PREFACE. XI 



every smoker knows how soon a pound of tobacco 

 vanishes into thin air when he tunes his thoughts 

 on such a capacious avena, however sweet it may- 

 be ex magno tollere ccervo. 



IMoreover, Mr. Holly accredits the assumption 

 of his friend Mr. Lizars, in holding forth the 

 dread of impending mania to the unfortunate 

 smoker ! 



This is a solemn matter. Let these men, and 

 the whole confraternity now scribbling in the 

 * Lancet,' beware of the terrible responsibilities they 

 incur in thus suddenly and with set purpose doing 

 their utmost to frighten the nation — to involve it 

 in terrors like that of a "nocturnal fear" and 

 " a noon-day devil " — from which no man can flee 

 in his utter bewilderment ! It is sometimes a 

 fearful thing to impart even an idea to certain 

 minds — nay, any unusual exhibition may often 

 involve serious mental results to a spectator. 

 Esquirol assures us that " a lady, being present 

 at a phantasmagoria, instantly imagined herself 

 surrounded with goblins ; a young man, assisting 

 at an experiment, believes himself in subjection 

 to the electric action which causes his imaginary 



