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APPENDIX. 



Observations on the temporary Connection ef 

 Physiognomy with the occult Sciences. 



A PROPENSITY to the marvellous has ufually been 

 confidered as the refult of ignorance ; and properly, if igno- 

 rance be compared abftraftedly with knowledge. But there 

 have been periods in the hillory of human literature, when 

 fuperior genius and fuperior attainments have given rife to 

 this tafte for the wonderf^il, and induced mankind to believe 

 in proportion to the want of evidence. The dawn of fcience 

 in almoil every period and nation, has tempted its votaries 

 to advance much farther into the regions of conjefture and 

 hypothefis, than the number or importance of the fafts 

 difcovered could authorize ; and thus, ftruck with the novelty 

 of the fcene, the learned and the curious have adopted with 

 credulous alacrity, the delufive phantafies of imagination, for 

 the genuine offspring of knowledge and experience. 



The revival of literature in Europe a few centuries ago, 

 furnifties fufficient proof of the preceding obfervation. The 

 fpurious fciences of aftrology, magic, and alchemy; the 

 exploded doftrines of fignatures and fympathies, and the 

 motley jumble of the roficrucian and theofophic philofophy 

 enjoyed their refpedlive periods of fadiionable attention. 

 Phyfiognomy too was regarded as of the fame family and 

 treated in confort with thefe branches of fantaftic literature; 

 fo much, that fome brief account of them may be fairly 



confldered 



