202 SUPEESTITION. [ix. 



It is necessary to premise this, because many are of 

 opinion that superstition is a corruption of religion ; 

 and though they would agree that as such, " corruptio 

 optimi pessima," yet they would look on religion as 

 the state of spiritual health, and superstition as one of 

 spiritual disease. 



Others again, holding the same notion, but not con- 

 sidering that <e corruptio optimi pessima," have been in 

 all ages somewhat inclined to be merciful to super- 

 stition, as a child of reverence ; as a mere accidental 

 misdirection of one of the noblest and most wholesome 

 faculties of man. 



This is not the place wherein to argue with either 

 of these parties : and I shall simply say that supersti- 

 tion seems to me altogether a physical affection, as 

 thoroughly material and corporeal as those of eating 

 or sleeping, remembering or dreaming. 



After this, it will be necessary to define supersti- 

 tion, in order to have some tolerably clear under- 

 standing of what we are talking about. I beg leave to 

 define it as Fear of the unknown. 



Johnson, who was no dialectician, and, moreover, 

 superstitious enough himself, gives eight different 

 definitions of the word; which is equivalent to con- 

 fessing his inability to define it at all : 



"1. Unnecessary fear or scruples in religion; ob- 

 servance of unnecessary and uncommanded rites or 

 practices ; religion without morality. 



"2. False religion; reverence of beings not proper 

 objects of reverence; false worship. 



" 3. Over nicety; exactness too scrupulous/' 



Eight meanings; which, on the principle that eight 

 eighths, or indeed eight hundred, do not make one 



