24 ^^ Popular Illujions. 



tafk to attack the forgotten follies of the nurfery ; 

 thofe who know the number, the ingenuity and im- 

 portance of writers in this controverfy, may fuppofe 

 that little can be added to their labours. To the 

 firft I acknowledge, that we Ihould hardly expcdl 

 that extravagant conceptions, frequently originating 

 in the imbecility of obfcure and frantic individuals, 

 Ihould intereft political as well as literary bodies, 

 (hould be defended and fupported with the moft tur- 

 bulent clamours, and fhould fometimes endanger 

 the fafety and order of fociety j yet fuch have been 

 the effefts of popular illufions ; fome of them indeed 

 fb extraordinary, that nothing but the occurrence 

 of fimilar events in our own times could gain them 

 belief Thefe fadls conftitute a curious part of the 

 hiftory of human reafon, and every where obtrude 

 themfelves in medical refearches, yet I believe the 

 fubjeft is in general mifapprehended, and errors are 

 imputed to ignorance, which, however they arofe, 

 were fupported in the moft enlightened times, and 

 by writers of the greateft knowledge and acutenefs. 

 A proper attention to fome fafts feparated from the 

 great mafs (for 1 dare not undertake a complete 

 hiftory) will convince us, that fuch infatuations are 

 not always to be afcribed to the occafional workings 

 of diftempered minds, but to the general perfuafion 

 of the moft intelligent j and that they derive their 

 origin from the abufe of tendencies imparted for 

 better purpofes. 



Ignorance 



