XV 



HASTY OBSERVATION 



"TTTHEN Boswell told Dr. Johnson that while 

 in Italy he had several times seen the ex- 

 periment tried of placing a scorpion within a circle 

 of burning coals, and that in every instance the scor- 

 pion, after trying to break through the fiery circle, 

 retired to the centre and committed suicide by dart- 

 ing its sting into its head, the doctor showed the true 

 scientific spirit by demanding further proof of the 

 fact. The mere testimony of the eye under such 

 circumstances was not enough ; appearances are often 

 deceptive. "If the great anatomist Morgagni," said 

 the doctor, "after dissecting a scorpion on which the 

 experiment had been tried, should certify that its 

 sting had penetrated its head, that would be convin- 

 cing." For almost the only time in his life the 

 superstitious doctor showed himself, I say, a true 

 scientist, a man refusing to accept the truth of ap- 

 pearances. 



But this frame of mind was not habitual to him, 

 for the next moment he said that swallows sleep all 

 winter in the bed of a river or pond, "conglobu- 

 lated " into a ball. The scientific spirit would have 

 required him to insist upon the proof of the alleged 



