald's opinion, who told them that +they must excuse him if he laughed at them after the accomplishment +of the vision. Archibald returned to his own +house, and within three or four days after, a man with a cap, +harp, &c., came to the house, and the harp, strings, horns, +and cap, answered the description of them at first view, and +he shook his head when he played; for he had two bells +fixed to his cap. This harper was a poor man, who made +himself a buffoon for his bread, and was never seen before +in those parts, and at the time of the prediction he was in +the Isle of Barray, which is about twenty leagues distant +from that part of Skye. This relation is vouched by +Mr. Daniel Martin, and all his family, and such as were +then present; and they live in the village where this +happened.</p> + +<p>One Daniel Nicholson, minister of St. Mary's, in Skye, +the parish in which Mr. Archibald Macdonald lived, told the +author, that one Sunday, after sermon, at the chapel Uge, he +took an occasion to inquire of Archibald, if he still retained +that unhappy faculty of seeing the second-sight, and wished +him to get rid of it, if possible; for, said he, it is no true +character of a good man. Archibald was highly displeased, +and answered, that he hoped he was no more unhappy than +his neighbours, for seeing what they could not perceive. I +had, said he, as serious thoughts as my neighbours in time +of hearing a sermon to-day, and even then I saw a corpse +laid on the ground, close to the pulpit; and I assure you it +will be accomplished shortly, for it was in the day-time. +There were none in the parish then sick, and few are buried<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +at that little chapel, nay, sometimes, not one in a year. +Yet when Mr. Nicholson returned to preach in the said +chapel, a fortnight or three weeks after, he found one buried +in the very spot named by Archibald. This story is vouched +by Mr. Nicholson the minister, and several of the parishioners +still living.</p> + +<p>Note, that it is counted by many an argument of somewhat +evil attending upon this faculty of the second-sight, +because there are instances given of some persons who have +been freed of it upon using some Christian practices; but I +shall hereafter show that this opinion cannot be entirely +true.</p> + +<p>Sir Norman Macleod, who has his residence in the Isle of +Bernera, which lies between the isles of North Uist and +Harris, went to the Isle of Skye about business, without appointing +any time for his return; his servants, in his absence, +being altogether in the large hall at night; one of +them, who had the second-sight, told the rest they must remove, +for there would be abundance of other company in +the hall that night. One of his fellow-servants answered +that there was very little likelihood of that, because of the +darkness of the night, and the danger of coming through the +rocks that lie round the isle; but within an hour after, one +of Sir Norman's men came to the house, bidding them provide +lights, &c., for his master had newly landed.</p> + +<p>Sir Norman being told of this, called for the seer and examined +him about it. He answered, that he had seen the +spirit Brownie, in human shape, come several times and +make a show of carrying an old woman, that sat by the fire, +to the door, and at last seemed to carry her out by neck and +heels, which made him laugh heartily, and gave occasion to +the rest to conclude him mad, to laugh so much without any +reason. This instance was told the author by Sir Norman +himself.</p> + +<p>Four men from the Isle of Skye and Harris went to +Barbadoes, and stayed there some years; who though they +had wont to see the second-sight in their native country, +never saw it in Barbadoes; but upon their return to England, +the first night after their landing, they saw the second-sight; +as the author was told by several of their acquaintance.</p> + +<p>John Morrison, who lives in Bernera, of Harris, wears +the plant called <i>fuga dĉmonum</i> sewed in the neck of his coat,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +to prevent his seeing of visions, and says, he never saw any +since he first carried that plant about him.</p> + +<p>A spirit, by the country people called Brownie, was frequently +seen in all the most considerable families in the isles, +and north of Scotland, in the shape of a tall man, having +very long brown hair; but within these twenty years past he +has been seen but rarely.</p> + +<p>There were spirits also that appeared in the shape of +women, horses, swine, cats, and some like fiery bulls, which +would follow men in the fields; but there have been but few +instances of these for upwards of forty years past.</p> + +<p>These spirits used also to form sounds in the air, resembling +those of a harp, pipes, crowing of a cock, and of +the grinding of hand-mills; and sometimes voices have been +heard in the air at night, singing Irish songs; the words of +which songs some of the author's acquaintances still retain; +one of them resembled the voice of a woman who died some +time before, and the song related to her state in the other +world. All these accounts, the author says, he had from +persons of as great integrity as any are in the world. So +far Mr. Martin, whose account is so long, that I have given +the reader only a short abridgment thereof; and shall +therefore satisfy myself, without relating any further passages, +by directing the reader to others also, learned men, who +have written on the same subject. Laurentius Ananias +printed a volume in Latin, at Venice, anno 1581, about the +nature of demons; where, in the third book, he writes concerning +the second-sight. The learned Camerarius does the +like, and names a person of his own acquaintance whom he +testifies to have had that gift. St. Austin himself testifies +something (not very different from what we now call the gift +of the second-sight) of one Curina, who lived in the country +of Hippo, in Africa. Bonaysteau tells us something like it +in his <i>Disc. de Excell. et Dig. Hominis</i>, concerning the spirit +of Hermotimus. So do likewise Herodotus and Maximus +Tyrius, about the spirit of Aristĉus. Cardan does the same +in his <i>De Rerum Variet.</i> 1. 8. c. 84, of his kinsman Baptista +Cardan, a student at Pavia. Baptista Fulgosus tells us of +what we call the second-sight, in other words, in his <i>Fact. +et Dict. Memorab.</i> 1. i. c. 6. Among our own countrymen, +the Lord Henry Howard, in the book he writ against supposed +prophecies, in his seventeenth chapter, tells us a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +wonderful story of this kind of sight; and sure that noble +lord may be looked upon as an unexceptionable testimony, +in a story he relates of his own knowledge, he having otherwise +little faith in things of this kind. Mr. Cotton Mather, +a minister of New England, in his relation of the wonders of +the invisible world, inserted in his Ecclesiastical History of +that country, printed in London, anno 1702, in folio, has +given us several instances of this kind, as also of many other +diabolical operations. Mr. Baxter's book concerning The +Certainty of the World of Spirits, has the like proofs in it. +Mr. Aubrey, Fellow of the Royal Society, has written largely +concerning second-sighted persons; so has Mr. Beaumont, in +his book of Genii and Familiar Spirits, who has collected almost +all the other accounts together; and many others, whose +very names it would be tedious to recite. However, as there +are a few more passages, very curious in themselves, I will +venture so far upon the reader's patience, as not only to +recite the names of the authors, but the accounts themselves, +in as succinct and brief a manner as it is possible for any one +to do.</p> + +<p>Mr. Th. May, in his History, lib. viii. writes, that an old +man, like a hermit, second-sighted, took his leave of king +James I. when he came into England; he took little notice +of Prince Henry, but addressing himself to the Duke of York, +since King Charles I., fell a weeping to think what misfortunes +he should undergo; and that he should be one of the most +miserable and most unhappy princes that ever was.</p> + +<p>A Scotch nobleman sent for one of these second-sighted +men out of the Highlands, to give his judgment of the then +great George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. As soon as +ever he saw him; Pish, said he, he will come to nothing, I +see a dagger in his breast; and he was stabbed in the breast +by Captain Felton, as has been at large recounted in some +of the foregoing pages.</p> + +<p>Sir James Melvin hath several the like passages in his +history.</p> + +<p>A certain old man in South Wales, told a great man there +of the fortune of his family, and that there should not be a +third male generation. It has fallen out accordingly.</p> + +<p>Sir William Dugdale with his own mouth informed several +gentlemen, that Major-General Middleton (since lord) went +into the Highlands of Scotland to endeavour to make a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +party for King Charles I. An old gentleman, that was +second-sighted, came and told him that his endeavour was +good, but he would be unsuccessful; and, moreover, that +they would put the king to death; and that several other +attempts would be made, but all in vain; but that his son +would come in, but not reign in a long time; but would at +last be restored. This Lord Middleton had a great friendship +with the laird Bocconi, and they made an agreement, +that the first of them that died should appear to the other +in extremity. The Lord Middleton was taken prisoner at +Worcester fight, and was prisoner in the Tower of London, +under three locks. Lying in his bed, pensive, Bocconi appeared +to him; my Lord Middleton asked him if he were +dead or alive? He said, Dead; and that he was a ghost; and +told him that within three days he should escape, and he did +so, in his wife's clothes; when he had done his message, he +gave a frisk, and said—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">Givanni, Givanni, 'tis very strange,</span> +<span class="i0">In the world to see so sudden a change;</span> +</div> + +<p>and then gathered up and vanished. This account Sir +William Dugdale had from the Bishop of Edinburgh; and +this account he hath writ in a book of Miscellanies, which +is now reposited, with other books of his, in the Museum at +Oxford.</p> + +<p>Thus the reader sees what great authorities may be produced +to prove that wonderful and true predictions have been +delivered by many persons gifted with the second-sight. +The most learned men in almost all nations, who are not in all +likelihood deceived themselves; the most celebrated and +authentic historians, and some divines in England, who, it is +not to be thought, have combined together and made it their +business to obtrude upon us falsehoods; persons of all ranks, +from the highest to the lowest, in Scotland, who, it would be +even madness to think would join in a confederacy to impose +tricks upon us, and to persuade us to the greatest of impostures +as solemn truths delivered from their own mouths; all +these, I say, have unanimously, and, as it were, with one +voice, asserted, repeated, and confirmed to us, that there +have been at all times, and in many different nations, and +that still there are persons, who, possessed with the gift of a +second sight, predict things that wonderfully come to pass;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +and seem to merit very little less than the name of prophets +for their miraculous discoveries. Now, if any man should +come, and without giving the least manner of reason for it +(for there is no reason to be given against such assertions), +declare his disbelief of all these authentic, though strange +accounts, can he with reason imagine that his incredulity +shall pass for a token of wisdom? Shall his obstinacy confute +the learned? Shall his want of faith be thought justly +to give the lie to so many persons of the highest honour and +quality, and of the most undoubted integrity? In fine, shall +his infidelity, by a reverse kind of power to that which is +attributed to the philosopher's stone, be able to change the +nature of things, turn and transmute truth into falsehood, +and make a downright plain matter of fact to be no more +than a chimera, or an <i>ens rationis</i>? And shall a manifest +experience be so easily exploded?</p> + +<p>Taking it, therefore, for granted, that no modest man +whatsoever, though never so hard of belief, which is certainly +as great a weakness as that of too much credulity, will make +bold openly to declare his disbelief of things so well attested; +and taking it much more for granted still, that it is impossible +for any man of common sense to have the front of +declaring his disbelief of them in such a manner as to urge +it for an argument and a reason why others should disbelieve +them too; taking this, I say, as I think I very well +may, for granted, I think there remains nothing farther for +me to offer, before I conclude this chapter, except a few +remarks as to the similitude there is between those actions +which I have related above to have been performed by Mr. +Campbell, and these actions which so many learned, ingenious, +and noble authors, as I have just now quoted, have +asserted to have been performed by persons whom they knew +to be gifted with the second-sight.</p> + +<p>As to what is said several pages above, concerning Duncan +Campbell when a boy at Edinburgh, that he even told +his little companions who would have success at their little +matches when they played at marbles, and that he informed +a great gamester there, whose name I have disguised under +that of Count Cog, what times he should choose to play if he +would win, as ludicrous as it may have appeared to be, and +as much as it may have seemed to my readers to carry with +it nothing better than the face of invention and the air of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +fiction, yet if they will be at the pains of comparing that +passage of Duncan Campbell's with the account given in this +chapter from the mouth of Sir Norman Macleod, concerning +a man, who, though he never played at tables in his life, +instructed a skilful gamester, when he was at a stand, to +place one of his men right, upon which the whole game +depended, which the ignorant fellow, when asked how he +came to do it, said he was directed to by the spirit Brownie; +whoever, I say, will be at the pains of comparing these passages +together, will find they bear a very near resemblance, +and that the way we may most reasonably account for Duncan +Campbell's prediction when he was a boy, must be, that +he was at that time directed by his little genius or familiar +spirit, which I described in the precedent pages, as this fellow +was by the spirit Brownie, according to Sir Norman Macleod's +assertion; which spirit Brownie, as Mr. Martin, a very good +and credited writer, assures us, in his History of the Western +Islands, dedicated to the late Prince George of Denmark, is +a spirit usually seen all over that country.</p> + +<p>If the reader recollects, he will remember likewise, that in +the little discourse which I mentioned to have been held +between me and this Duncan Campbell, when a boy, concerning +his little genius, I there say, the boy signified to me that +he smelt venison, and was sure that some one would come to +his mother's house shortly after; accordingly I came thither +that morning from the death of a deer, and ordered a part +of it to be brought after me to her house. Now Mr. Martin's +twelfth observation about the second-sight, in this chapter, +clears it plainly up that this knowledge in the boy proceeded +from the gift of second-sight. Not to give the reader too +often the trouble of looking back in order to judge of the +truth of what I say, I will here repeat that observation, +which is as follows: Things are also foretold by smelling +sometimes: for example, fish or flesh is frequently smelt in +the fire, when, at the same time, neither of the two are in +the house, or, in any probability, like to be had in it for some +weeks or months. This smell several persons have, who are, +endued with the second-sight, and it is always accomplished +soon after.</p> + +<p>But I will here omit any farther remarks by way of +accounting how he compassed his predictions when a boy, +either by the intervention of his genius, or the gift of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +second-sight; and examine how nearly those things, which +I have related to have been done by him in his more advanced +years, when he took up the profession of a predictor, in London, +correspond with the accounts given us in this chapter +about a second-sight, and how near a resemblance the things +done by him bear to those things that are so well attested +to have been performed by others, through the efficacious +power of this wonderful faculty.</p> + +<p>First, then, if we have a mind to make a tolerable guess +which way Mr. Campbell came acquainted that the death of +the beautiful young lady, Miss W—lw—d was so near at +hand, and that, though she was so universally admired she +would die unmarried, the accounts given of other second-sighted +persons in the like cases, will put us in the most +probable way of guessing right. This is explained by the +seventh observation in this chapter, where it is said from +Mr. Martin, that when a shroud is perceived about one, it is +a sure prognostic of death; the time is judged according to +the height of it, about the person; for if it be not seen above +the middle, death is not to be expected for the space of a +year or longer, but as it comes nearer to the head it is +expected sooner; if to the very head, it is concluded to be +at hand within a few days, if not hours. Of this we have +an example, of which Mr. Martin was an eye-witness, concerning +the death of his own acquaintance; but he did not +in the least regard it, till the death of the person, about the +time foretold, confirmed to him the certainty of the prediction.</p> + +<p>Secondly, as to the ignominious death that Irwin came to, +and which he predicted to his mother so long before, when +she was in flourishing circumstances, and when there was no +appearance that any of her children should be brought to a +beggarly condition, and learn among base gangs of company +to thieve, and be carried to the gallows; the story told in +this chapter of some of the inhabitants of Harris, sailing +round the Isle of Skye, and seeing the apparition of two men +hanging by the ropes on the mast of their vessel, and when +they came to the opposite mainland, finding two criminals +just sentenced to death by Sir Donald Macdonald, and seeing +their own very mast and ropes made choice of for their execution, +clears up the manner how Mr. Campbell might predict +this of Irwin likewise, by the force of the second-sight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<p>Thirdly, as to Mr. Campbell's telling Christallina the belle +and chief toast of the court, and Urbana the reigning beauty +of the city, that they should shortly be married, and who +were to be their husbands, it is a thing he has done almost +every day in his life to one woman or other, that comes to +consult him about the man she is to be married to; the manner +he probably takes in doing this may be likewise explained +by the foregoing story in this chapter about the servants, who +said they saw three men standing by the left hand of their +master's daughter; and that he that was nearest would +marry her first, whom they plainly and exactly described, +though they had never seen him but in their vision, as appeared +afterwards. For within some months after, the very man +described did come to the house, and did marry her. Vide +the eighth observation of the second-sight.</p> + +<p>Fourthly, as to the predictions delivered by Mr. Campbell +to the merchant, which are set down at length in the foregoing +chapter, I know no better way at guessing the manner +how the second-sight operated in him at that time, than by +comparing them to these two instances, which I briefly repeat +because they are set down at length before, in this chapter. +And first it may be asked, how did the second-sight operate +in Mr. Campbell, when it gave him to know that the merchant's +ships, which repeated intelligences had in appearance +confirmed to be lost, were at that time safe, and would return +securely home into the harbour designed? The best way of +accounting for it, that I know, is by the story that Sir +Norman Macleod is above affirmed to have told with his +own mouth, concerning a servant of his, who rightly foretold +his returning home and landing on the Isle of Bernera +one night, where his residence is, when there was very little +or no likelihood of it, because of the darkness of the night, +and the danger of coming through the rocks that lie round +the isle. When Sir Norman examined him about it, he +answered that he knew it by a vision of the spirit Brownie; +and hence it may be the most probably conjectured that +Mr. Campbell's knowledge of the merchant's ships being safe +came from a vision of his particular genius, or familiar spirit, +which we spoke of before. What I have already instanced +in, is, I think, sufficient with regard to the wonderful things +which Mr. Campbell has performed, either by the intervention +of a genius, or the power of a second-sight. But as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +has frequently done a great many amazing performances, +which seem to be of such a nature that they can't be well +and clearly explained to have been done either by the intervention +of his familiar spirit and genius, or by the power of +the second-sighted faculty, we must have recourse to the +third means by which only such predictions and practises can +be compassed, before we expound these new mysteries, which +appear like incredible riddles, and enigmas at the first; and +this third means which we must have recourse to for expounding +these strange acts of his, is a due consideration of the +force and power of natural magic, which, together with a +narrative of the acts, which he seems magically to bring +about, will be the subject of the following chapter.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + + +<p>But before we proceed to our disquisitions concerning the +power and efficacy of natural magic, and examine what +mysterious operations may be brought about and compassed +by magical practises, and before we take a farther survey of +what Mr. Campbell has performed in this kind, that relates +to his profession and the public part of his life, which concerns +other people as well as himself; I shall here relate some +singular adventures that he passed through in his private life, +and which regard only his own person. In order to this, I +must return back to the year 1702, about which time some +unaccountable turns of fortune attended him in his own +private capacity, which must be very surprising and entertaining +to my readers, when they find a man, whose foresight +was always so great a help and assistance to others, +who consulted him in their own future affairs, helpless, as it +has been an observation concerning all such men in the +account of the second-sight, and blind in his own future +affairs, tossed up and down by inevitable and spiteful accidents +of fortune, and made the may-game of chance and hazard, +as if that wayward and inconstant goddess, was resolved to +punish him, when she catched him on the blind side, for +having such a quick insight and penetrating faculty in other +people's matters, and scrutinizing too narrowly into her mysteries, +and so sometimes preventing those fatal intentions of +hers, into which she would fain lead many mortals hood-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>winked, +and before they knew where they were. In this light, +these mighty and famous seers seem to be born for the benefit +and felicity of others, but at the same time to be born to +unhappiness themselves. And certainly, inasmuch as we +consider them as useful and beneficial often, but always satisfactory +to persons who are curious in their enquiries about +their fortunes, it will be natural to those of us who have the +least share of generosity in our minds, to yield our pity and +compassion to them, when they are remarkably unfortunate +themselves; especially when that calamity seems more particularly +to light upon them for their ability, and endeavour +to consult the good fortune of other folks.</p> + +<p>About the above-mentioned year, 1702, Duncan Campbell +grew a little tired of his profession; such a multitude of +followers troubled him, several of whom were wild youths, +and came to banter him, and many more too inquisitive +females to tease him with endless impertinences, and who, +the more he told them, had still the more to ask, and whose +curiosity was never to be satisfied: and besides this, he was +so much envied, and had so many malicious artifices daily +practised against him, that he resolved to leave off his profession. +He had, I know, followed it pretty closely from +the time I first saw him in London, which was, I think, in +the beginning of the year 1698, till the year 1702, with very +good success; and in those few years he had got together a +pretty round sum of money. Our young seer was now at +man's estate, and had learned the notion that he was to be +his own governor, so far as to be his own counsellor too in +what road of life he was to take, and this consideration no +doubt worked with a deeper impression on his mind, than it +usually does on others that are in the same blossom and +pride of manhood, because it might appear more natural for +him to believe that he had a sufficient ability to be his own +proper adviser, who had given so many others, and some +more aged than himself, counsel, with very good success. +Now every experienced person knows, that when manhood +is yet green, it is still in the same dangerous condition as a +young plant, which is liable to be warped by a thousand +cross fortuitous accidents, if good measures be not taken to +support it against all the contingent shocks it may meet with +from the weather or otherwise. Now, it was his misfortune +to be made averse to business, which he loved before, by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +having too much of it, and to be so soured by meeting with +numerous perplexities and malicious rubs laid in his way by +invidious people, (who are the useless and injurious busy-bodies +that always repine at the good of others, and rejoice +to do harm to the diligent and assiduous, though they reap +no profit by it themselves), that he was disgusted and deterred +entirely from the prosecution of a profession by which +he got not only a competent but a copious and plentiful subsistence. +Nay, indeed, this was another mischief arising to +him from his having so much business, that he had got money +enough to leave it off, when the perplexities of it had made +him willing to do so, and to live very comfortably and handsomely, +like a gentleman, without it, for a time; and we +know the youngest men are not wont to look the farthest before +them, in matters that concern their own welfare. Now, +inasmuch as he had thus taken a disgust to business and +application, and was surfeited, as I may say, with the perplexities +of it, it must be as natural for him, we know, to +search for repose in the contrary extreme, viz., recreation +and idleness, as it is for a man to seek rest after toil, to sleep +after a day's labour, or to sit down after a long and tiresome +walk. But there are two very distinct sorts of idleness, and +two very different kinds of recreation; there is a shameful +idleness which is no better than downright sloth; and there +is a splendid kind of indolence, where a man having taken +an aversion to the wearisomeness of a business which properly +belongs to him, neglects not however to employ his thoughts, +when they are vacant from what they ought more chiefly to +be about, in other matters not entirely unprofitable in life, +the exercise of which he finds he can follow with more +abundant ease and satisfaction. There are some sorts of +recreations, too, that are mean, sordid, and base; others that +are very innocent, though very diverting, and that will give +one the very next most valuable qualifications of a gentleman, +after those which are obtained by a more serious application +of the mind. The idea which I have already given +my readers of our Duncan Campbell, will easily make them +judge, before I tell them, which way, in these two ways, his +genius would naturally lead him; and that, when he grew +an idle man, he would rather indulge himself with applying +his mind to the shining trifles of life, than be wholly slothful +and inactive; and that when he diverted himself he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +not do it after a sordid, base manner, as having a better +taste and a relish for good company; but that his recreations +would still be the recreations of a gentleman. And just, accordingly, +as my readers would naturally judge beforehand +in his case, so it really happened. The moment he shook +off business, and dismissed the thoughts of it, his genius led +him to a very gallant way of life; in his lodgings, in his entertainments, +in paying and receiving visits, in coffee-houses, in +taverns, in fencing-schools, in balls, and other public assemblies, +in all ways, in fine, both at home and abroad, Duncan +Campbell was a well-comported and civil fine gentleman; +he was a man of pleasure, and nothing of the man of business +appeared about him. But a gentleman's life, without a +gentleman's estate, however shining and pleasant it may be +for a time, will certainly end in sorrow, if not in infamy; +and comparing life, as moralists do, to a day, one may safely +pronounce this truth to all the splendid idlers I have mentioned, +that if they have sunshiny weather till noon, yet the +afternoon of their life will be very stormy, rainy and uncomfortable, +and perhaps just at the end of their journey, to +carry on the metaphor throughout, close in the darkest kind +of night. Of this, as I was a man of years and more experienced +in the world than he, I took upon me to forewarn +Mr. Campbell, as soon as I perceived the first dangerous fit +of this elegant idleness had seized him. But when will young +men, by so much the more headstrong as they have less of +the beard, be guided and brought to learn! and when shall +we see that happy age, in which the grey heads of old men +shall be clapped upon the shoulders of youth! I told him, +that in this one thing he ought to consult me, and acknowledge +me to be a true prophet, if I told him the end of the +seeming merry steps in life he was now taking, would infallibly +bring him to a labyrinth of difficulties, out of which +if he extricated himself at all, he would at least find it a +laborious piece of work. His taste had been already vitiated +with the sweets which lay at the top of the bitter draught of +fortune, and my honest rugged counsel came too late to prevail, +when his fancy had decoyed and debauched his judgment, +and carried it over into another interest. I remember +I writ down to him the moral story, where vicious Pleasure +and Virtue are pictured by the philosopher to appear before +Hercules, to court him into two several paths. I told him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +more particularly, since he had not an estate to go through +with the gentlemanly life, as he called it, that, if he followed +the alluring pleasures which endeavoured to tempt Hercules, +he would involve himself at last in a whole heap of miseries, out +of which it would be more than an Herculean labour for him +to disentangle himself again. If he had been a man that could +have ever heard with either, I would have told the reader in +a very familiar idiom, that he turned the deaf ear to me; for +he did not mind one syllable or tittle of the prescriptions I +set down for him, no more than if he had never read +them; but, varying the phrase a little, I may say at least, +when he should have looked upon my counsel with all the +eyes he had, he turned the blind side upon it. I was resolved +to make use of the revenge natural to a man of years, +and therefore applied that reproachful proverb to him, which +we ancients delight much in making use of to youths that +follow their own false and hot imaginations, and will not +heed the cooler dictates of age, experience, and wisdom. +Accordingly, I wrote down to him these words, and left him +in a seeming passion: I am very well assured, young man, +you think me that am old, to be a fool; but I that am old, +absolutely know you, who are a young fellow, to be a downright +fool, and so I leave you to follow your own ways, till +sad and woful experience teaches you to know it your own +self, and makes you come to me to own it of your own accord. +As I was going away, after this tart admonition and severe +reprimand, I had a mind to observe his countenance, and I +saw him smile, which I rightly construed to be done in contempt +of the advice of age, and in the gaiety and fulness of +conceit, which youth entertains of its own fond opinions and +hair-brained rash resolves. He was got into the company of a +very pretty set of gentlemen, whose fortunes were far superior +to his; but he followed the same genteel exercises, as fencing, +&c., and made one at all their public entertainments; +and so being at an equal expense with those who could well +afford to spend what they did out of their estates, he went on +very pleasantly for a time, still spending and never getting, +without ever considering that it must, by inevitable consequence, +fall to his lot at last to be entirely reduced to a state +of indigence and want. And what commonly heightens the +misfortune of such men, and so of all gentlemen's younger +brothers, who live upon the ready money that is given them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +for their portions, is, that the prosperity they live in for a +time gains them credit enough just to bring them in debt, +and render them more miserable than those very wretches +who never had either any money or credit at all. They run +themselves into debt out of shame, and to put off the evil day +of appearing ruined men as long as they can, and then, when +their tempers are soured by adversity, they grow tired of +their own lives; and then, in a quarrel, they or some other +gentleman, may be, is run through, or else being hunted by +bailiffs, they exercise their swords upon those pursuers. +Thus, where gentlemen will not consider their circumstances, +their very prosperity is a cause of, and aggravates their +misery; their very pride, which was a decent pride at first, +in keeping up and maintaining their credit, subjects them too +often to the lowest and the meanest acts, and their courage, +which was of a laudable kind, turns into a brutish and savage +rage; and all the fine, esteemed, flourishing, and happy +gentleman ends, and is lost in the contemned, poor and miserable +desperado, whose portion at last is confinement and a +gaol, and sometimes even worse, and what I shall not so +much as name here. Into many of these calamities Mr. +Campbell had brought himself before it was long, by his +heedlessness, and running, according to the wild dictates of +youth, counter to all sound and wholesome advice. He had, +it seems, run himself into debt, and one day as he was at a +coffee-house, the sign of the Three Crowns, in Great Queen-street, +in rushed four bailiffs upon him, who being directed +by the creditor's wife, had watched him into that house, and +told him they had a warrant against him, and upon his +not answering, they being unacquainted with his being deaf +and dumb, offered to seize his sword. He startled at their +offering of violence, and taking them for ruffians, which he +had often met with, repelled the assaulters, and drawing his +sword, as one man, more bold than the rest, closed in with +him, he shortened his blade, and in the fall pinned the fellow +through the shoulder, and himself through the leg, to the floor. +After that he stood at bay with all the four officers, when the +most mischievous assailant of them all, the creditor's wife, +ventured to step into the fray, and very barbarously took +hold of that nameless part of the man, for which, as she was +a married woman, nature methinks should have taught her +to have a greater tenderness, and almost squeezed and crushed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +those vitals to death. But at last he got free from them all, +and was going away as fast as he could, not knowing what +consequences might ensue. But the woman who aimed herself +at committing murder, in the most savage and inhuman +manner, ran out after him, crying out, Murder! murder! as +loud as she could, and alarmed the whole street. The bailiffs +following the woman, and being bloody from head to foot, +by means of the wound he received, gave credit to the outcry. +The late Earl Rivers's footmen happening to be at the +door, ran immediately to stop the supposed murderer, and +they indeed did take him at last, but perceived their mistake, +and discovered that instead of being assistants in taking a +man whom they thought to be a murderer endeavouring to +make his escape from the hands of justice, they had only +been tricked in by that false cry to be adjutants to a bailiff +in retaking a gentleman, who, by so gallant a defence, had +rescued himself from the dangers of a prison; and when they +had discovered this their mistake they were mighty sorry for +what they had done. The most active and busy among the +earl's footmen was a Dutchman, and the earl happening to +be in a room next the street, and hearing the outcry of +murder, stepped to the window, and seeing his own servants +in the midst of the bustle, examined the Dutchman how the +matter was, and, being told it, he chid the man for being +concerned in stopping a gentleman that was getting free +from such troublesome companions. But the Dutchman excused +himself, like a Dutchman, by making a very merry +blunder for a reply; <i>Sacramente</i>, said he, to his lord, if I had +thought they were bailiffs, I would have fought for the poor +dumb gentlemen, but then why had he not told me they +were bailiffs, my lord?</p> + +<p>In short, Duncan Campbell was carried off as their +prisoner; but the bailiff that was wounded was led back to +the coffee-house, where he pretended the wound was mortal, +and that he despaired of living an hour. The proverb, however, +was of the fellow's side, and he recovered sooner than +other people expected he could. As soon as all danger was +over, an action for damages and smart money, as their term +is, was brought against Mr. Campbell; the damages were +exaggerated and the demand was so extravagant, that +Duncan Campbell was neither able, just at that time, nor +willing, had he been able, to pay so much, as he thought, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +his own wrong, and having no bail, and being ashamed to +make his case known to his better sort of friends, who were +both able and willing to help him at a dead lift, he was +hurried away to gaol by the bailiffs, who showed such a +malignant and insolent pleasure, as commonly attends powerful +revenge, when they put him into the Marshalsea. There +he lay in confinement six weeks, till at last four or five of his +chief friends came by mere chance to hear of it; immediately +they consulted about his deliverance, and unanimously resolved +to contribute for his enlargement, and they accordingly +went across the water together, and procured it out of +hand.</p> + +<p>Two of his benefactors were officers, and were just then +going over to Flanders. Duncan Campbell, to whom they +communicated their design, was resolved to try his fortune +in a military way, out of a roving kind of humour, raised in +him partly by his having taken a sort of aversion to his own +profession in town, and partly by his finding that he could +not live, without following a profession, as he had done, any +longer. He, over a bottle, frankly imparted his mind to them +at large; he signified to them that he hoped, since they had +lately done him so great a favour in freeing him from one +captivity, they would not think him too urgent if he pressed +for one favour farther, upon natures so generous as theirs, by +whom he took as great a pleasure in being obliged, as he +could receive in being capable of obliging others. He wrote +to them that the favour he meant was to redeem him from +another captivity, almost as irksome to him as that out of +which they had lately ransomed him. This captivity, continued +he, is being either forced to follow my old profession, which +I have taken an entire disgust to, for a maintenance, or +being forced to live in a narrower way than suits with my +genius, and the better taste I have of higher life. Such a +state, gentlemen, you know, is more unpalatable than half-pay; +it is like either being forced to go upon the forlorn +hope, or else like a man's being an entirely cashiered and +broken officer, that had no younger brother's fortune, and no +other support but his commission. Thus, though you have +set my body at liberty, my soul is still under an imprisonment, +and will be till I leave England, and can find means +of visiting Flanders, which I can do no otherwise than by +the advantage of having you for my convoy. I have a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +mighty longing to experience some part of a military life, +and I fancy, if you will grant me your interest, and introduce +me to the valiant young Lord Lorne, and be spokesmen for +a dumb man, I shall meet with a favourable reception; and +as for you, gentlemen, after having named that great patron +and pattern of courage and conduct in the field, I can't doubt +but the very name I bear, if you had not known me, would +have made you take me for a person of a military genius, +and that I should do nothing but what would become a +British soldier, and a gentleman; nothing, in fine, that +should make you repent the recommendation.</p> + +<p>These generous and gallant friends of his, it seems, complied +with his request, and promised they would make application +for him to the Lord Lorne, and Duncan Campbell +had nothing to do but to get his bag and baggage ready, and +provide himself with a pass. His baggage was not very long +a getting together, and he had it in tolerable good order, +and as for his pass, a brother of the Lord Forbes was so +kind as to procure him one upon the first application Duncan +made to him.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, in a few days afterwards, they went on board, +and having a speedy and an easy passage, arrived soon at +Rotterdam. Duncan met with some of his English acquaintance +in that town, and his mind being pretty much bent +upon rambling, and seeing all the curiosities, customs, and +humours he could, in all the foreign places he was to pass +through, he went, out of a frolic, with some gentlemen, next +day, in a boat to an adjacent village, to make merry over a +homely Dutch entertainment, the intended repast being to +consist of what the boors there count a great delicacy, +brown bread and white beer. He walked out of sight from +his company, and they lost one another; and strolling about +by himself at an unseasonable hour, as they call it there +after the bell has tolled, Duncan Campbell, who neither +knew their laws, nor if he had, was capable of being guided +by the notice which their laws ordain, was taken into +custody in the village, for that night, and carried away the +next day to Williamstadt, where he was taken for a spy, and +put into a close imprisonment for three or four days.</p> + +<p>But some Scotch gentlemen, who had been in company +with Mr. Campbell at Mr. Cloysterman's, a painter in +Covent-garden, made their application to the magistrate and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +got him released; he knew his friends the officers, that +carried him over, were gone forward to the camp, and that +there was no hope of finding them at Rotterdam, if he +should go thither, and so he resolved, since he had had so +many days punishment in Williamstadt, to have three or +four days pleasure there too, by way of amends, before he +would set out on his journey after his friends. But on the +third night he got very much in drink; and as he went +very boisterously and disorderly along, a sentry challenged +him; and the want of the sense of hearing had like to have +occasioned the loss of his life. The sentry fired at him and +narrowly missed him; he was taken prisoner, not without +some resistance, which was so far innocent, as that he knew +not any reason why he should be seized; but very troublesome +and unwarrantable in so orderly a town; so the +governor's secretary, after the matter was examined into, +judging it better for the unhappy gentleman's future safety, +advised him to return home to his own country, and accordingly +bespoke him a place in a Dutch ship called Yowfrow +Catherine, for his passage to England.</p> + +<p>Duncan Campbell had taken up this humour of rambling, +first, of his own accord, and the troubles which he had run +himself into by it, we may reasonably suppose had pretty +well cured him of that extravagant itch; and there is little +doubt to be made but that he rejoiced very heartily when he +was got on board the ship to return to England; and that +in his new resolutions he had reconciled himself to the prosecution +of his former profession, and intended to set up for a +predictor again as soon as he could arrive at London. But +now fortune had not a mind to let him go off so; he had +had his own fancy for rambling, and now she was resolved +to have hers, and to give him his bellyful of caprice. Accordingly, +when the Dutch ship, called Yowfrow Catherine, +was making the best of her road for London, and each +person in the vessel was making merry, filled with the hopes +of a quick and prosperous passage, a French privateer appeared +in sight, crowding all the sails she could, and bearing +towards them with all haste and diligence. The privateer +was double-manned, and carried thirty guns; the Dutch +vessel was defenceless in comparison; and the people on +board had scarce time to think, and to deplore that they +should be made a prey of, before they actually were so, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +had reason enough given them for their sorrow. All the +passengers, to a single man, were stripped, and had French +seamen's jackets in exchange for their clothes. Duncan +Campbell had now a taste given him of the fate of war, as +well as of the humour of travelling, and wished himself +again, I warrant him, among his greatest crowd of consulters, +as tiresome as he thought business to be, instead of +being in the middle of a crew of sea savages. The town +where the dumb prisoner was at last confined was Denain. +There happened to be some English friars there, who were +told by the others who he was, and to them he applied himself +in writing, and received from them a great deal of civil +treatment. But a certain man of the order of Recollects, +happening to see him there, who had known him in England, +and what profession he followed, caused him to be called to +question, as a man that made use of ill means to tell fortunes. +When he was questioned by a whole society of these religious +men, he made them such pertinent and satisfactory +answers in writing, that he convinced them he had done +nothing for which he deserved their reprimand; and they +unanimously acquitted him. The heads of his defence, as I +have been informed, were these:—</p> + +<p>First, he alleged that the second-sight was inborn and inbred +in some men; and that every country had had examples +of it more or less; but that the country of Scotland, in which +he was educated from an infant, abounded the most of any +with those sort of people; and from thence he said he thought +he might very naturally draw this conclusion, that a faculty +that was inborn and inbred to men, and grown almost a national +faculty among a people who were remarkably honest, +upright, and well-meaning people, could not, without some +impiety, be imputed to the possessors of it as a sin; and +when one of the fathers rejoined that it was remarked by +several writers of the second-sight, that it must be therefore +sinful, because it remained no longer among the people when +the doctrines of Christianity were fully propagated, and the +light of the gospel increased among them; and that afterwards +it affected none but persons of vicious lives and an ill +character; to this objection Mr. Campbell replied, that he +knew most (even ingenious) writers had made that remark concerning +the second-sight, but begged leave to be excused, if +he ventured to declare that it was no better than a vulgar and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +common error; and the reasons were these, which he alleged +in his own behalf; and to confirm his assertion, he told them +men of undoubted probity, virtue, and learning, both of their +own religion, viz., the Roman Catholic, and also of the reformed +religion, and in several nations, had been affected, +and continued all their lives to be affected, with this second-sighted +power, and that there could be, therefore, no room to +fix upon it the odious character of being a sinful and vicious, +not to say that some called it still worse, a diabolical talent. +He said he would content himself with making but two instances, +because he believed those two would be enough to +give content to them, his judges too, in that case. In his +first instance he told them that they might find somewhat +relating to this in Nicolaus Hemingius, who, in his tracts +<i>de Superstitionibus Magicis</i>, printed at Copenhagen, anno 1575, +informs the world, that Petrus Palladius, a bishop of See-landt, +and professor of divinity at Copenhagen, could, from a +part of his body affected, foretell from what part of the +heavens tempests would come, and was seldom deceived. +One of the fathers immediately asked him if he understood +Latin? To this Duncan Campbell replied, No. Oh! said +the friar, then, I don't remember that book was ever translated +into English, that you mention. But, rejoined Duncan +Campbell, the passage I mentioned to you, I have read in an +English book, and word for word, according to the best of my +memory, as I have written it down to you. In what English +book? said the friar. I don't remember the name of the +book, Duncan Campbell answered, but very well remember +the passages, and that it was in a book of authority, and +which bore a credit and good repute in the world; and you, +being scholars, may, if you please, have recourse to the +learned original, and I doubt not but you'll find what I say +to be a truth. For the second instance, he told them, that +in Spain, there are those they call Saludadores, that have +this kind of gift. There was, continued he, in writing, one +of your own religion, venerable fathers, and of a religious +order, nay, a friar too, that had this gift. He was a noted +Dominican, said he, and though I forget his name, you may, +by writing a letter to England, learn his name. He was a +devout Portuguese, belonging to Queen Catherine Dowager's +chapel, and had the second-sight to a great degree, and was +famous and eminent for it. They then asked him what was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +the full power he had to do by the second-sight. He answered, +that as they had intimated that they had perused some of the +skilful writers concerning the second-sight, he did not doubt +but they had found, as well as he could tell them, that as to +the extent of people's knowledge in that secret way, it reached +both present, past, and future events. They foresee murders, +drownings, weddings, burials, combats, manslaughters, &c., +all of which there are many instances to be given. They +commonly foresee sad events a little while before they happen; +for instance, if a man's fatal end be hanging, they will +see a gibbet, or rope about his neck; if beheading, they will +see a man without a head; if drowning, they will see water +up to his throat; if stabbing, they will see a dagger in his +breast; if unexpected death in his bed, they will see a windingsheet +about his head. They foretell not only marriages, +but of good children; what kind of life men shall lead, and +in what condition they shall die; also riches, honours, preferments, +peace, plenty, and good weather. It is likewise +usual with persons that have lost anything to go to some +of these men, by whom they are directed how, with what +persons, and in what place they shall find their goods. It is +also to be noted that these gifts bear a latitude, so that some +have it in a far more eminent degree than others; and what +I have here written down to you, you need not take as a +truth from me; but as it concerned me so nearly, I remember +the passage by heart, and you will find it very near word +for word in Dr. Beaumont's book Of Familiar Spirits. Aye, +said the friars, but you have a genius too that attends you, +as we are informed. So, replied Duncan Campbell, have all +persons that have the second-sight in any eminent degree; +and to prove this I will bring no less a witness than King +James, who, in his Demonology, book the third and chapter +the second, mentions also a spirit called Brownie, that was +wont formerly to haunt divers houses, without doing any evil, +but doing, as it were, necessary turns up and down the +house; he appeared like a rough man, nay, some believed +that their house was all the 'sonsier,' as they called it, that +is, the more lucky or fortunate, that such spirits resorted +there. With these replies the friars began to own they were +very well satisfied, and acquiesced in the account he had +given of himself as a very good, true, and honest account; +but they told him they had still a farther accusation against<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +him, and that was, that he practised magic arts, and that he +used, as they had been informed, unlawful incantations. To +this he made answer, that there were two kinds of magic, +of which he knew they that were men of learning could not +be ignorant. The art of magic, which is wicked and impious, +continued he, is that which is professed, and has been professed +at all times in the world, by witches, magicians, +diviners, enchanters, and such like notorious profligates; who, +by having an unnatural commerce with the devil, do many +strange, prodigious, and preternatural acts, above and beyond +all human wisdom; and all the arguments I ever did, or ever +will deduce, continued he, from that black art, is a good and +shining argument; it is this, O fathers: I draw a reason from +these prodigious practices of wizards, magicians, enchanters, +&c., and from all the heathen idolatry and superstition, to +prove that there is a Deity; for from these acts of theirs, +being preternatural and above human wisdom, we may consequently +infer that they proceed from a supernatural and +immaterial cause, such as demons are. And this is all the +knowledge I ever did or ever will draw from that black hellish +art. But, fathers, there is another kind of art magic, +called natural magic, which is directly opposite to theirs, and +the object of which art is to do spiritual good to mankind, +as the object of theirs is to torment them, and induce them +to evil. They afflict people with torments, and my art +relieves them from the torments they cause. The public profession +of these magical arts has, as you know, fathers, it is +a common distinction, between black and white magic, been +tolerated in some of the most famous universities of Christendom, +though afterwards for a very good reason in politics, +making it a public study to such a degree was very wisely +retrenched by prohibition. If this, therefore, be a fault in +your own opinions, hear my accusers, but if not, you will +not only excuse, but commend me.</p> + +<p>The friars were extremely well pleased with his defence, +but one of them had a mind to frighten him a little if he +could, and asked him what he would say if he could produce +some witches lately seized, that would swear he had been frequently +at their unlawful assemblies, where they were making +their waxen images and other odd mischievous inventions in +black magic, to torment folks; what if I can produce such evidence +against you, wrote the father to him, by way of strength<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>ening +the question, will you not own that we have convicted +you then? And when he had wrote the note, he gave it +Duncan Campbell, with a look that seemed to express his +warmth and eagerness in the expostulation. Duncan Campbell +took the paper and read it, and far from being startled, +returned this answer, with a smile continuing in his face +while he wrote it. No, said he, fathers, by your leave, they +will only prove me a good magician by that oath, and themselves +more plainly witches. They will prove their love to +torment good folks, and only show their hatred to me, an +innocent man, but wise enough to torment them by hindering +them from tormenting others. The fathers were well pleased +with the shrewdness of the answer; but Duncan Campbell +had a mind to exert his genius a little farther with the good +friar, who thought likewise he had put him a very shrewd +question; so taking up another sheet of paper, Fathers, said +he, shall I entertain you with a story of what passed upon +this head, between two religious fathers, as you all of you +are, and a prince of Germany, in which you will find that +mine ought to be reputed a full answer to the question the +last learned father was pleased to propose to me? The story +is somewhat long, but very much to the purpose and entertaining; +I remember it perfectly by heart, and if you will +have patience while I am writing it, I do not doubt but that +I shall not only satisfy you, but please you and oblige you +with the relation. The author I found it in, quotes it from +Fromannus, (I think the man's name was so, and I am sure +my author calls him a very learned man,) in his third book +of Magical Incantation, and though I do not understand the +language the original is writ in, yet I dare venture to say +upon the credit of my English author, from whom I got the +story by heart, that you will find me right whenever you +shall be pleased to search.</p> + +<p>The friars were earnest for the story, and expressed a +desire that he would write it down for them to read, which he +did in the following words. Note—that I have since compared +Mr. Duncan Campbell's manuscript with the author's +page out of which he took it, and find it word for word the +same; which shows how incomparable a memory this deaf +and dumb gentleman has got, besides his other extraordinary +qualifications. The story is this:—</p> + +<p>A prince of Germany invited two religious fathers, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +eminent virtue and learning, to a dinner. The prince, at +table, said to one of them: Father, think you we do right in +hanging persons, who are accused by ten or twelve witches, +to have appeared at their meetings or sabbaths? I somewhat +fear we are imposed on by the devil, and that it is not +a safe way to truth, that we walk in by these accusations; +especially since many great and learned men everywhere +begin to cry out against it, and to charge our consciences +with it; tell me, therefore, your opinion. To whom the +fathers, being somewhat of an eager spirit, said; What +should make us doubtful in this case? Or what should touch +our consciences, being convicted by so many testimonies? +Can we make it a scruple, whether God will permit innocent +persons should be so traduced? there is no cause for a judge +to stick at such a number of accusations, but he may proceed +with safety. To which, when the prince had replied, and +much had been said <i>pro</i> and <i>con</i> on both sides about it, and +the father seemed wholly to carry the point, the prince at +length concluded the dispute; saying, I am sorry for you, +father, that in a capital cause you have condemned yourself, +and you cannot complain if I commit you to custody; for no +less than fifteen witches have deposed that they have seen +you, ay, start not! you your ownself, at their meetings; and +to show you that I am not in jest, I will presently cause the +public acts to be brought for you to read them. The father +stood in a maze, and with a dejected countenance had nothing +here to oppose but confusion and silence, for all his learned +eloquence.</p> + +<p>As soon as Mr. Campbell had wrote down the story, the +fathers perused it, and seemed mightily entertained with it. +It put an end to all farther questions, and the man whom they +had been trying for a conjuror, they joined in desiring, upon +distinct pieces of paper, under their several hands, to come +frequently and visit them, as being not only a harmless and +innocent, but an extraordinary well-meaning, good, and +diverting companion. They treated him for some time afterwards +during his stay, with the friendship due to a countryman, +with the civility that is owing to a gentleman, and with +the assistance and support which belonged to a person of merit +in distress. Money they had none themselves, it seems, to give +him, being Mendicants by their own profession; but they +had interest enough to get him quite free from being prisoner;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +he participated of their eleemosynary table, had a cell allowed +him among them in what they call their Dormitory; he had +an odd coat and a pair of trowsers made out of some of their +brown coarse habits, by the poor unfashionable tailor, or +botcher, belonging to the convent, and at last they found +means of recommending him to a master of a French vessel +that was ready to set sail, to give him a cast over the channel +to England; and to provide him with the necessaries of life +till he got to the port. This French vessel was luckier than +the Dutch one had been before to our dumb gentleman; it +had a quick and prosperous passage, and arrived at Portsmouth; +and as soon as he landed there, he having experienced +the misfortunes and casualties that a man in his condition, +wanting both speech and hearing, was liable to, in places +where he was an utter stranger to everybody, resolved to +make no stay, but move on as fast as he could towards +London. When he came to Hampton town, considering the +indifferent figure he made in those odd kind of clothes, which +the poor friars had equipped him with, and that his long +beard and an uncombed wig added much to the disguise, he +was resolved to put on the best face he could, in those awkward +circumstances, and stepped into the first barber's shop +he came at to be trimmed and get his wig combed and powdered. +This proved a very lucky thought to him; for as +soon as he stepped into the first barber's shop, who should +prove to be the master of it, but one Tobit Yeats, who had +served him in the same capacity at London, and was but +newly set up in the trade of a barber-surgeon, at Hampton +town, and followed likewise the profession of schoolmaster. +This Tobit Yeats had shaved him quite, before he knew him +in that disguise; and Mr. Campbell, though he knew him +presently, had a mind to try if he should be known himself +first; at length the barber finding him to be a dumb man, +by his ordering everything with motions of the hand +and gestures of the body, looked at him very earnestly, +remembered him, and in a great surprise called for pen, ink, +and paper, and begged to know how he came to be in that +disguise; whether he was under any misfortune, and apprehension +of being discovered, that made him go in so poor +and so clownish a habit, and tendered him any services, as +far as his little capacity would reach, and desired him to be +free, and command him; if he was able to assist him in any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>thing. +These were the most comfortable words that Duncan +Campbell had read a great while. He took the pen and +paper in his turn; related to him his whole story, gave the +poor barber thanks for his good natured offer, and said he +would make so much use of it, as to be indebted to him for +so much money as would pay the stage-coach, and bear him +in his travelling expenses up to London, from whence he +would speedily return the favour with interest. The poor +honest fellow, out of gratitude to a master whose liberality +he had formerly experienced, immediately furnished Mr. +Duncan Campbell with that little supply, expressing the +gladness of his heart that it lay in his power; and the stage-coach +being to set out within but a few hours, he ran instantly +to the inn to see if he could get him a place. By good luck, +there was room, and but just room for one more, which +pleased Duncan Campbell mightily, when he was acquainted +with it by his true and trusty servant the barber; for he +was as impatient to see London again, it seems, as he had +been before to quit it. Well, he had his wish; and when +he came to London, he had one wish more for Fortune to +bestow upon him, which appeared to begin to grow kind +again, after her fickle fit of cruelty was over; and this wish +was, that he might find his former lodgings empty, and live +in the same house as he did when he followed his profession. +This too succeeded according to his desire, and he was happily +fixed once more to his heart's content in his old residence, +with the same people of the house round about him, who +bore him all that respect and affection, and showed all that +readiness and willingness to serve him on every occasion and +at every turn, which could be expected from persons that +let lodgings in town to a gentleman, whom they esteemed +the best tenant they ever had in their lives, or ever could +have.</p> + +<p>Immediately the tidings of the dumb gentleman's being returned +home from beyond sea, spread throughout all the +neighbourhood; and it was noised about from one neighbourhood +to another, till it went through all ranks and conditions, +and was known as well in a day or two's time, all the town +over, as if he had been some great man belonging to the +state, and his arrival had been notified to the public in the +gazette, as a person of the last importance. And such a +person he appeared indeed to be taken for, especially among<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +the fair sex, who thronged to his doors, crowd after crowd, +to consult with him about their future occurrences in life.</p> + +<p>These curious tribes of people were as various in their +persons, sex, age, quality, profession, art, trade, as they were +in the curiosity of their minds, and the questions they had +intended to propound to this dumb predictor of strange +events, that lay yet as embryos in the womb of time, and +were not to come, some of them, to a maturity for birth, for +very many years after; just as porcelain clay is stored up in +the earth by good artificers, which their heirs make china of, +half a century, and sometimes more than an age, afterwards.</p> + +<p>These shoals of customers, who were to fee him well for +his advice, as we may suppose, now he stood in need of +raising a fresh stock, were unquestionably as welcome and +acceptable to him as they appeared too troublesome to him +before, when he was in a state of more wealth and plenty.</p> + +<p>Fortune, that does nothing moderately, seemed now resolved, +as she had been extremely cruel before, to be extremely +kind to him. He had nothing to do from early in +the morning till late at night, but to read questions, and resolve +them as fast as much-frequented doctors write their +prescriptions and recipes, and like them also to receive fees +as fast. Fortune was indeed mightily indulgent to the +wants she had so suddenly reduced him to, and relieved him +as suddenly by these knots of curiosos, who brought him a +glut of money. But one single fair lady, that was one of +his very first consulters after his return, and who had received +satisfactory answers from him in other points, before +he went abroad, proved, so good fortune would have it, +worth all the rest of his customers together, as numerous as +they were, and as I have accordingly represented them.</p> + +<p>This lady was the relict or widow of a gentleman of a +good estate, and of a very good family, whose name was +Digby, and a handsome jointure she had out of the estate. +This lady, it seems, having been with him in former days, +and seen him in a more shining way of life, (for he had taken +a humour to appear before all his company in that coarse +odd dress made out of the friar's habit, and would not be +persuaded by the people of the house to put on a nightgown +till he could provide himself with a new suit,) was so +curious, among other questions, as to ask him whether he +had met with any misfortunes, and how he came to be in so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +slovenly and wretched a habit? Here Mr. Campbell related +the whole story of his travels to her, and the crosses +and disappointments he had met with abroad. The tears, +he observed, would start every now and then into her eyes +when she came to any doleful passage, and she appeared to +have a mighty compassionate kind of feeling, when she read +of any hardship more than ordinarily melancholy that had +befallen him. Mr. Campbell, it is certain, had then a very +good presence, and was a handsome and portly young man; +and as a great many young gentlemen derive the seeming +agreeableness of their persons from the tailor and peruke-maker, +the shoemaker and hosier, so Mr. Campbell's person, +on the other hand, gave a good air and a good look to the +awkward garb he had on; and I believe it was from seeing +him in this odd trim, as they called it, the ladies first took up +the humour of calling him 'the handsome sloven:' add to +this that he looked his misfortune in the face with a jolly +countenance, and smiled even while he was penning the relation +of his calamities; all which are certainly circumstances +that first sooth a generous mind into a state of compassion, +and afterwards heighten it in the breast wherein it is conceived. +Hence it came that this pretty and good natured +widow, Mrs. Digby, when she had expressed her commiseration +of him by her looks, began to take the pen and +express it in very tender terms. Neither did she think that +expression in words a sufficient testimony of the compassion +she bore to him; the generosity of her mind did lead her to +express it in a more substantial manner still, and that was +to show it plainly by a very benevolous action. She laid a +purse of twenty guineas before the table, and at the same +time smiling, pointed to the table, as signifying her desire +that he would accept it, and running to the door, dropped a +curtsy, and skuttled away; and by the same civil act as she +obliged him, she put it out of his power to refuse being so +obliged; so that, though the present was very handsome, the +manner of giving it was still handsomer. If being a handsome +young man of merit in distress, and bearing his misfortunes +with an equal mind, are powerful motives to excite +compassion in the mind of a generous lady, so the generosity +of a young agreeable widow, expressed in so kind and so +benevolous a way, to a young gentleman, when he had been +tasting nothing but the bitter draughts of fortune before,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +must stir up an affection in a mind that had any sense of +gratitude; and truly just such was the effect that this lady's +civility had upon Mr. Duncan Campbell. He conceived +from that moment a very great affection for her; and resolved +to try whether he could gain her, which he had no +small grounds to hope, from the esteem which she appeared +to bear towards him already. I remember Mr. Dryden +makes a very beautiful observation of the near alliance there +is between the two passions of pity and love in a woman's +breast, in one of his plays. His words are these; For pity +still foreruns approaching love, as lightning does the thunder. +Mr. Bruyere, a most ingenious member of the French +Academy, has made another remark, which comes home to +our present purpose. He says, That many women love their +money better than their friends; but yet value their lovers +more than their money. According to the two reflections +of these fine writers upon the tempers of the fair, Mr. +Campbell had hopes enough to ground his courtship upon; +and it appeared so in the end, by his proving successful; she +from being a very liberal and friendly client, became at last +a most affectionate wife. He then began to be a housekeeper, +and accordingly took a little neat one, and very commodious +for his profession, in Monmouth-court. Here I +must take leave to make this observation; that if Mr. Campbell +inherited the talents of his second-sighted mother, he +seemed likewise to be an heir to his father, Mr. Archibald +Campbell, both in his strange and accidental sufferings by +sea, and likewise in his being relieved from them after as +accidental and strange a manner, by an unexpected marriage, +just like his father's. And here we return again to take a +new survey of him in the course of his public practice as a +predictor. The accounts I shall give of his actions here, +will be very various in their nature from any I have yet presented +to the reader; they are more mysterious in themselves, +and yet I shall endeavour to make the manner of his +operating in this kind as plain as I think I have the foregoing +ones, and then I flatter myself they must afford a fresh entertainment +for every reader that has any curiosity and a +good taste for things of so extraordinary a kind. For what +I have all along propounded to myself from the beginning +and in the progress to the end of this history, is to interweave +entertaining and surprising narratives of what Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +Campbell has done, with curious and instructive inquiries +into the nature of those actions, for which he has rendered +himself so singularly famous. It was not, therefore, suitable +to my purpose, to clog the reader with numerous adventures, +almost all of the same kind, but out of a vast number of +them to single some few of those that were most remarkable, +and that were mysteries, but mysteries of very different +sorts. I leave that method of swelling distorted and commented +trifles into volumes, to the writers of fable and +romance; if I was to tell his adventures, with regard, for +example, to women, that came to consult him, I might perhaps +have not only written the stories of eleven thousand +virgins that died maids, but have had relations to give of as +many married women and widows, and the work would have +been endless. All that I shall do therefore is to pick out one +particular, each of a different kind, that there may be variety +in the entertainment. Upon application to this dumb man, +one is told in the middle of her health, that she shall die at +such a time; another, that she shall sicken, and upon the +moment of her recovery, have a suitor and a husband; a +third, who is a celebrated beauty with a multitude of admirers +round about her, that she shall never become a wife; +a fourth, that is married, when she shall get rid of an uneasy +husband; a fifth, that hath lost her goods, who stole them, +where and when they shall be restored; a sixth, that is a +merchant, when he shall be undone, and how and when he +shall recover his losses, and be as great on the Exchange as +ever; a seventh, that is a gamester, which will be his winning, +and which his losing hour; an eighth, how he shall be +involved in a law-suit, and whether the suit will have an adverse +or a prosperous issue; a ninth, that is a woman, with +choice of lovers, which she shall be most happy with for life; +and so on to many others, where every prediction is perfectly +new and surprising, and differs from the other in almost +every circumstance. When a man has so extensive a genius +as this at foretelling the future occurrences of life, one narrative +of a sort is enough in conscience to present the reader +with, and several of each kind would not methinks be entertaining, +but tiresome; for he that can do one thing in these +kinds by the power of prediction, can do ten thousand; and +those who are obstinate in extenuating his talents, and calling +his capacity in question, and that will not be convinced by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +one instance of his judgment, would not own the conviction +if ten thousand instances were given them. The best passages +I can recommend to their perusal are those where persons +who came purposely to banter him under the colour of consulting +him, and covered over their sly intentions with +borrowed disguises, and came in masquerades, found all the +jest turned upon themselves in the end, which they meant to +our famous predictor, and had the discouragement of seeing +their most concealed and deepest laid plots discovered, and +all their most witty fetches and wily contrivances defeated, +till they were compelled universally to acknowledge, that endeavouring +to impose upon the judgment of our seer by any +hidden artifice and cunning whatsoever, was effectually imposing +upon their own. His unusual talent in this kind was +so openly known, and so generally confessed, that his knowledge +was celebrated in some of the most witty weekly papers +that ever appeared in public. Isaac Bickerstaff, who diverted +all the <i>beau monde</i>, for a long space of time with his lucubrations, +takes occasion in several of his papers to applaud the +speculations of this dumb gentleman in an admirable vein of +pleasantry and humour, peculiar to the writer, and to the +subject he writ upon. And when that bright author, who +joined the uttermost facetiousness with the most solid improvements +of morality and learning in his works, laid aside +the title of a Tatler, and assumed the name of a Spectator +and censor of men's actions, he still, every now and then, +thought our Duncan Campbell a subject worthy enough to +employ his farther considerations upon. I must take notice +of one letter sent concerning him to the Spectator, in the +year 1712, which was at a time when a lady wanted him, +after he had removed from Monmouth-street to Drury-lane.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +<span class="smcap">Mr. Spectator</span>,—<br /> +</p> +<p>About two years ago I was called upon by the younger +part of a country family, by my mother's side related to me, to +visit Mr. Campbell, the dumb man; for they told me that +was chiefly what brought them to town, having heard wonders +of him in Essex. I, who always wanted faith in such matters, +was not easily prevailed on to go; but lest they should +take it ill, I went with them, when, to my own surprise, Mr. +Campbell related all their past life; in short, had he not +been prevented, such a discovery would have come out, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +would have ruined their next design of coming to town, viz., +buying wedding clothes. Our names, though he had never +heard of us before, and we endeavoured to conceal, were as +familiar to him as to ourselves. To be sure, Mr. Spectator, he +is a very learned and wise man. Being impatient to know my +fortune, having paid my respects in a family Jacobus, he +told me, after his manner, among several other things, that +in a year and nine months I should fall ill of a new fever, be +given over by my physicians, but should with much difficulty +recover; that the first time I took the air afterwards, I should +be addressed to by a young gentleman of a plentiful fortune, +good sense, and a generous spirit. Mr. Spectator, he is the +purest man in the world, for all he said is come to pass, and +I am the happiest she in Kent. I have been in quest of +Mr. Campbell these three months, and cannot find him out; +now hearing you are a dumb man too, I thought you +might correspond and be able to tell me something; for +I think myself highly obliged to make his fortune, as +he has mine. It is very possible your worship, who has +spies all over this town, can inform me how to send to him; +if you can, I beseech you be as speedy as possible, and you +will highly oblige your constant reader and admirer,</p> + +<p class="quotsig"><br /> +<span class="smcap">Dulcibella Thankley</span>.<br /> +</p></blockquote> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="center gap4"> +<span class="smcap">The Spectator's Answer.</span> +</p> + +<p>Ordered, that the inspector I employ about wonders, +inquire at the Golden-lion opposite to the Half-moon tavern, +in Drury-lane, into the merit of this silent sage, and report +accordingly. Vide the 7th volume of Spectators, No. 474, +being on Wednesday, September the 3rd, 1712.</p></blockquote> + +<p>But now let us come to those passages of his life the most +surprising of all, during the time that he enjoyed this reputation, +and when he proved that he deserved the fame he +enjoyed. Let us take a survey of him while he is wonderfully +curing persons labouring under the misfortune of witchcraft, +of which the following story will be an eminent instance, +and likewise clear up how he came by his reputation +in Essex, as mentioned in the above-mentioned letter to the +Spectator.</p> + +<p>In the year 1709, Susanna Johnson, daughter to one +Captain Johnson, who lived at a place adjacent to Rumford,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +in Essex, going one morning to that town to buy butter at +the market, was met there by an old miserable looking +woman, just as she had taken some of her change of the +marketwoman, in copper, and this old woman rather demanded +than begged the gentlewoman to give her a penny. +Miss Johnson reputing her to be one of those hateful people +that are called sturdy beggars, refused it her, as thinking it +to be no act of charity, and that it would be rather gratifying +and indulging her impudence, than supplying or satisfying +her indigence. Upon the refusal, the old hag, with a face +more wrinkled still, if possible, by anger, than it was by age, +took upon her to storm at young Miss Johnson very loudly, +and to threaten and menace her; but when she found her +common threats and menaces were of no avail, she swore she +would be revenged of the young creature in so signal a +manner, that she should repent the denial of that penny +from her heart before she got home, and that it should cost +her many pounds to get rid of the consequences of that +denial and her anger. The poor innocent girl despised these +last words likewise, and, getting up on horseback, returned +homewards; but just as she got about half way, her horse +stopped, and no means that she could use would make him +advance one single step; but she stayed awhile, to see if +that would humour him to go on. At last the beast +began to grow unruly, and snorted and trembled as if +he had seen or smelt something that frightened him, and so +fell a kicking desperately, till he threw the girl from the +saddle, not being able to cling to it any longer, though a +pretty good horsewoman of her years; so much were the +horse's motions and plungings more than ordinarily violent.</p> + +<p>As Providence would have it, she got not much harm by +the fall, receiving only a little bruise in the right shoulder; +but she was dreadfully frightened. This fear added wings +to her feet, and brought her home as speedily of herself as +she usually came on horseback. She immediately, without +any other sign of illness than the palid colour with which +fear had disordered the complexion of her face, alarmed all +the family at home with the story, took her bed upon it, +complained of inward rackings of the belly, and was never +at ease unless she lay doubled up together, her head to her +knees, and her heels to her rump, just like a figure of 8. She +could not be a single moment out of that posture without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +shrieking out with the violence of anxious torments and +racking pains.</p> + +<p>In this condition of misery, amidst this agony of suffering, +and in this double posture, was the poor wretched young +gentlewoman brought to town; physicians were consulted +about her, but in vain; she was carried to different hospitals +for assistance, but their endeavours likewise proved ineffectual; +at last she was conducted to the College of Physicians; +and even the collective wisdom of the greatest sages +and adepts in the science of physic was posed to give her +any prescription that would do her service, and relieve her +from the inexplicable malady she laboured under. The poor +incurable creature was one constant subject of her complaining +mother's discourse in every company she came +into. It happened at last, and very providentially truly, +that the mother was thus condoling the misfortune of her +child among five or six ladies, and telling them, among other +things, that by the most skilful persons she was looked upon +to be bewitched, and that it was not within the power of +physic to compass her recovery. They all having been acquainted +with our Mr. Duncan Campbell, unanimously advised +her to carry her daughter to his house, and consult +with him about her. The mother was overjoyed at these +tidings, and purposed to let no time slip where her child's +health was so deeply concerned. She got the ladies to go +with her and her child, to be eye-witnesses of so extraordinary +a piece of practice, and so eminent a trial of skill.</p> + +<p>As soon as this dismal object was brought into his room, +Mr. Duncan Campbell lifted up her head and looked earnestly +in her face, and in less than a minute's time signified +to the company, that she was not only bewitched, but in as +dreadful a condition almost as the man that had a legion of +fiends within him.</p> + +<p>At the reading of these words the unhappy creature raised +up her head, turned her eyes upwards, and a smile, a thing +she had been a stranger to for many months, overspread her +whole face, and such a kind of colour as is the flushing of +joy and gladness, and with an innocent tone of voice she +said, she now had a firm belief she should shortly be delivered. +The mother and the rest of the company were all +in tears, but Mr. Campbell wrote to them that they should +be of good heart, be easy and quiet for a few moments, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +they should be convinced that it was witchcraft, but happily +convinced by seeing her so suddenly well again. This +brought the company into pretty good temper; and a little +after, Mr. Campbell desired she might be led up stairs into +his chamber and left there alone with him for a little while; +this occasioned some small female speculation, and as much +mirth as their late sorrow, alleviated with the hopes of her +cure, would permit.</p> + +<p>This you may be sure was but a snatch of mirth, just as +the nature of the thing would allow of; and all sorts of +waggery being laid instantly aside, and removed almost as +soon as conceived, the poor young thing was carried in that +double posture up stairs. She had not been much above +half an hour there, when by the help only of Mr. Campbell's +arm she was led down stairs, and descended into that roomful +of company as a miracle appearing in a machine from above; +she was led backward and forward in the room, while all +gazed at her for awhile with joyful astonishment, for no +arrow was ever more straight than she. Mr. Campbell then +prevailed with her to drink a glass of wine, and immediately +after she evacuated wind, which she had not done for some +months before, and found herself still more amended and +easy; and then the mother making Mr. Campbell some small +acknowledgment at that time, with the promise of more, and +her daughter giving thanks, and all the company commending +his skill, took their leaves and departed, with great demonstrations +of joy. I shall here, to cut the story short, +signify, that she came frequently afterwards to make her +testimonials of gratitude to him, and continues to enjoy her +health to this very day, at Greenwich, where she now lives, +and will at any time, if called upon, make oath of the truth +of this little history, as she told me herself with her own +mouth.</p> + +<p>The next thing, therefore, it behoves me to do in this +chapter, is, to give some satisfactory account of magic, by +which such seeming mysterious cures and operations are +brought about.</p> + +<p>This task I would perform in the most perspicuous and +most convincing manner I can; for magic, I know, is held +to be a very hard and difficult study by those learned, and +universally unlawful and diabolical by those unlearned, who +believe there is such a science attainable by human genius.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +On the other hand, by some learned men, who believe there +is no such science, it is represented as an inconsistent system +of superstitions and chimeras; and again laughed at as such +by the unlearned, who are of an incredulous temper; what +I would therefore undertake to do in this place is to show +the learned men, who believe there is such an art, that the +attainment to a tolerable knowledge of the manner how +magical practices may be brought about, is no such difficult +matter as they have represented it to themselves; and by +doing this I shall make the system of it so plain, that while +the learned approve of it, the unlearned too, who are not of an +unbelieving kind, may understand clearly what I say; and +the learned men who have rejected this science as chimerical, +may be clearly convinced it is real; and then there is nothing +left but obstinate unbelieving ignorance, which I shall not +here pretend by arguments to lead into sense, but leave it to +the work of time. In fine, I will endeavour to induce men of +sense to say, that what has been accounted mysterious, is +delivered in a plain, easy, and convincing manner, and to +own that they approve, while men of the lower class of +understanding shall confess and acknowledge that they themselves +understand it; and that what has hitherto been represented +as arduous and difficult to a great genius, is adapted and +rendered not only clear, but familiar to persons of middling +talents. In this work, therefore, I shall follow the strictest +order I can, which of all things render a discourse upon any +subject the most clear; and that it may be plain to the commonest +capacity, I will first set down what order I intend to +follow.</p> + +<p>First, I will speak of magic in general.</p> + +<p>Secondly, Of magic under its several divisions and subdivisions.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, Concerning the object of art, as it is good or +bad.</p> + +<p>Fourthly, Of the persons exercising that art in either capacity, +of good or bad, and by what means they become +capacitated to exercise it.</p> + +<p>In the fifth place, I shall come to the several objections +against the art of magic, and the refutation of those objections.</p> + +<p>The first objection shall be against the existence of good +and bad spirits; the refutation of which will consist in my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +proving the existence of spirits, both good and bad, by reason +and by experience.</p> + +<p>The second objection that will be brought, is to contain an +allegation that there are no such persons as witches now, +and an argument to support that allegation, drawn from the +incapacity and impossibility of any thing's making, while itself +is incarnate, a contract with a spirit. This objection +will be answered by proving the reality of witches from +almost universal experience, and by explaining rationally the +manner how the devils hold commerce with witches; which +explanation is backed and authorised by the opinion of the +most eminent divines, and the most learned physicians.</p> + +<p>From hence, sixthly and lastly, We shall conclude on the +side of the good magic, that as there are witches on the one +hand that may afflict and torment persons with demons, so on +the other hand there are lawful and good magicians that may +cast out demons from people that are possessed with them.</p> + +<p>And first as to magic in general. Magic consists in the +spirit by faith, for faith is that magnet of the magicians by +which they draw spirits to them, and by which spirits they +do great things, that appear like miracles.</p> + +<p>Secondly, Magic is divided into three sorts, viz., divine, +natural, and diabolical. And natural magic is again subdivided +into two kinds, simple and compound; and natural +compound magic is again likewise divided into two kinds, +viz., natural-divine magic, and natural-diabolical magic. +Now, to give the reader a clear and a distinct notion of each +several species of magic here mentioned, I set down the +following definitions: Divine magic is a celestial science, in +which all operations that are wonderfully brought about, are +performed by the Spirit of God. Natural magic is a science +in which all the mysterious acts that are wrought, are compassed +by natural spirits. But as this natural magic may be +exercised about things either in a manner indifferent in +themselves, or mere morally good, and then it is mere natural +magic; or else about things theologically good, and transcendently +bad; and then it is not merely and natural magic, +but mixed and compound. If natural magic be exercised +about the most holy operations, it is then mixed with the +divine, and may then be called, not improperly, natural-divine +magic. But if natural magic troubles itself about +compassing the wickedest practices, then is it promiscuous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +with the demoniacal, and may not improperly be called +natural-diabolical magic.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, The object of this art is doing wonders out of +the ordinary appearing course of nature, which tend either +to great good or bad, by the help and mediation of spirits +good and bad.</p> + +<p>Fourthly, As to the persons exercising that art in either +way, whether good or bad, and by what means they become +capacitated to act it, the notion of this may be easily deduced +from the notions of the art itself, as considered above +in its each different species; for as all magic consists in a +spirit, every magician acts by a spirit.</p> + +<p>Divine magicians, that are of God, are spoke of in the +sacred Book, and therefore I shall not mention the passages +here, but pass them over, as I ought in a book like this, +with a profound and reverential silence, as well as the other +passages which speak of natural and demoniacal magicians; +and in all I shall speak of them in this place, I shall only +speak of them with regard to human reason and experience, +and conclude this head with saying, that natural magicians +work all things by the natural spirits of the elements; but +that witches and demoniacal magicians, as Jannes and +Jambres in Egypt were, work their magical performances +by the spirit of demons, and it is by the means of these +different spirits that these different magicians perform their +different operations.</p> + +<p>These things thus distinctly settled and explained, it is now +we must come and ground the dispute between those who +believe there are no such things as magicians of any kind, +and those who assert there are of all the kinds above specified.</p> + +<p>Those who contend there are, have recourse to experience, +and relate many well-witnessed narratives, to prove that +there have been in all times, and that there are still, magicians +of all these kinds. But those who contend that there +are no such persons, will give no ear to what the others call +plain experience; they call the stories, let whatever witnesses +appear to justify them, either fabulous legends invented +by the authors, or else tricks of intellectual legerdemain +imposed by the actors, upon the relators of those actions. +Since, therefore, they say, though the believers in +magic brag of experience never so much, it may be but a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +fallible experience; they reasonably desire to know whether +these gentlemen that stand for magic can answer the objections +which they propose, to prove that the practice of magic, +according to the system laid down, is inconsistent with reason, +before they will yield their assent. Let the stories be never +so numerous, appear never so credible, these unbelieving +gentlemen desire to be tried by reason, and aver till that +reason is given they will not be convinced by the number of +stories, because, though numerous, they are stories still; +neither will they believe them because they appear credible, +because seeming so is not being so, and appearances, though +never so fair, when they contradict reason, are not to be +swallowed down with an implicit faith as so many realities. +And thus far, no doubt, the gentlemen who are on the unbelieving +side are very much in the right of it. The learned +gentlemen, on the other hand, who are persuaded of this +mighty mysterious power being lodged in the hands of magicians, +answer, that they will take upon them to refute the +most subtle objections brought by the learned unbelievers, and +to reconcile the practicability of magical mysteries by the capacity +of men who study that art, to right rules and laws of +reasoning, and to show that some stories, though never so +prodigious, which are told of magicians, demand the belief +of wise men on two accounts; because as experience backs +reason on the one hand, reason backs experience on the other, +and so the issue of the whole argument, whether there are +magicians or not, is thrown upon both experience and +reason. These arguments on each side, I shall draw up +fairly <i>pro</i> and <i>con</i>; for I do not pretend to be the inventor of +them myself, they belong to other authors many years ago; +be it enough for me to boast of, if I can draw them up in a +better and closer form together than they have yet appeared +in. In that I take upon myself a very great task; I erect +myself as it were into a kind of a judge; I will sum up the +evidences on both sides, and I shall, wherever I see occasion, +intimate which side of the argument bears the most weight +with me; but when I have enforced my opinion as far as I +think needful, my readers, like a jury, are still at liberty to +bring in their verdict just as they themselves shall see fit; +and this naturally leads me where I promised to come to in the +fifth part of this discourse, to the several objections against +the power of art magic, and the refutation of those objections.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>The First Objections being against the Existence of Spirits, and the +Refutations thereof.</i></p> + +<p>The first objection which they who reject magic make use +of, is, denying that there are any such things as spirits, about +which, since those who defend the art say it entirely exerciseth +itself, the objectors contend, that if they can make out +that there are no such beings as spirits, all pretensions to the +art must be entirely groundless, and for the future exploded.</p> + +<p>To make this part out, that there are no spirits, the first +man they produce on their side is undoubtedly one of very +great credit and authority, inasmuch as he has justly borne +for many centuries the title of a prince of philosophers. They +say that Aristotle in his book <i>de Mundo</i>, reasons thus against +the existence of spirits, viz., That since God can do all things +of himself, he doth not stand in need of ministering angels +and demons. A multitude of servants showing the weakness +of a prince.</p> + +<p>The gentlemen who defend the science make this reply, +they allow the credit and authority of Aristotle as much as +the objectors; but as the objectors themselves deny all +the authorities for the spirits, and desire that reason may +be the only ground they go upon, so the refuters, on their +parts desire, that Aristotle's <i>ipse dixit</i> may not be absolutely +passed upon them for argument; but that his words may be +brought to the same touchstone of reason, and proved if +they are standard. If this argument, say they, will hold +good, Aristotle should not suppose intelligences moving the +celestial spheres; for God sufficeth to move all without ministering +spirits; nor would there be need of a sun in the +world, for God can enlighten all things by himself, and so +all second causes were to be taken away; therefore, there +are angels and ministering spirits in the world, for the +majesty of God, not for his want of them, and for order, not +for his omnipotency. And here if the objectors return and +say, who told you that there are spirits; Is not yours a precarious +hypothesis? May not we have leave to recriminate +in this place? Pray, who told Aristotle that there were intelligences +that moved the celestial spheres? Is not this +hypothesis as precarious as any man may pretend that of +spirits to be? And we believe there are few philosophers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +at present who agree with Aristotle in that opinion; and we +dare pronounce this to be ours, that Aristotle took his intelligences +from the Hebrews, who went according to the +same whimsical, though pretty notion, which first gave rise +to the fiction of the nine muses. But more than all this, it +is a very great doubt among learned men, whether this book +<i>de Mundo</i> be Aristotle's or no.</p> + +<p>The next thing the objectors bring against the existence +of spirits, is, that it is nonsense for men to say that there are +such beings of which it is impossible for a man to have any +notion, and they insist upon it that it is impossible for any +man to form an idea of a spiritual substance. As to this +part, the defendants rejoin, that they think our late most judicious +Mr. Locke, in his elaborate and finished Essay on the +Human Understanding, has fairly made out, that men have as +clear a notion of a spiritual substance as they have of any corporeal +substance, matter, or body; and that there is as much +reason for admitting the existence of the one, as of the other; +for that if they admit the latter, it is but humour in them to +deny the former. It is in book the 2nd, chap. 29, where he +reasons thus: "If a man will examine himself concerning +his notion of pure substance in general he will find he has +no other idea of it, but only a supposition of he knows not +what support of such quality which are capable of producing +simple ideas in us, which qualities are commonly called accidents. +Thus, if we talk or think of any particular sort of +corporeal substance, as horse, stone, &c., though the idea we +have of either of them be but the complication or collection +of those several simple ideas, or sensible qualities which we +use to find united in the thing called horse, or stone; yet because +we cannot conceive how they should subsist alone, not +one in another, we suppose them to exist in, and be supported +by some common subject; which support we denote +by the name of substance, though it be certain we have no +clear or distinct idea of that thing we suppose a support. +The same happens concerning the operations of our mind, +viz., thinking, reasoning, and fearing, &c., which we concluding +not to subsist of themselves, and not apprehending +how they can belong to body, we are apt to think these the +actions of some substance which we call spirit; whereby it +is evident, that having no other notion of matter, but something +wherein those many sensible qualities which affect our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +senses do subsist, by supposing a substance wherein thinking, +knowing, doubting, and a power of moving, &c., do subsist, +we have as clear a notion of the nature or substance of spirit, +as we have of body: the one being supposed to be, without +knowing what is, the substratum to those simple ideas which +we have from without; and the other supposed, with a like +ignorance of what it is, to be the substratum of these operations +which we experiment in ourselves within. It is plain, +then, that the idea of corporeal substance in matter, is as remote +from our conceptions and apprehensions as that of spiritual +substance, and therefore from our not having any notion +of the substance of spirit, we can no more conclude its not +existence, than we can for the same reason deny the existence +of body; it being as rational to affirm there is no body, because +we cannot know its essence, as it is called, or have +the idea of the substance of matter, as to say, there is no +spirit, because we know not its essence, or have no idea of a +spiritual substance." Mr. Locke also, comparing our idea of +spirit with our idea of body, thinks there may seem rather +less obscurity in the former than the latter. Our idea of +body he takes to be an extended solid substance, capable of +communicating motion by impulse; and our idea of soul is a +substance that thinks, and has a power of exciting motion in +body by will or thought. Now, some perhaps will say they +comprehend a thinking thing, which perhaps is true; but, he +says, if they consider it well, they can no more comprehend +an extended thing; and if they say, they know not what it +is thinks in them, they mean they know not what the substance +is of that thinking thing; no more, says he, do they +know what the substance is of that solid thing; and if they +say they know how not how they think, he says, neither do +they know how they are extended, how the solid parts are +united, or where to make extension, &c.</p> + +<p>The learned Monsieur le Clerc, who generally knows how +far human reason can bear, argues consonantly to what is +before delivered by Mr. Locke, in his <i>Coronis</i>, added to the +end of the fourth volume of his Philosophical Works, in the +third edition of them, where he writes as followeth:—</p> + +<p>"When we contemplate the corporeal nature, we can see +nothing in it but extension, divisibility, solidity, mobility, +and various determinations of quantity, or figures; which +being so, it were a rash thing, and contrary to the laws of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +right reasoning, to affirm other things of bodies; and consequently +from mere body nothing can be deduced by us, +which is not joined in a necessary connection with the said +properties; therefore those who have thought the properties +of perceiving by sense, of understanding, willing, imagining, +remembering, and others the like, which have no affinity +with corporeal things, to have risen from the body, have +greatly transgressed in the method of right reasoning and +philosophising, which hath been done by Epicurus, and those +who have thought as he did, having affirmed our minds to +be composed of corporeal atoms: but whence shall we say +they have had their rise? truly, they do not owe their rise +to matter, which is wholly destitute of sense and thought, +nor are they spontaneously sprung up from nothing, it being +an ontological maxim of most evident truth, that nothing +springs from nothing."</p> + +<p>Having thus given the reader the first objections made +against the existence of spirits, and the refutations thereof, +I must now frankly own on which side my opinion leans; +and for my part, it seems manifest to me that there are two +beings; we conceive very plainly and distinctly, viz., body +and spirit, and that it would be as absurd and ridiculous to +deny the existence of the one as of the other; and really, if +the refuters have got the better in their way of reasoning, +they have still a much greater advantage over the objectors, +when they come to back these reasons with fresh arguments +drawn from experience. Of this, there having been many +undoubted narratives given in the foregoing pages, concerning +the apparitions of spirits, I shall refer the reader +back again to them, and only subjoin here one or two instances, +which may, if required, be proved upon oath, of +spirits seen by two persons of our Duncan Campbell's own +acquaintance. In the year 1711, one Mrs. Stephens and her +daughter were together with Mr. Campbell, at the house of +Mr Ramell, a very great and noted weaver at Haggerstone, +where the rainy weather detained them till late at night. +Just after the clock struck twelve, they all of them went to +the door to see if the rain had ceased, being extremely desirous +to get home. As soon as ever they had opened the +door and where all got together, there appeared before them +a thing all in white, the face seemed of a dismal palid hue, +but the eyes thereof fiery and flaming, like beacons, and of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +saucer size. It made its approaches to them till it came up +within the space of about three yards of them, there it fixed +and stood like a figure agaze, for some minutes; and they +all stood likewise stiff, like the figure, frozen with fear, motionless, +and speechless; when all of a sudden it vanished +from their eyes, and that apparition to the sight was succeeded +by a noise, or the appearance of a noise, like +that which is occasioned by the fighting of twenty mastiff +dogs.</p> + +<p>Not long after, Mrs. Anne Stephens, who lived in Spitalfields, +a woman well known by her great dealings with +mercers upon Ludgate-hill, sitting in her house alone, and +musing upon business, happened by accident to look behind +her, and saw a dead corpse, to her thinking, lie extended +upon the floor, just as a dead corpse should be, excepting +that the foot of one leg was fixed on the ground, as it is in a +bed when one lies with one knee up; she looked at it a long +while, and by degrees at last stole her eyes from so unpleasing +and unexpected an object. However, a strange kind of +a curiosity overcame her fears, and she ventured a second +time to turn her head that way, and saw it, as before, fixed +for a considerable time longer, but durst not stir from her +seat; she again withdrew her eyes from the horrible and +melancholy spectacle, and resumed the courage, after a little +reflection, of viewing it again, and resolved to ascertain herself +if the vision was real, by getting up from her seat and +going to it, but upon this third retrospection she found it +vanished. This relation she writ down to Mr. Duncan +Campbell, and has told before Mrs. Ramell, her own sister, +and many other very creditable persons. Now as to these +arguments from experience, I shall also deliver my opinion; +I dispute not but that learned men, who have obstinate prepossessions, +may produce plausible arguments why all things +should be thought to be done by imposture which seem +strange to them, and interfere with their belief; and truly +thus far their humour may be indulged, that if only one +person relates a very strange and surprising story, a man +may be more apt to think it is possible for that person to lie, +than that so strange a relation should be true; but if a considerable +number of persons, of several countries, several +religious, several professions, several ages, and those persons +looked upon to be of as great sagacity as any the country<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +afford, agree in relations of the same kind, thought very +strange and are ready to vouch the truth of them upon oath, +after having well considered circumstances, I think it a +violation of the law of nature to reject all these relations as +fabulous, merely upon a self-presuming conceit, unless a man +can fairly show the things to be impossible, or can demonstrate +wherein those persons were imposed on; for from +hence I form the following conclusive argument. What is +possible according to reason, grows probable according to +belief; where the possibility is attested to have reduced +itself into action by persons of known credit and integrity. +Now, not only the possibility of the existence of spirits, but +the actual existence thereof is proved above by logical +demonstration; therefore are we to believe both by the +course of logical reason and moral faith, that those existences +have appeared to men of credit, who have attested the +reality thereof upon oath.</p> + + +<p class="center"><i>Second Objection against the Existence of Witches.</i></p> + +<p>These objectors go on to say, that provided they should +allow there is an existence of spirits, yet that would be still +no argument how magic should subsist, because they deny +that it is impossible for a man in his body to have a commerce, +much less make a contract, with spirits; but here +again the refuters allege they have both experience and +reason on their sides. As a joint argument of reason and +experience, they tell you, that the numerous witches which +have in all countries been arraigned and condemned upon +this occasion, are evident testimonies of this commerce and +contract being held and made with spirits. They pretend to +say, that these objectors call not their, the refuters, judgment +so much in question, who contend that there is a magic +art, as they call in question the judgment of all the wisest +legislative powers in Christendom, who have universally +agreed in enacting penal laws against such capital offenders.</p> + +<p>But here the objectors return and say, that it being impossible +for us to show the manner how such a contract +should be made, we can never, but without reason, believe +a thing to be, of which we can form no perfect idea. The +refuters, on the other hand, reply with the learned Father +le Brune, it is manifest that we can see but two sorts of +beings, spirits and bodies; and that since we can reason but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +according to our ideas, we ought to ascribe to spirits what +cannot be produced by bodies. Indeed the author of the +Republic of Learning, in the month of August, anno 1686, +has given us a rough draught for writing a good tract of +witchcraft, which he looks upon as a desideratum; where +among other things, he writes thus: Since this age is the +true time of systems, one should be contrived concerning the +commerce that may be betwixt demons and men.</p> + +<p>On this passage Father le Brune writes thus: "Doubtless +here the author complies with the language of a great many +persons, who, for want of attention and light, would have us +put all religion in systems. Whatever regard I ought to +have for many of those persons, I must not be afraid to say, +that there is no system to be made of those truths, which we +ought to learn distinctly by faith, because we must advance +nothing here, but what we receive from the oracle. We +must make a system to explain the effects of the loadstone, +the ebbing and flowing of the sea, the motion of the planets; +for that the cause of these effects is not evidently signified to +us, and many may be conceived by us; and to determine us, +we have need of a great number of observations, which by +an exact induction may lead us to a cause that may satisfy +all the phenomena. It is not the same in the truths of +religion, we come not at them by groping, it were to be +wished men spoke not of them, but after a decisive and infallible +authority. It is thus we should speak of the power +of demons, and of the commerce they have with men; it is +of faith, that they have power, and that they attack men, +and try to seduce them divers ways. It is true, indeed, +they are sometimes permitted to have it over the just, though +they have it not ordinarily, but over those that want faith, +or fear not to partake of their works; and that to the last +particularly, the disordered intelligences try to make exactly +succeed what they wish; inspiring them to have recourse to +certain practices by which those seducing spirits enter into +commerce with men." Thus far Father le Brune. But still +these objectors demand to know by what means this commerce +may be held between demons and men, and urge us +to describe the manner; or pretend that they have still +reason to refuse coming into the belief of a thing which we +would impose upon them, though wholly ignorant of it ourselves; +to that the refuters answer thus; that both Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +divines and physicians agree as to the manner how, which +they are so curious in inquiring after, that demons stir up +raptures and ecstacies in men, binding or loosing the exterior +senses, and that either by stopping the pores of the +brain, so that the spirits cannot pass forth, as it is done +naturally by sleep, or by recalling the sensitive spirits from +the outward senses to the inward organs, which he there +retains; so the Devil renders women witches ecstatical +and magicians, who while they lie fast asleep in one place, +think they have been in divers places, and done many things. +This the learned objectors say proceeds from no demon, but +from the disease called an epilepsy; but, on the other hand, +the more learned refuters insist upon it, that these ecstacies +are not epileptic seizures; this, say they, appears from +Bodin, in his Theatre of Universal Nature, where he says, +That those who are wrapped by the Devil, feel neither +stripes nor cuttings, nor no wresting of their limbs, nor +burning tortures, nor the application of a red hot iron; nay, +nor is the beat of the pulse, nor the motion of the heart perceived +in them; but afterwards, returning to themselves, +they feel most bitter pains of the wounds received, and tell +of things done at six hundred miles' distance, and affirm +themselves to have seen them done. The ingenious Dr. Ader, +makes an admirable physical distinction between this kind +of ecstacy and a syncope, or stupor caused by narcotic +medicines. Sennertus, in his Institutio Medica, writes of +the demoniacal sopor of witches, who think they are carried +through the air, dance, feast, and have copulation with the +devil, and do other things in their sleep, and afterwards +believe the same things waking. Now, he says, whether +they are really so carried in the air, &c., or being in a profound +sleep, or only dream they are so carried, and persist +in that opinion after they are awake, these facts or dreams +cannot be natural; for it cannot be that there should be so +great an agreement in dreams, of persons differing in place, +temperament, age, sex, and studies, that in one night, and +at the same hour, they should, in concert, dream of one and +the same such meeting, and should agree as to the place, +number, and quality of the persons, and the like circumstances; +but such dreams are suggested from a preternatural +cause, viz., from the devil to his confederate, by the divine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +permission of an Almighty power, where punishments are to +be permitted to be inflicted upon reprobate sinners.</p> + +<p>Whence also, to those witches, sincerely converted, and +refusing to be any more present at those diabolical meetings, +those dreams no longer happen, which is a proof that they +proceeded not before from a natural cause.</p> + +<p>Here begins the great point of the dispute as to that +branch of magic which we call natural magic. The objectors +may tell us, that they will freely own that there may +be an existence of spirits, that there may be an existence of +witches, that by a divine power men may be influenced so +far as to have a communication with good spirits, and that +from thence they may become spiritual-divine magicians, +they will likewise, perhaps, as freely grant, that by the intervention +of a demon, things preternatural may be brought +about by persons who have studied the demoniacal magic; +but then what they principally insist upon is, that it must be +contradictory to all human reason to imagine that there can +be such a thing as natural magicians; and thus far they +may form their argument. They say, that the persons, who +contend for the magic art, own, that all that is brought +about by magic, is by the assistance and help of a spirit, and +that consequently what is effected by it must be preternatural; +now, they say, it is a thing inconsistent, by a +natural power, to bring about a preternatural effect; therefore, +there can be no such thing as natural magic, which has +within itself the efficacy of destroying those acts done by +magicians in the diabolical.</p> + +<p>To this the refuters take leave to reply, that the foundation +upon which the argument is built is wrong grounded; they +have admitted that, in diabolical art magic, there may be a +commerce held between men and spirits, by which several +preternatural effects may be brought about; and the reason +they assign for it there is, because there is a preternatural +agent concerned therein, the devil; but then, say +they, in natural magic you can pretend to no such agent, +and therefore to no such preternatural effect. This +argument contains within it two fallacies; first, as to +the commerce held between a man and a demon, there +is nothing preternatural in getting the acquaintance; +the will of the man is entirely natural, either naturally good,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +or naturally corrupted; the black spirit that converseth with +him, it is acknowledged is not so, but it is from the will of +the man, not from the power vested in the devil, that the +acquaintance first grows, therefore the acquaintance itself is +natural, though it arises from the last corruption and depravations +of nature; but being made with a preternatural +existence, though the cause of the acquaintance be corruptedly +natural, yet the intermediate cause or means after +that acquaintance is not so, and therefore the effect of that +intermediate cause may be wonderful, and seem to be out of +the ordinary course of nature. Now, since it is generally +allowed that there are natural spirits of the elements, as well +as divine and infernal, what we have to prove is only this, +that man by natural magic may have a commerce with +natural spirits of their elements, as witches may have with +the spirits or demons. Now, as we said before, the commerce +itself depends upon the will of the person, and is +therefore natural, and consequently may as well subsist +between the one as the other; for the devil cannot force a +man to hold a commerce with him whether he will or no. +The second fallacy is calling the effect preternatural, no +otherwise than as it connotates the agent that brought it +about, which is a spiritual agent; for the effect is, in itself +considered, natural, and brought about by second causes +that are natural, by the devil's penetration, who is subtle +enough to make use of them for such and such ends. Now +men, by natural spirits, which are of a faculty thoroughly +subtle, may as well with natural second causes compass the +remedy of an evil spirit, as the devil is able to infect men +with it. From these speculations a farther plain consequence +may be deduced, how a man may, by the pure force +of natural magic, cure a person that is infested with evils by +a demon; for how is it that a demon infests anybody with +his evil motions? It is true, he is a preternatural agent, +but the evil effect he does is brought about by natural +causes. For how does a demon stir up raptures or ecstacies +in men? Why he does it, as we are told above, by binding +or loosing the exterior senses, by stopping the pores of the +brain, so that the spirits cannot pass forth; and this the art +of physic can compass by its drugs, and sleep causes the +same thing very naturally of itself; therefore, as the evil +itself is natural, the remedy, that is natural, will certainly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +overcome it. But then, say you, why cannot those persons +be cured by physicians? I answer, not because their remedies +are not in themselves sufficient to cure the evils themselves, +but because generally physicians do not administer +their drugs as Christians, but as physicians; and when +they prescribe them to the sick they generally prescribe to +them only purely considered as patients, not as Christians, +and therein they come to fail; because the agent, the devil, +is a subtle spirit, that brings the evil, and alters its situation +before the remedy, which would master it otherwise, can +take any effect; which agent, the devil, is employed by the +horrible and impious faith of the antiphysician, viz., the black +magician; but if the physician would act the Christian at +the same time, so far as to have a faith that things ordained +in the course of nature for the good of man, would have its +effects in spite of a devil, if taken with a good faith by the +patient; that all good things ordained to be for the natural +recovery of men, if they took it with thankfulness to the +sender, would have due effect; why then the natural spirits +of the elements would resist the farther agency of the demoniacal +spirit, and then nothing but the natural evil, +caused at first by the demon, remaining in the person, +without the farther superintendency of the demon, might +demonstratively be taken away by the mere natural remedy +or medicine. And thus good and pious physicians, making +use of such proper remedies as their skill teaches them, and +having an honest faith, that the goods of nature intended for +the use and benefit of man, if received by the patient with +the same good faith, is above the power of the devil to frustrate, +may not improperly be called natural magicians. +These arguments of mine I shall now take leave to back by +experience.</p> + +<p>Besides, what we have urged from reason, concerning the +power of natural magic, we shall only subjoin, that divines +themselves hold that natural magic, and also natural divinations +and prophecies, are proved by quotations from that +venerable writ which is their guide; and bring proofs from +the same also, that by natural magic demons are also cast +forth, but not all kinds of demons, and so many works of +efficacy are wrought by natural magic: they tell you, such +was the Pythonissa that raised the apparition to Saul, which +appeared in a body of wind and air. Thus, if a person by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +natural magic should cast out demons, it does not follow +that this was also from divine magic; and if demons are +cast out by natural magic, by one that is in the fear of God, +it does not follow that he is a true magician of God; but if +it exorbitates to demoniacal, then it is condemned: and +when natural magic keeps within its bounds, the divines tell +us it is not condemned in the venerable book, which is the +Christian's sure guide. But, inasmuch as the lawfulness +even of natural magic has been called in question by others, +I shall, in an Appendix joined to this treatise, examine that +matter, both according to the reasons of our English laws, +and according to the best stated rules of casuistry that I am +a master of; still submitting my judgment to the superior +judgment of those who are professed divines and lawyers; +and if my opinions prove erroneous, I am willing to retract +them; and therefore, in this place, there remains nothing +farther for me to do, but only, as I have shown, on the one +hand, how natural magic, and its powerful operations, are +proved by reason, to show, on the other hand, how far +reason in these cases is likewise backed and supported by +well-evidenced practice, and notorious experience. And to +do this, after having mentioned one memorable instance, +which I refer the reader to in the body of the book, concerning +the performances of Mr. Greatrix, to which a Lord +Orrery was a witness, in Ireland; I shall, to avoid prolixity, +bring the other testimonials of practice, from the success +which our Duncan Campbell himself has had in this way on +other occasions.</p> + +<p>In the year 1713, lived in Fenchurch-street, one Mr. +Coates, a tobacco-merchant, who had been for many years +sorely tormented in his body, and had had recourse for a +cure to all the most eminent physicians of the age, even up +to the great Dr. Ratcliff himself; but all this mighty application +for relief was still in vain; each doctor owned him a +wonder and a mystery to physic, and left him as much a +wonder as they found him. Neither could the professors of +surgery guess at his ailment, or resolve the riddle of his distemper; +and after having spent, from first to last, above a +thousand pounds in search of proper remedies, they found +the search ineffectual; the learned all agreed that it could +proceed from nothing else than witchcraft; they had now +indeed guessed the source of his illness, but it was an illness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> +of such a kind that, when they had found it out, they +thought themselves not the proper persons to prescribe to +him any remedies. That task was reserved, it seems, for +our Duncan Campbell, who, upon somebody's information or +other, was sent for to the bewitched patient Mr. Coates, who +found him the wonder that the others had left him, but did +wonders in undertaking and compassing his cure. I remember, +one of the ingredients made use of was boiling his +own water, but I cannot tell how it was used; and, upon +turning over the books of some great physicians since, I have +found, that they themselves have formerly delivered that as +one part of the prescriptions for the cure of patients in like +cases. But as there are other things which Mr. Campbell +performs, that seem to require a mixture of the second-sight, +and of this natural magic, before they can be brought about, +I will entertain the reader with one or two passages of that +sort likewise, and so conclude the history of this so singular +a man's life and adventures.</p> + +<p>In the year 1710, a gentlewoman lost about six pounds' +worth of Flanders lace, and inasmuch as it was a present +made to her husband, she was concerned as much as if it +had been of twenty times the value; and a lady of her acquaintance +coming to visit her, to whom she unfolded, among +other things in discourse, this little disaster, the lady, smiling, +replied with this question, Did you never hear, madam, of +Mr. Duncan Campbell? It is but making your application +to him, things that are lost are immediately found; the +power of his knowledge exceeds even the power of laws; +they but restrain, and frighten, and punish robbers, but he +makes thieves expiate their guilt by the more virtuous way +of turning restorers of the goods they have stolen. Madam, +rejoined the losing gentlewoman, you smile when you tell +me this; but really, as much a trifle as it is, since it was a +present to my husband, I cannot help being sensibly concerned +at it, a moment's disappointment to him in the least +thing in nature, creates in me a greater uneasiness than the +greatest disappointment to my single self could do in things +of moment and importance. What makes me smile, said +the lady, when I speak of it, or think of it, is the oddness +and peculiarity of this man's talent in helping one to such +things; but, without the least jest, I assure you, that I know, +by experience, these things come within the compass of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +knowledge; and I must seriously tell you, for your farther +satisfaction, that he has helped me, and several of my friends, to +the finding again things lost, which were of great value. +And is this, without laughing, true? said the losing fair, very +gravely and demurely, like a person half believing, and desirous +to be fully confirmed in such a belief. The lady she +advised with did then ascertain her of the truth of the +matter, alleging that, for a single half-guinea, he would inform +her of her things, and describe the person that conveyed +them away. No sooner was this gentlewoman convinced, +but she was eager for the trial; solicited her friend +to conduct her to Mr. Campbell, and, upon the first word of +consent, she was hooded and scarfed immediately, and they +coached it away in a trice to Mr. Campbell's house, whom +they luckily found within.</p> + +<p>The ladies had not been long seated before he wrote down +the name of this new client of his, exactly as it was, viz., +Mrs. Saxon. Then she was in good hopes, and with much +confidence propounded to him the question about the lace. +He paused but a very little while upon the matter, before he +described the person that took it, and satisfied her that in +two or three days she would be mistress of her lace again, +and find it in some book, or corner of her room. She presented +him a half-guinea, and was very contentedly going +away, but Mr. Campbell very kindly stopped her, and signified +to her, that, if she had no more to offer to him, he +had something of more importance to reveal to her. She +sat full of expectation while he wrote this new matter; and +the paper he delivered to her contained the following account: +As for the loss of a little bit of lace, it is a mere +trifle; you have lost a great many hundreds of pounds, +which your aunt (naming her name) left you, but you are +bubbled out of that large sum. For while you was artfully +required down stairs about some pretended business or other, +one Mr. H—tt—n, conveyed your aunt's Will out of the +desk, and several other things of value; and writing down +the names of all the persons concerned, which put Mrs. +Saxon in a great consternation, he concluded this paper, +with bidding her go home with a contented mind, she should +find her lace in a few days; and as she found that prediction +proved true, she should afterwards come and consult +about the rest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<p>When she came home, it seems, big at first with the +thoughts of what she had been told, she rifled and ransacked +every corner, but no lace was to be met with; all the next +day she hunted in the like manner, but frightened the whole +time as if she thought the devil was the only person could +bring it, but all to no purpose; the third day her curiosity +abated, she gave over the hopes of it, and took the prediction +as a vain delusion, and that what she gave for it was +only more money thrown away after what had been lost +before. That very day, as it commonly happens in such +cases, when she least dreamt of it, she lighted on it by accident +and surprise. She ran with it in her hand immediately +to her husband, and now she had recovered it again, +told him of the loss of it, and the whole story of her having +been at Mr. Campbell's about it; and then, amplifying the +discourse about what he had told her besides, as to more +considerable affairs, she said she resolved to go and consult +him a little farther about them, and begged her husband to +accompany her. He would fain have laughed her out of +that opinion and intent, but the end was, she persuaded him +into it, and prevailed upon him to seem at least very serious +about the matter, and go with her to the oracle, assuring +him there was no room for doubting the same success.</p> + +<p>Well, to Mr. Campbell's they accordingly came; and after +Mr. Saxon, in deference to his wife's desire, had paid our +predictor a handsome complement of gold, Mr. Duncan +Campbell saluted him in as grateful a manner, with the assurance +that there was in Kent a little country house, with +some lands appertaining to it, that was his in right of his +wife; that he had the house, as it were, before his eyes, that +though he had never substantially seen it, nor been near the +place where it stood, he had seen it figuratively as if in +exact painting and sculpture; that particularly it had four +green trees before the door, from whence he was positive, +that if Mr. Saxon went with him in quest of it, he +should find it out, and know it as well the moment he come +near it, as if he had been an inhabitant in it all his life.</p> + +<p>Mr. Saxon, though somewhat of an unbeliever, yet must +naturally wish to find it true, you may be sure, and yet +partly doubting the event, and partly pleased with the visionary +promise of a fortune he never expected, laughed +very heartily at the oddness of the adventure, and said he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +would consider whether it would not savour too much of +Quixotism, to be at the expense of a journey on such frolics, +and on such a chimerical foundation of airy hopes, and that +then he would call again and let Mr. Campbell know his +mind upon that point.</p> + +<p>In every company he came into, it served for laughter and +diversion; they all, however, agreed it was worth his while, +since the journey would not be very expensive, to go it by +way of frolic. His wife, one morning, saying that she did +remember some talk of a house, and such things as Mr. +Campbell had described, put him forward upon the adventure; +and upon Mr. Saxon's proposing it to his brother +Barnard, Mr. Barnard favoured the proposal as a joke, and +agreed upon the country ramble. They came on horseback +to Mr. Campbell's with a third horse, on which the dumb +predictor was mounted, and so on they jogged into Kent, towards +Sevenoaks, being the place which he described. The +first day they set out was on a Saturday morning in June, +and about five that afternoon they arrived at the Black Bull, +at Sevenoaks, in Kent. It being a delicate evening, they +took an agreeable walk up a fine hill, gracefully adorned +with woods, to an old seat of the Earl of Dorset. Meeting +by the way with an old servant of the earl, one Perkin, he +offered Mr. Barnard, who it seems was his old acquaintance, +to give them all a sight of the fine ancient seat.</p> + +<p>After they had pleased themselves with viewing the antique +nobility of that stately structure, this Perkin went back +with them to their inn, the Bull, at Sevenoaks. They that +could talk, were very merry in chat; and the dumb gentleman, +who saw them laugh and wear all the signs of +alacrity in their countenances, was resolved not to be behind +with their tongues, and by dint of pen, ink, and paper, that +he made signs should be brought in, was resolved, if one +might be said to crack without noise, to crack his jest as well +as the best of them; for it may be truly said of him, that he +seldom comes into any, even diverting company, where he is +not the most diverting man there, and the head, though we +cannot call him the mouth, of the cheerful society. After +having eyed this Perkin a little, and being grown, by his +art, as we may suppose, as familiar with the man's humour +as if he had known him as many years as Mr. Barnard, +Pray, Mr. Barnard, quoth he, in writing, how comes it, you, +that are so stanch and so stiff a whig, should be so acquainted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +and so particularly familiar with such an old Papist, and so +violent a Jacobite, as I know that Mr. Perkin (whom I never +saw nor had any notice of in my life) to be? And pray, replied +Mr. Barnard, what reason have you beyond a pun to +take him for a Jacobite? Must he be so because his name +is Perkin? I do assure you, in this you show yourself but +little of a conjurer; if you can tell no more of houses than +you do of men, we may give over the search after the house +you spoke of. (Here the reader must understand they discoursed +on their fingers, and wrote by turns.) Mr. Campbell +replied, seriously, Laying a wager is no argument in +other things, I own, but in this I know it is, because I am +sure, after we have laid the wager, he will fairly confess it +among friends, since it will go no farther; and I, said Mr. +Campbell, will lay what wager you will apiece with you all +round. Hereupon, Mr. Barnard, who had known him a +great many years, was the first that laid, and many more, to +the number of five or six, followed his example; the decision +of the matter was deferred till next day at the return of +the old man to the inn, they being about to break up that +night and go to bed.</p> + +<p>The next day being Sunday, the landlord carried his guests +to see the country, and after a handsome walk, they came +through the churchyard. They were poring upon the tombs; +no delight can be greater to Mr. Campbell than that; and +really, by the frequent walks he usually takes in Westminster +abbey, and the churchyards adjacent to this metropolis, +one would imagine he takes delight to stalk along by +himself on that dumb silent ground, where the characters of +the persons are only to be known, as his own meaning is, +by writings and inscriptions on the marble. When they had +sufficiently surveyed the churchyard, it grew near dinner-time, +and they went homewards; but before they had got +many yards out of the churchyard, Mr. Campbell makes a +full stop, pointing up to a house, and stopping his friends a +little, he pulls out of his pocket a pencil and paper, and +notes down the following words: That, that is the house my +vision presented to me; I could swear it to be the same, I +know it to be the same, I am certain of it. The gentlemen +with him remarked it, would not take any farther notice at +that time intending to inquire into it with secrecy, and so +went on to the inn to dinner.</p> + +<p>As merry as they had been the night before after supper,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +they were still more innocently cheerful this day after dinner, +till the time of service begun. When the duty of the day +was performed and over, they returned to divert and unbend +their minds with pleasant but harmless conversation. I suppose +nobody but a set of very great formalists will be offended +with scandal or scruples, that to travellers just ready to depart +the town, Mr. Perkin came on that good day and decided +the wagers, by owning to all the company, secrecy +being first enjoined, that he was a Roman Catholic, though +nobody of the family knew it in so many years as he had +lived there, which was before Mr. Campbell was born. This +and other innocent speeches afforded as much cheerfulness as +the Lord's-day would allow of.</p> + +<p>On the next day, being Monday, they sent for one Mr. +Toland Toler, an attorney of the place, to find out to whom +that house belonged, but by all the inquiry that could possibly +be made with convenient secrecy, nobody could find it +out for a long time; but at last it came to light and appeared +to be justly to a tittle as Mr. Campbell had predicted.</p> + +<p>Being now satisfied, the next day our three travellers returned +for London; and the two vocal men were very +jocular upon their adventure, and by their outward gesticulations +gave the prophetical mute his share of diversion. +Mr. Barnard, as they passed into a farmhouse-yard, +remarked that all the hogs fell a grunting and +squeaking more and more as Mr. Campbell came nearer, +(who, poor man! could know nothing of the jest, nor the +cause of it, till they alighted and told it him by signs and +writing,) said to Mr. Saxon, laughing, Now we have found +out our house, we shall have only Mr. Campbell home again +by himself—we have no farther need of the devil that accompanied +him to the country, up to town with us, there are +other devils enow to be met with there he knows; and so +this, according to the fashion of his predecessor devils, is +entered into the herd of swine.</p> + +<p>However, the event of this journey, to cut the story short, +procured Mr. Saxon a great insight, upon inquiry, into several +affairs belonging to him, of which he would otherwise have +had no knowledge; and he is now engaged in a chancery +suit to do himself justice, and in a fair way of recovering +great sums of money, which, without the consultation he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +had with this dumb gentleman, he had in all likelihood never +dreamt of.</p> + +<p>In the year 1711, a gentleman, whose name shall be, in +this place, Amandus, famed for his exquisite talents in all +arts and sciences, but particularly for his gentlemanlike and +entertaining manner of conversation, whose company was +affected by all men of wit, who grew his friends, and courted +by all ladies of an elegant taste, who grew his admirers; +this accomplished gentleman, I say, came to Mr. Campbell, +in order to propound a question to him, which was so very +intricate, and so difficult to answer, that, if he did answer it, +it might administer to himself and the ladies he brought +with him, the pleasure of admiration in seeing a thing so +wonderful in itself performed; or, on the other hand, if he +did not make a satisfactory reply to it, then it might afford +him and the ladies a very great delight, in being the first +that puzzled a man who had had the reputation for so many +years of being capable of baffling all the wittiest devices and +shrewd stratagems that had been from time to time invented +to baffle his skill and explode his penetration in the second-sight, +and the arts which he pretended to. The persons +whom Amandus brought with him, were the illustrious +Lady Delphina, distinguished for her great quality, but still +more celebrated for her beauty, his own lady, the admired +Amabella, and a young blooming pretty virgin whom we +will call by the name of Adeodata, about which last lady, the +question was to be put to Mr. Campbell. Adeodata, it seems, +was the natural daughter of this very fine gentleman, who +had never let her into the knowledge of her own birth, but +had bred her up from her infancy under a borrowed name, +in the notion that she was a relation's daughter, and recommended +to his care in her infancy. Now the man that had +the second-sight was to be tried; it was now to be put to +the proof if he could tell names or no? Amandus was so +much an unbeliever as to be willing to hazard the discovery. +Amabella and Delphina were strangers to her real name, +and asked Duncan Campbell, not doubting but he would set +down that which she ordinarily went by. Amabella had +indeed been told by Amandus, that Adeodata was the natural +daughter of a near friend of his; but who this near +friend was remained a secret: that was the point which lay +upon our Duncan Campbell to discover. When the question<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +was proposed to him, what her name was, he looked at her +very steadfastly, and shook his head, and after some time he +wrote down that it would be a very difficult name for him to +fix upon. And truly so it proved; he toiled for every letter +till he sweated; and the ladies laughed incontinently, imagining +that he was in an agony of shame and confusion at +finding himself posed. He desired Amandus to withdraw a +little, for that he could not so well take a full and proper +survey of ladies' faces when a gentleman was by. This disturbance +and perplexity of his afforded them still more subject +of mirth; and that excuse was taken as a pretence, and a +put-off to cover his shame the better, and hide from one at +least, that he was but a downright bungler in what he pretended +to be so wonderful an artist. However, after two +hours hard sweat and labour, and viewing the face in different +shades and lights, (for I must observe to the reader that +there is a vast deal of difference, some he can tell in a +minute or two with ease, some not in less than four or five +hours, and that with great trouble) he undeceived them with +regard to his capacity. He wrote down that Adeodata's real +name was Amanda, as being the natural daughter of Amandus. +Delphina and Amabella were surprised at the discovery; +and Amandus, when he was called in, owning it a +truth, his wife Amabella applauded the curious way of her +coming by such a discovery, when Adeodata was just marriageable, +took a liking to her as if her own daughter, and +everything ended with profit, mirth, and cheerfulness. I +could add a thousand more adventures of Mr. Campbell's +life, but that would prove tedious; and as the town has +made a great demand for the book, it was thought more +proper to conclude it here. The most diverting of all, are +to be found best to the life in original letters that passed +between Mr. Campbell and his correspondents, some select +ones of which will be shortly published in a little pocket +volume, for the farther entertainment of such readers as +shall relish this treatise; in which the author hopes he shall +be esteemed to have endeavoured at the intermingling of +some curious disquisitions of learning, with entertaining +passages, and to have ended all the merriest passages with a +sober, instructive, and edifying moral, which even to those +who are not willing to believe the stories, is reckoned sufficient +to recommend even fables themselves.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="APPENDIX" id="APPENDIX"></a>APPENDIX.</h2> + + +<p>It is not that Mr. Duncan Campbell stands in need of my +arguments, to prove that he is in no respect liable to the Acts +of Parliament made against fortuntellers, &c., that I undertake +the writing of this Appendix, the true reason thereof +being, the more completely to finish this undertaking; for +having, in the body of the book itself, fully proved a second-sight, +and that the same frequently happens to persons, some +of them eminently remarkable for piety and learning, and +have from thence accounted for the manner of Mr. Campbell's +performing those things he professes, to the great surprise, +and no less satisfaction of all the curious who are pleased to +consult him; and at the same time proved the lawfulness of +such his performances from the opinions of some of the most +learned in holy science; I thought it not improper to add +the following short Appendix, being a summary of several +acts of parliament made against fortune-tellers, conjurers, +Egyptians, sorcerers, pretenders to prophecy, &c., with some +proper remarks, suited to our present purpose, as well to +satisfy them who are fantastically wise, and obstinately shut +their eyes against the most refulgent reason, and are wilfully +deaf to the most convincing and persuasive arguments, and +thereupon cry out, that Mr. Campbell is either an impostor +and a cheat, or at least a person who acts by the assistance +of unlawful powers; as also to put to silence the no less +waspish curs, who are always snarling at such whom providence +has distinguished by more excellent talents than their +neighbours. True merit is always the mark against which +traducers level their keenest darts; and wit and invention +oftentimes join hands with ignorance and malice to foil those +who excel. Art has no greater enemy than ignorance; and +were there no such thing as vice, virtue would not shine with +half its lustre. Did Mr. Campbell perform those wonderful +things he is so deservedly famous for, as these cavillers say, +by holding intelligence with infernal powers, or by any unjustifiable +means, I am of opinion he would find very few, in +this atheistical age, who would open their mouths against +him, since none love to act counter to the interest of that +master they industriously serve. And did he, on the other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +hand, put the cheat upon the world, as they maliciously +assert, I fancy he would then be more generally admired, +especially in a country where the game is so universally, +artfully, and no less profitably played, and that with applause +since those pretenders to wisdom merrily divide the whole +species of mankind into the two classes of knaves and fools, +fixing the appellation of folly only upon those whom they +think not wise, that is, wicked enough to have a share with +them in the profitable guilt.</p> + +<p>Our laws are as well intended by their wise makers to +screen the innocent, as to punish the guilty; and where their +penalties are remarkably severe, the guilt they punish is of a +proportionable size. Art, which is a man's property, when +acquired, claims a protection from those very laws which +false pretenders thereto are to be tried and punished by, or +else all science would soon have an end; for no man would +dare make use of any talent providence had lent him, and +his own industrious application had improved, should he be +immediately tried and condemned by those statutes, which +are made to suppress villains, by every conceited and half-learned +pedant.</p> + +<p>It is true, indeed, those excellent statutes, which are made +against a sort of people, who pretend to fortune-telling and +the like, are such as are well warranted, as being built upon +the best foundation, viz., religion and policy; and were +Mr. Campbell guilty of any such practice as those are made +to punish, I openly declare, that I should be so far from +endeavouring to defend his cause, that I would be one of the +first that should aggravate his crime, thereby to enforce the +speedier execution of those laws upon him, which are made +against such offenders. But when he is so far from acting, +that he doth not even pretend to any such practice, or for +countenancing the same in others, as is manifest from the +many detections he has made of that sort of villany, which the +book furnishes us with, I think myself sufficiently justified +for thus pleading in his defence.</p> + +<p>I cannot but take notice, in reading the statutes made +against such offenders, our wise legislature hath not in any +part of them seemed so much as to imply that there are in +reality any such wicked persons as they are made against, to +wit, conjurors, &c., but that they are only pretenders to those +infernal arts, as may reasonably be inferred from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +nature of the penalties they inflict; for our first laws of that +sort only inflicted a penalty which affected the goods and +liberty of the guilty, and not their lives, though indeed they +were afterwards forced to heighten the punishment with a +halter; not that they were better convinced, as I humbly +conceive, but because the criminals were most commonly +persons who had no goods to forfeit, and to whom their +liberty was no otherwise valuable but as it gave them the +opportunity of doing mischief. Indeed our law-books do +furnish us with many instances of persons who have been +tried and executed for witchcraft and sorcery, but then the +wiser part of mankind have taken the liberty to condemn +the magistrate, at that time of day, of too much inconsideration, +and the juries of an equal share of credulity; and those +who have suffered for such crimes, have been commonly persons +of the lowest rank, whose poverty might occasion a +dislike of them in their fellow-creatures, and their too artless +defence subject them to their mistaken justice; so that, upon +the whole, I take the liberty to conclude, and I hope not +without good grounds, that those laws were made to deter +men from an idle pretence to mysterious and unjustifiable +arts, which, if too closely pursued, commonly lead them into +the darkest villany, not only that of deceiving others, but, as far +as in them lie, making themselves slaves to the devil; and +not to prevent and hinder men from useful inquiries, and +from the practice of such arts, which though they are in +themselves mysterious, yet are, and may be lawful.</p> + +<p>I would not, however, be thought, in contradiction to my +former arguments, to assert that there never were, or that +there now are no persons such as wizards, sorcerers, &c., for +by so doing I should be as liable to be censured for my incredulity, +as those who defame Mr. Campbell on that account +are for their want of reason and common honesty. Holy +and profane writ, I confess, furnishes us with many instances +of such persons; but we must not from thence hastily infer, +that all those men are such who are spitefully branded with +the odious guilt; for were it in the devil's power to make +every wicked man a wizard, and woman a witch, he soon +would have agents enough to shake this lower world to +atoms but the Almighty, who restrains him, likewise +restrains those.</p> + +<p>Having premised thus much, I shall now proceed to con<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span>sider +some of the Acts of Parliament themselves; the persons +against whom they were made, and the necessity of making +the same. And some of the first Acts we meet with, were +those which were made against a sort of people called Egyptians; +persons who, if in reality such, might, if any, be suspected +of practising what we call the black art, the same +having been for many ages encouraged in their country; nay, +so much has it been by them favoured, that it was introduced +into their superstitious religion, if I may without an absurdity +call it so, and made an essential part thereof; and, I believe, +Mahometanism has not much mended the matter, since it has +imperiously reigned there, or in any respect reformed that +idolatrous nation. Now the mischief these persons might do, +being so much in the devil's power, among the unwary, was +thought too considerable not to be provided against; and +therefore our wise legislature, the more effectually to prevent +the same, by striking at the very foundation, made an act in +22 Henry VIII. 8: That if any, calling themselves Egyptians, +do come into this realm, they shall forfeit all their +goods; and being demanded, shall depart the realm within +fifteen days, upon pain of imprisonment; and the importers +of them, by another act, were made liable to a heavy penalty. +This act was continued by the 1 Philip and Mary. Conjuration, +witchcraft, enchantment, and sorcery, to get money, +or consume any person in his body, members, or goods, or to +provoke any person to unlawful love, was by the 33 Henry +VIII. 14. and the 5 Elizabeth 16. and the 1 James I. 12. +made felony; and by the same 33 Henry VIII. 14. it was +made felony to declare to another any false prophecies upon +arms, &c., but this act was repealed by the 1 Edward VI. 12., +but by another act of the 3 and 4 of Edward VI. 15. it was +again enacted, That all such persons who should pretend to +prophecies, &c., should, upon conviction, for the first offence +forfeit ten pounds, and one year's imprisonment; and for the +second offence, all his goods, and imprisonment for life. And +by the 7 Edward VI. 11. the same was made to continue but +till the then next sessions of parliament. And by the 5 +Elizabeth 15. the same act was again renewed against fantastical +prophesiers, &c., but both those acts were repealed +by the 1 James I. 12.</p> + +<p>Thus far we find, that for reasons of state, and for the +punishment of particular persons, those acts were made and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +repealed, as occasion required, and not kept on foot, nor +indeed were they ever made use of, as I can remember in my +reading, against any persons whose studies led them into a +useful inquiry into the nature of things, or a lawful search +into the workings of nature itself, by which means many +things are foretold long before they come to pass, as eclipses +and the like, which astrologers successfully do, whose art +has been in all ages held in so great esteem that the first +monarchs of the East made it their peculiar study, by which +means they deservedly acquired to themselves the name of +Magi, or wise men; but, on the contrary, were provided +against persons profligate and loose, who, under a pretence +and mask of science, commit vile and roguish cheats; and +this will the more plainly appear, if we consider the letter +and express meaning of the following Acts, wherein the persons +I am speaking of, are described by such characters, +which sufficiently prove the assertion; for in the 39 of +Elizabeth 4. it was enacted, That all persons calling themselves +scholars, going about begging, seafaring men pretending +losses of their ships and goods at sea, and going about +the country begging, or using any subtle craft, feigning +themselves to have knowledge in physiognomy, palmistry, +or any other the like crafty science, or pretending that +they can tell destinies, fortunes, or such like fantastical +imaginations, shall be taken and deemed rogues, vagabonds, +sturdy beggars, and shall be stripped naked from the middle +upwards, and whipped till his or her body be bloody. And +by the 1 James I. 12. for the better restraining of the said +offences, and for the farther punishing the same, it was +farther enacted, That any person or persons using witchcraft, +sorcery, &c., and all their aiders, abettors, and counsellors, +being convicted, and attainted of the same offences, shall +suffer pain of death, as felons, without the benefit of clergy; or +to tell and declare in what place any treasure of gold and silver +should or might be found in the earth, or other secret places; +or where goods or things lost or stolen should be found or +become; or to provoke any person to unlawful love, such +offender to suffer imprisonment for one whole year without +bail or mainprise, and once in every quarter of the said +year shall in some market-town, or upon the market-day, or +at any such time as any fair shall be kept there, stand openly +in the pillory by the space of six hours, and there shall<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +openly confess his or their offence; and for the second offence +shall suffer death as felons, without the benefit of clergy.</p> + +<p>That these laws were made against a set of villains, whose +natural antipathy to honesty and labour furnished them with +pretensions to an uncommon skill, thereby the more easily to +gull and cheat the superstitiously credulous, and by that +means discover from them some such secrets that might +farther them in perpetrating the more consummate villany, +is plain from the very words and expressions of the very +Acts themselves, and the description of the persons they are +made against; and not, as I before observed, to prevent and +hinder men from the lawful inquiry after useful, delightful, +and profitable knowledge.</p> + +<p>Mr. Campbell, who has been long a settled and reputable +inhabitant in many eminent parts of the city of London, +cannot, I am sure, be looked upon as one of those these Acts +of Parliament were made against, unless we first strip the +Acts themselves of their own natural, express, and plain +meaning, and clothe them with that which is more obscure, +unnatural, forced, and constrained a practise; which, if +allowed, would make them wound the innocent and clear the +guilty, and render them not our defence but our greatest evil; +they would, by that means, become a perfect enigma, and be +so far from being admired for their plainness, that they +would be even exploded like the oracles of the heathen +for their double meaning.</p> + +<p>If Mr. Campbell has the second-sight, as is unquestionable, +from the allowed maxim, that what has been may be again, +and by that means can take a view of contingences and +future events; so long as he confines these notices of +approaching occurrences to a good purpose, and makes use +of them only innocently and charitably to warn persons +from doing such things, that according to his conceptions +would lead them into misfortune, or else in putting them +upon such arts that may be of use and benefit to themselves +and posterity, always having a strict regard to morality and +religion, to which he truly adheres; certainly, I think, he +ought so much the more to be admired for the same, by how +much the more this his excellent knowledge is surpassing +that of other men, and not be therefore unjustly upbraided +with the injurious character of a cheat, or an ill man: however, +this I will presume to affirm, and I doubt not but to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +have my opinion confirmed by the learned sages of the law, that +this his innocent practice, and I venture to add, honest one +too, doth by no means entitle him to the penalties of the +before-mentioned laws made against fortune-tellers, and such +sort of profligate wretches; which it is as great an absurdity +to decry, as it would be to call him, who is a settled and +reputable inhabitant, a stroller or wandering beggar.</p> + +<p>Again; it is true that Mr. Campbell has relieved many +that have been supposed to have been bewitched, as is related +and well attested in the book of his life; but will any +one from thence argue that he himself is a real conjurer, or +wizard, because he breaks the chains by which those unhappy +wretches were bound? No, surely; for if that were +the case, we might then as well indict the physician who +drives away a malignant distemper, and roots out its latent +cause by his mysterious skill in plants and drugs; or conclude +that the judge, who condemns a criminal, is for the +same reason guilty of the self-same crime for which the +offender is so by him condemned. Persons who delight in +such unnatural conclusions, must certainly be in love with +the greatest absurdities, and must entirely abandon their +natural reason before they can be brought to conclude that +the Prince of Darkness would assist men in destroying his +own power.</p> + +<p>The best answer I can afford those men is silence; for if +they will not argue upon the principles of reason, or be guided +by her dictates, I think them no more fit to be contended +with in a rational and decent manner than bedlamites, and +such who are bereft of all understanding. A rod is the best +argument for the back of a fool, and contempt the best usage +that ought to be shown to every headstrong and ignorant +opponent.</p> + +<p>In a word, I know of no branch of Mr. Campbell's practice +that bears the least resemblance to those crimes mentioned +in the foregoing Acts. That he can and doth tell people's +names at first sight, though perfect strangers to him, is confessed +by all who have made the curious inquiry at his hands; +but what part of the Acts, I would fain know, is that against? +Knowledge, and a clear sight into things not common, is not +only an allowable, but a commendable qualification; and +whether this knowledge in him be inherent, accidental, or +the result of a long study, the case is still the same; since<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +we are assured he doth it by no unlawful intelligence, or +makes use of the same to any ill purpose, and therefore is +undoubtedly as lawful as to draw natural conclusions from +right premises. Hard is the fate of any man to be ignorant, +but much harder would his lot be if he were to be punished +for being wise; and, like Mr. Campbell, excelling others in +this kind of knowledge.</p> + +<p>Much more might be said in defence of Mr. Campbell +and the art he professeth, but as the arguments which are +brought against him by his enemies on the one hand, are +trivial and ill-grounded, I therefore think they deserve no +farther refutation; so on the other, his innocency is too clear +to require it.</p> + +<p>After having thus taken a survey of Mr. Campbell's acts, +with regard to their legality according to the statutes and +the laws of the nation wherein he lives, we will consider +next, whether, according to the stated rules of casuistry, +among the great divines eminent for their authority, it may +be lawful for Mr. Campbell to predict, or for good Christian +persons to visit his house, and consult him about his predictions. +I have upon this head examined all the learned +casuists I could meet with in ancient times, for I cannot +meet, in my reading, with any moderns that treat thoroughly +upon this case, or I should rather have chosen them, because, +perhaps, the second-sight was less known in those ancient +days than it has been since, and so might escape their notice.</p> + +<p>My design is first to give the reader a distinct summary of +all that has been said of this matter, and to do it as succinctly +and briefly as possible, and then to argue myself from +what they agree upon as to this man's particular case.</p> + +<p>That the reader may have recourse to the authors themselves, +if they have a curiosity, and find that I do not go +about to impose upon their judgments, I will here tell the +reader where he may find the whole contents of the following +little abstract of divinity and casuistry, because it would be a +tedious piece of work to set down the words of each of them +distinctly, and quote them every one round at the end of +their several different sentences, which tend to the same +meaning, but I will strictly keep to the sense of them all; +and I here give the reader their names, and the places, that +he may consult them himself, if his inclination leads him to +be so curious: Thomas Aquinas, iv. <i>Distin.</i> 34. <i>Quĉstio.</i> 1.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +<i>Art. 3</i>; Bona, ii. <i>Dist. 7. Art. 2. Quĉst.</i> 1; Joannes Major, +iv. <i>Dist. 34. Quĉst. 2</i>; Sylvester, <i>Verbo Malefico. Quĉst. 8</i>; +Rosella, <i>Verb Impedimentum</i>, xv. cap. 18; Tabiena, <i>Verb. +Impedimentum</i>, 12 vers.; Cajetan, tom. ii. <i>Opusc. 12. de Malefic</i>; +Alphonsus, <i>a Cast.</i> lib. x. <i>de Justa Hĉreticorum Punitione</i>, +cap. 15; Cosmus Philiarchus, <i>de Offic. Sacerdot</i>, p. 2. lib. iii. +cap. 11; Toletus, <i>in Summa.</i> lib. iv., cap. 16; Spineus, <i>in +Tract. de Strigibus</i>; Petrus Binsfield, <i>in Tract. de Confessionibus +Maleficorum</i>.</p> + +<p>These divines have generally written upon impious arts +of magic, which they call by the name of divination; and +this divination, as they term it, they divide into two kinds; +the one, in which the devil is expressly invoked, to teach +hidden and occult things; the other, in which he is tacitly +called upon to do the same. An express invocation is made +by word or deed, by which a real pact is actually made with +the devil, and that is a sin that affects the death of the soul, +according to the laws of theology, and ought to affect the +death of the body, according to civil and political laws. The +tacit invocation of demons is then only, when a man busies +himself so far with such persons, that it is meet and just +that the devil should be permitted to have to do with him, +though it was opposite to the intention of the man.</p> + +<p>But then this express invocation is again subdivided into +several species, according to the divers manners by which +the devil instructs these men.</p> + +<p>The first is enchantment, which I need not describe, and +of which I will speak no more, because it is what everybody +knows to be detestable, and nobody ought to know the art +thereof.</p> + +<p>The second is divination by dreams, when any instructions +are expected from the devil by way of dream, which is a +capital crime.</p> + +<p>The third is called necromancy, which is, when by the use +of blood and writing, or speaking certain verses, the dead +seem to rise again, and speak and teach future things. For +though the devil cannot recall a soul departed, yet he can, as +some have thought, take the shape of the dead corpse, himself +actuate it by his subtlety, as if it was informed with a +soul. And some affirm, that by the divine permission the +devil can do this, and spake so in the case of Samuel and +Saul. But divines of a more solid genius attribute that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +power only to the Deity, and say, with reason, that it is beyond +the devil's capacity. But it is certain this was a divination +done in dead animals by the use of their blood, and +therefore the word is derived from the Greek νεκρον, which +signifies dead, and Μαντἡα, which signifies divination.</p> + +<p>The fourth species is called divination by the Pythians, +which was taken from Apollo, the first diviner, as Thomas +Aquinas says in his <i>Secundâ Secundĉ, Quĉst. 95. Art. 3</i>.</p> + +<p>The fifth is called geomancy, which is when the devil +teaches anything by certain signs appearing in the earthly +bodies, as in wood, iron, or polished stones, beryls, or glass.</p> + +<p>The sixth is named hydromancy, as when a demon teaches +anything by appearances in the water.</p> + +<p>The seventh is styled ĉromancy; and it is when he informs +people of such things by figures in the air.</p> + +<p>The eighth is entituled pyromancy; that is, when it instructs +people by forms appearing in the fire.</p> + +<p>The ninth is termed aruspicy; which is when by signs +appearing in the bowels of sacrificed animals the demon predicts +at altars.</p> + +<p>Thus far as to express divination, or invocation of the +devil, which is detestable; and the very consulting of persons +that use such unlawful means is, according to the judgment +of all casuists, the high road to eternal damnation.</p> + +<p>Now as to tacit divination, or invocation of the devil, that +is divided into two subaltern kinds. The first kind is, when +for the sake of knowing hidden things, they make use of a +vain and superstitious disposition existing in things to judge +from; which disposition is not of a sufficient virtue to lead +them to any real judgment. The second kind of tacit divination +is, when that knowledge is sought by the disposition +of those things which men effect on purpose and of their own +accord, in order to come by and acquire that knowledge.</p> + +<p>Both these kinds of tacit divination are again subdivided +into several species, as are particularly mentioned by +St. Thomas, <i>Secundâ Secundĉ, Quĉst. 95, Art. 3</i>; Gregory +de Valentine, tom. iii. <i>Disput. 6. Quĉst. 12. Puncto 2</i>; +Toletus, <i>in Summa.</i> lib. iv. cap. 15; and Michael Medina, +lib. ii. <i>de Recta in Deum fide: post Sanctum Augustinum</i>. lib. +ii. <i>de Doct. Christ.</i> cap. 19. <i>et seq</i>.</p> + +<p>The first of these kinds of tacit divination contains under +it the following several species:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>The first species is called Genethliacal, which is when +from the movement or situation of the stars, men's nativities +are calculated and inquired into so far, as that from such a +search they pretend to deduce the knowledge of human effects, +and the contingent events that are to attend them. This +Thomas Aquinas and Sixtus Quintus condemns; but I shall, +with humility and submission to greater judgments, inquire +hereafter into their reasons, and give my opinion why I +think this no evil art; but I submit my opinion, if, after it +is given, it is thought erroneous.</p> + +<p>The second is augury, when anything is predicted from +the chattering of birds, or the voice of animals, and this may +be either lawful or unlawful. If it comes from natural instinct, +for brutes having only a sensitive soul, have their +organs subject to the disposition of the greater bodies in +which they are contained, and principally of all to the celestial +bodies, his augury is not amiss. For if when crows are +remarked to caw, as the vulgar phrase is, more than ordinary, +it is, judging according to the instinct of their nature, +if we expect rain, and we may reasonably depend upon it, +we shall be right if we foretell rain to be at hand. But +sometimes the devils actuate those brute animals to excite +vain ideas in men, contrary to what the instinct of their +nature compels them to. This is superstitious and unlawful, +and forbid in holy writ.</p> + +<p>The third is aruspicy, when from the flight of birds, or any +other motion of any animals whatsoever, persons pretend to +have an insight and a penetrative knowledge into occult and +hidden matters.</p> + +<p>The fourth consists in omens, when, for example, a man +from any words which others may have spoken on purpose, +or by accident, pretends to gather a way of looking into and +knowing anything of futurity.</p> + +<p>The fifth is chiromancy, which consists in making a pretence +to the knowledge of future things by the figures and the +lines of the hands; and if it be by consulting the shoulder-bones +of any beast, it goes by the name of spatulamancy.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>As the first kind of divination, by a tacit invocation of the +devil is divided into the five species above mentioned; so +also is the second kind of tacit divination, or invocation of +the devil, divided into two species by St. Thomas of Aquin.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Secundâ Secundĉ, questione nonagesima quinta articulo tertio</i>, and +too tedious to insert here.</p> + +<p>Now all these ways are by these divines counted wicked, +and I set them down that people may avoid them. For how +many gipsies and pretenders to chiromancy have we in +London and in the country? How many that are for hydromancy, +that pretend in water to show men mighty mysteries? +And how many in geomancy, with their beryls and +their glasses, that, if they are not under the instigation of +the devil, propagate the scandal at least by being cheats, +and who ought to be punished to the utmost severity, as our +English laws enact? Mr. Campbell, who hates, contemns, +and abhores these ways, ought, methinks, to be encouraged +by their being restrained; and people of curious tempers, +who always receive from him moral and good instructions, +which make them happy in the conduct of life, should be animated +in a public manner to consult him, in order to divert +the curious itch of their humours from consulting such wicked +impostors, or diabolical practisers, as too frequently abound +in this nation, by reason of the inquisitive vulgar, who are +more numerous in our climate, than any I ever read of.</p> + +<p>But now to argue the case of conscience with regard to +his particular practice by way of the second-sight, whether, +<i>in foro conscientiĉ</i>, it is lawful for him to follow it, or others +to consult him? The divines above mentioned having never +had any notice of that faculty in all likelihood, or if they +had, never mentioned it, makes it a point more difficult for +me to discuss; but I think they have stated some cases, by +the making of which my premises, I can deduce from all the +learned men I have above quoted, a conclusion in favour of +our Mr. Duncan Campbell, and of those who consult him; +but my opinion shall be always corrected by those who are +wiser than myself, and to whom I owe entire submission. +I take leave to fix these premises from them first, and to +form my argument from them afterwards in the following +manner:—</p> + +<p>First, It is allowed by all these divines, that a knowledge +which one may have of future things within the order of +nature, is and may be lawful.</p> + +<p>Secondly, They imply, that where justice is not violated, +it is lawful both to predict and to consult.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, Many of them, but particularly Aureolus, puts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> +this question: Is it lawful to go to one that deals in the +black art, to persuade them to cure any innocent body that +another necromancer or dealer in the black art may have +maliciously afflicted and tormented with pains? And some +of these casuists, particularly Aureolus, say, it is lawful on +such an occasion to go to such a conjurer, because the end +is not conjuration, but freeing a person from it.</p> + +<p>But I take leave to dissent from these great men, and +think they are in a double mistake; first, in stating the question, +and then in making such an answer, provided the question +had been stated right.</p> + +<p>The question is founded upon this supposition, which is +passed by as granted, viz., that one necromancer could release +a person bewitched by another, which is absolutely +false; for it is against the nature of the devil to be made an +instrument to undo his own works of impiety. But admitting +and not granting this to be possible, and the question to +be rightly stated, why still these casuists are out in their +answer. It is lawful, reply they, because the end of going +to the conjurers, is not conjuration, but freeing a good +person from it; but the end is not the point here to be considered, +it is the medium, which is bad, that is to be considered. +It is by conjuration, according to their hypothesis, +the other conjuration is to be dissolved; and does not the +common rule, that a man must not do evil that good may +come of it, forbid this practice? And to speak my opinion +plainly in that case, the friend that should consult a conjurer +for that end, would be only so kind to put his own soul in +danger of being guilty of hell torments, to relieve his afflicted +friend from some bodily pains, which it would be a virtue in +him to suffer with patience and resignation.</p> + +<p>Others, almost all divines, indeed, agree, that it is and +may be lawful to go to a conjurer that torments another, and +give him money not to afflict the patient any longer; because +that is only feeing him to desist from acting after his conjuring +manner.</p> + +<p>These premises thus settled, if we allow the second-sight +to be inborn and inbred, and natural and common to some +families, which is proved in the book; and if all that Mr. +Campbell has predicted in that second-sighted way terminates +with moral advice, and the profit of the consulter, +and without the violation of justice to others, as the book<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +shows all throughout; if he can relieve from witchcraft, as +it seems oath is to be had he can, which no one that deals in +black art can do, why then I need not draw the conclusion, +every reader will do it naturally; they will avow all the +strictest laws of casuistry and morality to be in favour of +Mr. Campbell and his consulters.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VERSES" id="VERSES"></a>VERSES</h2> + +<p class="title">TO MR. CAMPBELL,<br /> +<br /> +ON THE<br /> +<br /> +HISTORY OF HIS LIFE AND ADVENTURES.</p> + + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0">I court no muse amidst the tuneful throng,</span> +<span class="i0">Thy genii, Campbell, shall inspire my song;</span> +<span class="i0">The gentle summons every thought obeys,</span> +<span class="i0">Wakens my soul, and tunes it all to lays.</span> +<span class="i0">Among the thousand wonders thou hast shown,</span> +<span class="i0">I, in a moment, am a poet grown;</span> +<span class="i0">The rising images each other meet;</span> +<span class="i0">Fall into verse, and dance away with feet:</span> +<span class="i0">Now with thy Cupid and thy lamb I rove<a name="FNanchor_A_A" id="FNanchor_A_A"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_A" class="fnanchor">[A],</a></span> +<span class="i0">Through ev'ry bloomy mead and fragrant grove.</span> +<span class="i0">A thousand things I can myself divine,</span> +<span class="i0">Thy little genii whispers them to mine;</span> +<span class="i0">Beyond the grave I see thy deathless fame,</span> +<span class="i0">The fair and young all singing Campbell's name;</span> +<span class="i0">And Love himself—for Love and thou art friends,</span> +<span class="i0">He joins the chorus, and his dart defends.</span> +<span class="i0">What noisy talker can thy magic boast?</span> +<span class="i0">Let those dull wretches try who scorn thee most.</span> +<span class="i0">O, sacred silence! let me ever dwell,</span> +<span class="i0">With the sweet muses, in thy lonely cell!</span> +<span class="i0">Or else bind up, in thy eternal chain,</span> +<span class="i0">Scandal and noise, and all that talk in vain.</span> +<br /> +<span class="i20"><span class="smcap">M. Fowke.</span></span> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_A" id="Footnote_A_A"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_A"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> See Mr. Campbell's Life, p. 43.</p></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<p class="title">TO MRS. FOWKE,<br /> +<br /> +OCCASIONED BY THE FOREGOING VERSES</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Sweet nightingale! whose artful numbers show,</span> +<span class="i0">Expressive eloquence to silent woe,</span> +<span class="i0">Sing on, and in thy sex's power presume,</span> +<span class="i0">By praising Campbell, to strike nations dumb.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Whene'er you sing, silent, as he, they'll stand,</span> +<span class="i0">Speak by their eyes, grow eloquent by hand:</span> +<span class="i0">Tongues are confusion, but as learnt by you,</span> +<span class="i0">All but Pythagoras's doctrine's true;</span> +<span class="i0">Campbell and he taught silence—had he heard</span> +<span class="i0">How much thy lays to silence were preferr'd,</span> +<span class="i0">He had recanted from thy powerful song,</span> +<span class="i0">And justly wish'd each organ had a tongue.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">But could he see, what you, in every line,</span> +<span class="i0">Prophetic tell of Campbell's sight divine,</span> +<span class="i0">Like Crœsus's sons his loosened nerves must break,</span> +<span class="i0">And ask the cause—or make his Campbell speak.</span> +</div> +<span class="i20">G. S.</span> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="title">TO MR. CAMPBELL.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Milton</span>'s immortal wish<a name="FNanchor_B_B" id="FNanchor_B_B"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_B" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> you sure must feel,</span> +<span class="i0">To point those fates which you to all reveal;</span> + + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> + +<span class="i0">If second-sight so much alarms mankind,</span> +<span class="i0">What transports must it give to know thy mind?</span> +<span class="i0">Thy book is but the shadow of thy worth,</span> +<span class="i0">Like distant lights, which set some picture forth.</span> +<span class="i0">But if the artist's skill we nearer trace,</span> +<span class="i0">And strictly view each feature of the face,</span> +<span class="i0">We find the charm that animates the whole,</span> +<span class="i0">And leave the body to adore the soul.</span> +<span class="i0">Milton's immortal wish you sure must feel,</span> +<span class="i0">To point those fates which you to all reveal.</span> +<br /> +<span class="i20"><span class="smcap">I. Philips.</span></span> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_B" id="Footnote_B_B"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_B"><span class="label">[B]</span></a></p></div> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"> +<span class="i10">To see and tell</span> +<span class="i0">Of things invisible to mortal sight,</span> +<br /> +<span class="i20"><span class="smcap">Paradise Lost.</span></span> +</div> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="title">THE PARALLEL<br /> + +TO MR. CAMPBELL.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 28em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">As Denham sings, mysterious 'twas, the same</span> +<span class="i0">Should be the prophet's and the poet's name<a name="FNanchor_C_C" id="FNanchor_C_C"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_C" class="fnanchor">[C]</a>;</span> +<span class="i0">But while the sons of genius join to praise,</span> +<span class="i0">What thine presaging dictates to their lays,</span> +<span class="i0">The things they sweetly sing, and you foreshow,</span> +<span class="i0">Open the Sampson riddle to our view;</span> +<span class="i0">Strong are thy prophecies, their numbers sweet,</span> +<span class="i0">And with the lion combs of honey meet.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Late on fantastic cabalistic schemes,</span> +<span class="i0">Of waking whimsies, or of feverish dreams,</span> +<span class="i0">New cobweb threads of poetry were spun,</span> +<span class="i0">In gaudy snares, like flies, were witlings won,</span> +<span class="i0">Their brains entangled, and our art undone.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Pope, first, descended from a monkish race,</span> +<span class="i0">Cheapens the charms of art, and daubs her face;</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> + +<span class="i0">From Gabalis<a name="FNanchor_D_D" id="FNanchor_D_D"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_D" class="fnanchor">[D]</a> his mushroom fictions rise,</span> +<span class="i0">Lop off his sylphs—and his Belinda<a name="FNanchor_E_E" id="FNanchor_E_E"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_E" class="fnanchor">[E]</a> dies;</span> +<span class="i0">The attending insects hover in the air,</span> +<span class="i0">No longer than they're present is she fair;</span> +<span class="i0">Some dart those eyebeams, which the youths beguile,</span> +<span class="i0">And some sit conquering in a dimpling smile.</span> +<span class="i0">Some pinch the tucker, and some smooth the smock.</span> +<span class="i0">Some guard an upper, some a lower lock;</span> +<span class="i0">But if these truant body-guards escape,</span> +<span class="i0">In whip the gnomes and strait commit a rape;</span> +<span class="i0">The curling honours of her head they seize,</span> +<span class="i0">Hairs less in sight, or any hairs they please;</span> +<span class="i0">But if to angry frowns her brow she bends,</span> +<span class="i0">Upon her front some sullen gnome descends,</span> +<span class="i0">Whisks through the furrows with its airy form,</span> +<span class="i0">Bristles her eyebrows and 'directs the storm.'</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">As wide from these are Addisonian themes,</span> +<span class="i0">As angels' thoughts are from distempered dreams;</span> +<span class="i0">Spenser and he, to image nature, knew,</span> +<span class="i0">Like living persons, vice and virtue drew:</span> +<span class="i0">At once instructed and well pleas'd we read,</span> +<span class="i0">While in sweet morals these two poets lead,</span> +<span class="i0">No less to wisdom than to wit pretence,</span> +<span class="i0">They led by music, but they led to sense.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">But Pope scarce ever force to fancy joins,</span> +<span class="i0">With dancing-master's feet equips his lines,</span> +<span class="i0">Plumes empty fancy, and in tinsel shines.</span> +<span class="i0">Or if by chance his judgment seems to lead,</span> +<span class="i0">Where one poor moral faintly shows its head,</span> +<span class="i0">'Tis like a judge, that reverently drest,</span> +<span class="i0">Peeps through the pageants at a lord may'r's feast;</span> +<span class="i0">By starts he reasons, and seems wise by fits,</span> +<span class="i0">Such wit's call'd wisdom, that has lost its wits.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Unnam'd by me this witling bard had been,</span> +<span class="i0">Had not the writer's caused the reader's sin;</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> + +<span class="i0">But less by comedies and lewd romances,</span> +<span class="i0">Are ruin'd, less by French lascivious dances,</span> +<span class="i0">Than by such rhymers' masqueraded fancies.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">From such the root of superstition grew,</span> +<span class="i0">Whose old charms fertile, daily branch'd in new;</span> +<span class="i0">From such chimeras first inspired, the fair</span> +<span class="i0">The conj'rer's ring approach'd, and Jesuit's chair;</span> +<span class="i0">Throng'd to the doors where magic rogues divin'd,</span> +<span class="i0">And sold out <i>ignes fatui</i> to the mind.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Wizards and Jesuits differ but in name,</span> +<span class="i0">Both demon's envoys, and their trade the same;</span> +<span class="i0">Weak wills they lead, and vapour'd minds command,</span> +<span class="i0">And play the game into each others' hand;</span> +<span class="i0">Like spiritual jugglers at the cup and ball,</span> +<span class="i0">Rising by foolish maids, that long to fall.</span> +<span class="i0">Some into love they damn, and some they pray,</span> +<span class="i0">For greensick minds are caught a different way;</span> +<span class="i0">To the same end, tho' several paths, they run,</span> +<span class="i0">Priests to undo and maids to be undone;</span> +<span class="i0">Some blacker charms, some whiter spells cajole,</span> +<span class="i0">As some lick wall and some devour a coal.</span> +<span class="i0">Here ladies, strong in vapours, see men's faces</span> +<span class="i0">Imprinted in the conjurer's dazzling glasses,</span> +<span class="i0">There, when, in spring time, the too praying priest,</span> +<span class="i0">Toasts, and does something better,—to the best</span> +<span class="i0">A spouse is promised on next Baptist's<a name="FNanchor_F_F" id="FNanchor_F_F"></a><a href="#Footnote_F_F" class="fnanchor">[F]</a> feast.</span> +<span class="i0">First some young contrite rake's enjoined to marry,</span> +<span class="i0">Lest—madam's forc'd to squeak for't—or, miscarry:</span> +<span class="i0">In June, the lass does to the fields repair,</span> +<span class="i0">Where good sir Domine just took the air.</span> +<span class="i0">When, O strange wonder! near a plaintain root,</span> +<span class="i0">She finds a coal—and so a spouse to boot.</span> +<span class="i0">She longs to dream and to secure the sport</span> +<span class="i0">That very day the youth design'd—must court,</span> +<span class="i0">He does—she struck with rapture and delight.</span> +<span class="i0">Bespeaks her fancy—strongly—dreams at night.</span> +<span class="i0">The yielding fair, the ravish'd youth obtains,</span> +<span class="i0">A maid she passes—so his child's free gains,</span> +<span class="i0">He has the pleasure, yet is sav'd the pains.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> + +<span class="i0">Thus when priest's wench—to cure the growing evil</span> +<span class="i0">Poor St. John Baptist must forerun the devil.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">But if the ladies fall, at fall of leaf,</span> +<span class="i0">Or in the winter—still there's fresh relief;</span> +<span class="i0">Let her lace close four months, and if she can,</span> +<span class="i0">St. Agnes<a name="FNanchor_G_G" id="FNanchor_G_G"></a><a href="#Footnote_G_G" class="fnanchor">[G]</a> heals the breach and brings the man.</span> +<span class="i0">Thus a lewd priest to vapour'd virgins cants,</span> +<span class="i0">And into pimps reverts his vestal saints.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">O! dire effects of mask'd impiety!</span> +<span class="i0">And shall they, Christian muse! have aids from thee;</span> +<span class="i0">Wilt thou, like witty heathens, lewdly given,</span> +<span class="i0">To a Gehenna metamorphose Heaven?</span> +<span class="i0">Wilt thou?—O no—forbid th' unhallow'd song,</span> +<span class="i0">Such profanations to Rome's bard belong.</span> +<span class="i0">Let one, who gods and goddesses adores,</span> +<span class="i0">Paint them like rakes and bullies, bawds, and whores.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Our genii, Campbell, shall be all divine,</span> +<span class="i0">Shall high o'er theirs as much distinguish'd shine,</span> +<span class="i0">As o'er such priests or chiromancers, thine.</span> +<span class="i0">Thine, which does future time's events command</span> +<span class="i0">To leap to sight, and in thy presence stand;</span> +<span class="i0">Thine, whose eyes glowing with a gifted ray,</span> +<span class="i0">New roads of life o'er wisdom's Alps survey,</span> +<span class="i0">And guide benighted travellers to day.</span> +<span class="i0">Let me, for once, a daring prophet be,</span> +<span class="i0">Mark from this hour—and poetry thoul't see</span> +<span class="i0">Date a new era from thy book and thee;</span> +<span class="i0">Thy book, where, thro' the stories, thou hast laid,</span> +<span class="i0">All moral wisdom's to the mind convey'd;</span> +<span class="i0">And thus far prophecies each page, that all</span> +<span class="i0">Must rise by virtues, or by vices fall.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Poets shall blush to see their wit outdone,</span> +<span class="i0">Resume their reason and assert its throne,</span> +<span class="i0">Shall fables still for virtue's sake commend;</span> +<span class="i0">And wit the means, shall wisdom make its end.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Who hopes to please, shall strive to please by pains,</span> +<span class="i0">Shall gaining fame, earn hard whate'er he gains</span> +<span class="i0">And Denham's morals join to Denham's strains.</span> +<span class="i0">Here paint the Thames<a name="FNanchor_H_H" id="FNanchor_H_H"></a><a href="#Footnote_H_H" class="fnanchor">[H]</a> 'when running to the sea</span> +<span class="i0">Like mortal life to meet eternity.'</span> +<span class="i0">There show both kings and subjects 'one excess,</span> +<span class="i0">Makes both, by striving, to be greater, less.'</span> +<span class="i0">Shall climb and sweat, and falling, climb up still,</span> +<span class="i0">Before he gains the height of Cooper's Hill.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">In Windsor Forest, if some trifling grace</span> +<span class="i0">Gives, at first blush, the whole a pleasing face,</span> +<span class="i0">'Tis wit, 'tis true; but then 'tis common-place.</span> +<span class="i0">The landscape-writer branches out a wood,</span> +<span class="i0">Then digging hard for't finds a silver flood.</span> +<span class="i0">Here paints the woodcock quiv'ring in the air,</span> +<span class="i0">And there, the bounding stag and quaking hare.</span> +<span class="i0">Describes the pheasant's scarlet-circled eye,</span> +<span class="i0">And next the slaught'ring gun that makes him die.</span> +<span class="i0">From common epithets that fame derives,</span> +<span class="i0">By which his most uncommon merit lives.</span> +<span class="i0">'Tis true! if finest notes alone could show,</span> +<span class="i0">(Tun'd justly high or regularly low,)</span> +<span class="i0">That we should fame to these mere vocals give,</span> +<span class="i0">Pope more, than we can offer, should receive.</span> +<span class="i0">For, when some gliding river is his theme,</span> +<span class="i0">His lines run smoother than the smoothest stream;</span> +<span class="i0">Not so when thro' the trees fierce Boreas blows,</span> +<span class="i0">The period blust'ring with the tempest grows.</span> +<span class="i0">But what fools periods read for periods' sake?</span> +<span class="i0">Such chimes improve not heads, but make 'em ache;</span> +<span class="i0">Tho' strict in cadence on the numbers rub,</span> +<span class="i0">Their frothy substance is whip-syllabub;</span> +<span class="i0">With most seraphic emptiness they roll,</span> +<span class="i0">Sound without sense, and body without soul.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Not such the bards that give you just applause,</span> +<span class="i0">Each, from intrinsic worth, thy praises draws,</span> +<span class="i0">Morals, in ev'ry page, where'er they look,</span> +<span class="i0">They find divinely scatter'd thro' thy book:</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> + +<span class="i0">They find thee studious with praiseworthy strife,</span> +<span class="i0">To smooth the future roads of human life,</span> +<span class="i0">To help the weak, and to confirm the strong,</span> +<span class="i0">Make our griefs vanish, and our bliss prolong,</span> +<span class="i0">With Phineus' equal find thy large desert,</span> +<span class="i0">And in thy praise would equal Milton's art.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Some fools, we know, in spite of nature born,</span> +<span class="i0">Would make thee theirs, as they are mankind's scorn,</span> +<span class="i0">For still 'tis one of truth's unerring rules,</span> +<span class="i0">No sage can rise without a host of fools.</span> +<span class="i0">Coxcombs, by whose eternal din o'ercome,</span> +<span class="i0">The wise in just revenge, might wish them dumb,</span> +<span class="i0">Say on the world your dumbness you impose,</span> +<span class="i0">And give you organs they deserve to lose.</span> +<span class="i0">Impose, indeed, on all the world you would,</span> +<span class="i0">If you but held your tongue, because you could;</span> +<span class="i0">'Tis hard to say, if keeping silence still,</span> +<span class="i0">In one, who, could he speak, would speak with skill,</span> +<span class="i0">Is worse, or talk in these, who talk so ill.</span> +<span class="i0">Why on that tongue should purposed silence dwell,</span> +<span class="i0">Whence every word would drop an oracle?</span> +<span class="i0">More fools of thy known foresight make a jest,</span> +<span class="i0">For all bate greatest gifts who share the least,</span> +<span class="i0">(As Pope calls Dryden the often to the test<a name="FNanchor_I_I" id="FNanchor_I_I"></a><a href="#Footnote_I_I" class="fnanchor">[I]</a>)</span> +<span class="i0">Such from thy pen, should Irwin's sentence<a name="FNanchor_J_J" id="FNanchor_J_J"></a><a href="#Footnote_J_J" class="fnanchor">[J]</a> wait,</span> +<span class="i0">And at the gallows own the judge of fate.</span> +<span class="i0">Or, while with feeble impotence they rail,</span> +<span class="i0">Write wonders on, and with the wise prevail.</span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Sooner shall Denham cease to be renown'd,</span> +<span class="i0">Or Pope for Denham's sense quit empty sound,</span> +<span class="i0">To Addison's immortal heights shall rise,</span> +<span class="i0">Or the dwarf reach him in his native skies.</span> +<span class="i0">Sooner shall real gipsies grow most fair,</span> +<span class="i0">Or false ones mighty truths like thine declare,</span> +<span class="i0">Than these poor scandal-mongers hit their aim,</span> +<span class="i0">And blemish thine or Curll's acknowledg'd fame.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">Great Nostradamus thus, his age advis'd,</span> +<span class="i0">The mob his counsels jeer'd, some bards<a name="FNanchor_K_K" id="FNanchor_K_K"></a><a href="#Footnote_K_K" class="fnanchor">[K]</a> despis'd</span> +<span class="i0">Him still, neglecting these his genius fir'd,</span> +<span class="i0">A king encourag'd, and the world admir'd;</span> +<span class="i0">Greater (as times great tide increas'd) he grew,</span> +<span class="i0">When distant ages proved what truths he knew;</span> +<span class="i0">Thy nobler book a greater king received,</span> +<span class="i0">Whence I predict, and claim to be believ'd,</span> +<span class="i0">That by posterity, less fame shall be</span> +<span class="i0">To Nostradamus granted, than to thee;</span> +<span class="i0">Thee! whom the best of Kings does so defend,</span> +<span class="i0">And (myself barring) the best bards commend.</span> +<br /> +<span class="i20"><span class="smcap">H. Stanhope.</span></span> +</div></div> + +<p> +Whitehall,<br /> +June 6th, 1720.<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_C" id="Footnote_C_C"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_C"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> (Vates) See the Progress of Learning.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D_D" id="Footnote_D_D"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_D"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> See the History of the Count de Gabalis, from whence he has taken +the machinery of his Rape of the Lock.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_E" id="Footnote_E_E"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_E"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> Mrs. F—m—r.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_F_F" id="Footnote_F_F"></a><a href="#FNanchor_F_F"><span class="label">[F]</span></a> See the Dedication of Mr. Campbell's Life.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_G_G" id="Footnote_G_G"></a><a href="#FNanchor_G_G"><span class="label">[G]</span></a> See Mr. Campbell's Dedication.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_H_H" id="Footnote_H_H"></a><a href="#FNanchor_H_H"><span class="label">[H]</span></a> See Cooper's Hill.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_I_I" id="Footnote_I_I"></a><a href="#FNanchor_I_I"><span class="label">[I]</span></a> See many places of his notes on Homer.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_J_J" id="Footnote_J_J"></a><a href="#FNanchor_J_J"><span class="label">[J]</span></a> See Mr. Campbell's Life, page 80.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_K_K" id="Footnote_K_K"></a><a href="#FNanchor_K_K"><span class="label"> [K]</span></a> Alluding to this verse, "sed cum falsa Damus, nil nisi Nostra +Damus."</p></div> + + +<p class="center">THE END OF DUNCAN CAMPBELL.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="title">TRANSCRIBER NOTES:</p> + +<p>Punctuation corrected without note.</p> + +<p>Archaic spellings have been retained.</p> + +<p>The following corrections have been made:</p> + +<p>page iv: "two" changed to "too" (too long to dwell upon).</p> + +<p>page 8: "dedelighted" changed to "delighted" (however, delighted +extremely in this way).</p> + +<p>page 13: "off" changed to "of" (night not be despaired of.).</p> + +<p>page 14: "a" added for continuity (for she that can dally with a +heart).</p> + +<p>page 15: "governer" changed to "governor" (who is the governor of +Uma).</p> + +<p>page 25: "Willis" changed to "Wallis" (An Extract from Dr. +Wallis).</p> + +<p>page 36: "hiting" changed to "hitting" (that he seldom missed +hitting).</p> + +<p>page 44: "vension" changed to "venison" (to bring a side of +venison to me).</p> + +<p>page 47: "be" added for continuity (no demonstrative proof is to +be had on either side).</p> + +<p>page 143: "their" changed to "there" (and left there alone).</p> + +<p>page 153: "know" changed to "known" (by persons of known credit).</p> + +<p>page 180: "inbord" changed to "inborn" (if we allow the +second-sight to be inborn).</p> + +<p>page 180: "onger" changed to "longer" (not to afflict the patient +any longer).</p> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the Life and Adventures +of Mr. Duncan Campell, by Daniel Defoe + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUNCAN CAMPELL *** + +***** This file should be named 37047-h.htm or 37047-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/0/4/37047/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Pat McCoy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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