2,68 ON THE TRANSMIGRATION OP SOULS. 



to have in reality feen all that they have fancied in their 



dreams 



A fecond experience from whence they conclude of 

 the foul's roaming about, is in the extafies of their 

 foothfayers or inchanters. Thefe impoftors, or> perhaps 

 more jufdy, thefe dupes to their own fancies and aweful 

 preparatives, can reduce themfelves to a fcate of entire 

 fufpenfion of all the fenfes and fenfations ; they let 

 themfelves be pricked, beaten , and even burnt, without 

 feeling it in the llighteft degree ; and they are at fuch 

 times fo very abfent, that they feem to be entirely un- 

 der the guidance of a foreign fpirit-f~. It would be of 

 confequence to the doctrine of immaterial fubftances, 

 fhould a phyiiological philofopher employ himfelf in J 

 making accurate obfervations on this flare ; but moll: 

 important of all, if fome one fhould make them who 

 has himfelf experienced fuch ravillimcnts and extafies. 

 By a certain exertion of mind a man may eafily fucceed 

 fo far as to prevent the ordinary feeble fenfations from 

 reaching the foul, and we meet with perfons who are 

 much difpofed to fuch flights. By certain diftem- 

 pers it often happens that the outward duels to the 

 common fenforium are clofed up, and all fenfations 

 entirely removed. Confequently, thefe perfons mull, 

 by certain preparatives and practices, have acquired 

 the aptitude of fhaking and reverfing their brain in 

 fuch a manner, as that it is tranfported into a fpecies 



* Lafiteau, mofiirs des fauvages, torn. 1. p. 363. Gacillaflb 

 de la Vega, bidoire des yncas, liv, ii. chap. 7. 

 f Laiiteau, torn. U p. 303. 384. 



