( i?7 ) 



A fick perfon often takes it into his head that 

 his difeafe is owing, to witchcraft, in which cafe 

 their whole attention is employed in difcovehng 

 ic, which is tire juggler's province. This per- 

 fonage begins with caufing himfelf to be fweat- 

 ed, and after he has quite fatigued himfelf with 

 lhouting, beating himfelf, and invoking his ge- 

 nius, the firft out of the way thing that comes 

 into his head, is that to which he attributes the 

 caufe of the difeafe. There are fome who, be- 

 fore they enter the ftove, take a draught of a com- 

 pofition very proper, fay they, for difpofing them 

 to receive the divine impulfe, and they pretend 

 that the advent of the fpirit, is made manifeft 

 by a rufhing wind, which fuddenly arifes ; or 

 by a bellowing heard under ground \ or by the 

 agitation and fhaking of the Hove. Then full of 

 his pretended divinity, and more like a perfon 

 pofTefTed by the devil than one infpired of heaven, 

 he pronounces in a pofitive tone of voice on the 

 ftate of the patient, and fometimes gueffes tolerably 

 juft. 



The fraternity of quacks have devifed a very 

 fmgular method of exempting themfelves from 

 being refponfible for events. As foon as they 

 fee the patient in danger of dying, they never 

 fail to give a prefcription., the execution of which 

 is fo difficult, as to be almoft impoftible to per- 

 form .vith any degree of exaclnefs, fo that they 

 eafily find fome omiffion to juftify themfelves. 

 It is fcarce conceivable what extravagancies they 

 prefcribe on thofe occafions ; foine patients 

 they order to counterfeit madnefs in certain 

 difeafes they prefcribe dances, generally extreme- 



Vol. II. N ly 



