97 
time, but differing widely in tone, tell the tale and hand it down 
tous. One much regretting the result of the trials is entitled :— 
“ Acquittal of Thomas Draper, alias Dr. Touchem, at the Quarter 
“Sessions for the county of Somerset, held on Monday, October 
17th, 1814.” 
The other, which is headed “Trial and Acquittal of Doctor 
Thomas Draper ” begins :— 
. 
“Tt is with sensations bordering on rapture, we announce the triumph 
of Innocent and humble merit over prejudice and oppression. That 
extraordinary man will now be at liberty, after long persecution, to 
exercise his wonderful art. Humble in birth, lowly in situation, and 
mild in manners, his every action tends to do good.” 
_ It may perhaps be allowed here to notice yet another downward 
step. In the Globe of October 9th, 1882, it is recorded that a gipsy 
_ woman was sent to gaol for professing to rule the planets having 
represented herself as the seventh daughter of the seventh virgin 
Jupiter, and so in possession of a special faculty for seeing into 
-futurity. 
Reflecting a little it can be seen how strong this belief was, and 
as regards the King or Queen how much it wasencouraged. Mr. 
Pepys of course saw the performance, done with great gravity, 
“an ugly office and a simple one.” Evelyn mentions that in 1684, 
six or seven persons were killed in the crush to get tickets. 
Under the advice of Sir John Floyer, a physician not unconnected 
with Bath, Dr. Johnson was touched ; “wonderful to think,” as 
Boswell remarks in alluding to the circumstance. Notice is often 
found that a Nonconformist was touched, at first the implication 
seems to be that heaven could not be expected to favour such a 
one. In time however it becomes pleager that it was from the 
. wis héd to be touched, but her husband told her it was a piece of 
delusion, a superstition, that there was no more virtue in a king 
