G90 
SECOND-SIGHT. 
new tinctures of the marvellous from every mouth that promotes their 
' circulation. 
“ As to the prophetical nature of this second-sight, it cannot be 
admitted at all, that the Deity should work a miracle in order to 
give an intimation of the frivolous things that these tales are made up 
of, — the arrival of a stranger, the nailing of a coffin, or the colour of 
a suit of clothes ; that these intimations should be given for no end, 
and to those persons who are idle and solitary, who speak Gaelic, or who 
live among mountains and deserts, is like nothing in nature or provi- 
dence that we are acquainted with, and must therefore, unless it were 
confirmed by satisfactory proof, which is not the case, be rejected 
as absurd and incredible. These visions, such as they are, may rea- 
sonably be ascribed to a distempered fancy. And that in them, as 
well as in ordinary dreams, certain appearances should, on some rare 
occasions, resemble certain events, is to be expected from the laws 
of chance ; and seems to have in it nothing more marvellous or 
supernatural, than that the parrot, who deals out his civilities at ran- 
dom, should sometimes happen to salute the passenger by his right 
appellation.” 
To the confidence of these objections Dr. Johnson replies, — “ that 
by presuming to determine what is fit, and what is beneficial, presup- 
poses more knowledge of the universal system than man has attained, 
and therefore, if we depend upon principles too complicated and exten- 
sive for our comprehension, there can be no security in the conse- 
quences, because the premises are not understood; that the second- 
sight is only wonderful because it is rare, for, considered in itself, it 
involves no more difficulty than dreams, or perhaps than the regular 
exercise of the cogitative faculty ; that a general opinion of commu- 
nicative impulses, or visionary representations, has prevailed in all 
ages and all nations ; that particular instances have been given, with 
such evidence as neither Bacon nor Bayle have been able to resist ; 
that sudden impressions, which the event has verified, have been felt 
by more than own or publish them ; that the second-sight of the 
Hebrides implies only the local frequency of a power which is no 
wffiere totally unknown ; and that where we are unable to decide by 
antecedent reasons, we must be content to yield to the force of testi- 
mony. By pretension to second-sight, no profit was ever sought or 
gained. It is an involuntary affection, in which neither hope nor 
fear is known to have any part. Those who profess to have it, do 
not boast of it as a privilege, nor are they considered by others as 
advantageously distinguished. They have no temptation to feign, 
and their hearers have no motive to encourage, the imposture.” Dr. 
Johnson also affirms, that the islanders of all degrees, whether of 
rank or of understanding, universally admit it, except the ministers, 
who, according to him, reject it in consequence of a system, against 
conviction. He affirms, too, that in 1773 there was in the Hebrides 
a second-sighted gentleman, who complained of the terrors to which 
he was exposed. 
On a subject involved in so much obscurity, and bordering so much 
on the marvellous, it is natural to suppose that a diversity of opinions 
would be entertained ; and as no decisive evidence can be adduced, 
