lyo the effects of imaginnt'ion. Feh. \y 



"one day you will thank me for this hint." As we 

 easily believe what flatters our ^vifhes, the poor gentle- 

 man imagined that there must be something true in 

 such a bold declaration, and urged a more particular 

 explication. The swindler, after much fanical mumb- 

 ling and grimace, inspects the hands, examines each 

 trait of the countenance, and, at last, announces, with 

 emphasis, a life of envied prosperity. This credulous 

 dupe returned him a thousand thanks -, and putting 

 into his bands a six livre piece, resumed his little com- 

 pany. But they had not advanced a few steps when 

 the impostor, piqued at such a paltry sum, called 

 back the gentleman. " Alas !" said he, " I dare not 

 omit one circumstance, however disagreeable you may 

 reckon it. By knowing before-hand that it must take 

 place, perhaps you may be enabled to provide against 

 it. The prosperity to which you are destined is in- 

 deed great, and will be uninterrupted, when once you 

 Ihall have triumphed over, three succefsive convulsion 

 fits. The third will be so terrible that it will make 

 you tremble for your existence. Yet, if fortunately 

 you fhould master it, felicity is your own." Here the 

 pretended sorcerer broke off his conversation, and dis- 

 appeared in an instant, leaving his too easy hearer a 

 prey to melancholy and disquietude. The latter once 

 more rejoined his friends, and stated his adventure in 

 the style of one seriously alarmed. When they per- 

 ceived he was in earnest, they used every mecin in 

 their power to undeceive him, and to convince him 

 that the whole must have been the trick of a fool, or 

 a knave. But it was too late. The imprefsion had al- 

 ready stamped his imagination in a manner not to be 



