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magical incantations remain in Lapland: in the more remote parts of Scotland they have their SECOND SIGHT*; and feveral of our own countrymen have seen abundance of fairies. In Afia this credulity is ftrong: and the greatest part of refined learning there confifts in the knowledge of amulets, talismans, occult numbers, and the like.

When I was at Grand Cairo I fell into the acquaintance of a good-natured muffulman, who promised me many good offices which he defigned to do me when he became prime minister, which was a fortune beftowed on his imagination by a doctor very deep in the curious fciences. At his repeated folicitations I went to learn my destiny of this wonderful fage. For a small fum I had his promise, but was defired to wait in a dark apartment until he had run through the paratory ceremonies. Having a ftrong propenfity, even then, to dreaming, I took a nap upon the fofa where I was placed, and had the following vision, the particulars whereof I picked up the other day among my papers.

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I found myself in an unbounded plain, where methought the whole world, in feveral habits

The notion of the Second Sight might originally have been no more than a poetical fiction of Offian, or fome Highland bard, to illuftrate an unfortunate fuperiority of the knowing and ftudious over the illiterate and inconfiderate. Knowledge and ftudy make men Seers, and open to their eyes many painful fights which the vulgar and thoughtless fee not, or cannot fee." In much ftudy there is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increafeth forrow."

ANEPIGRAPHUS, Jun. "De Sapientiâ Veterum." p. 182. See Dr. JOHNSON'S "Tour through Scotland."

and with different tongues, was affembled. The multitude glided fwiftly along, and I found in myself a strong inclination to mingle in the train. My eyes quickly fingled out fome of the most fplendid figures. Several in rich caftains and glittering turbans buftled through the throng, and trampled over the bodies of thofe they threw down; until, to my great furprise, I found that the great pace they went only haftened them to a fcaffold or a bowftring. Many beautiful damfels on the other fide moved forward with great gaiety; fome danced until they fell all along; and others painted their faces until they loft their nofes. A tribe of creatures with bufy looks falling into a fit of laughter at the misfortunes of the unhappy ladies, I turned my eyes upon them. They were each of them filling his pockets with gold and jewels; and, when there was no room left for more, these wretches, looking round with fear and horror, pined away before my face with famine and difcontent,

This profpect of human mifery ftruck me dumb for fome miles. Then it was that, to difburden my mind, I took pen and ink, and did every thing that hath fince happened under my office of SPECTATOR. While I was employing myself for the good of mankind, I was furprised to meet with very unfuitable returns from my fellow-creatures. Never was poor author fo befet with pamphleteers, who fometimes marched directly against me, but oftener fhot at me from ftrong bulwarks, or rose up fuddenly in ambush. They were of all characters and capacities; fome with enfigns of dignity,

dignity, and others in liveries: but what moft furprised me was to fee two or three in black gowns among my enemies. It was no fmall trouble to me, fometimes to have a man come up to me with an angry face, and reproach me for having lampooned him, when I had never seen or heard of him in my life. With the ladies it was otherwife: many became my enemies for not being particularly pointed out; as there were others who refented the fatire which they imagined I had directed against them. My great comfort was in the company of half a dozen friends, who I found fince, were the Club which I have fo often mentioned in my Papers. I laughed often at Sir Roger in my fleep, and was the more diverted with Will Honeycomb's gallantries (when we afterwards. became acquainted), because I had foreseen his marriage with a farmer's daughter. The regret which arofe in my mind upon the death of my companions, my anxieties for the public, and the many calamities ftill fleeting before my eyes, made me repent my curiofity; when the magician entered the room, and awakened me, by telling me (when it was too late) that he was just going to begin.

N. B. I have only delivered the prophecy of that part of my life which is paft, it being inconvenient to divulge the fecond part until a more proper opportunity.

The hirelings and black gowns employed by the admi hiftration in the laft years of the Queen's reign, Dr. Swifty Prior, Atterbury, Dr. Freind, Dr. King, Mr. Oldifworth, Mrs. D. Manley, and the writers of the Examiner, &c. See TAT. with notes, No 229, vol. VI. p. 106, Note. and vol. V▲ No 210, p. 306, Note.

N° 605.

N° 605. Monday, October 11, 1714.

Exuerint fylveftrem animum; cultuque frequenti,
In quafcunque voces artes, haud tarda fequentur.
VIRG. Georg. ii. 51.

They change their favage mind,
Their wildernefs lofe, and, quitting Nature's part,
Obey the rules and difcipline of art.'

H

DRYDEN.

AVING perufed the following letter, and finding it to run upon the fubject of love, I referred it to the learned cafuift, whom I have retained in my fervice for Speculations of that kind. He returned it to me the next morning with his report annexed to it, with both of which I fhall here prefent my reader.

F

Mr. SPECTATOR,

INDING that you have entertained an ufeful perfon in your fervice in quality * of Love-Cafuift*, I apply myself to you, under a very great difficulty, that hath for fome 'months perplexed me. I have a couple of hum'ble fervants, one of which I have no averfion to; the other I think of very kindly. The firft hath the reputation of a man of good fenfe, ' and is one of thofe people that your fex are apt to value. My fpark is reckoned a coxcomb among the men, but is a favourite of the ladies.

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See SPECT. N° 591, No 602, N° 614, N° 623, and N° 625. VOL. VIII. $

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If I marry the man of worth, as they call him, I fhall oblige my parents, and improve my fortune; but with my dear beau I promise myself happiness, although not a jointure. Now I 'would afk you, whether I fhould confent to lead my life with a man that I have only no objection to, or with him against whom all ob'jections to me appear frivolous. I am determined to follow the cafuift's advice, and I dare fay he will not put me upon fo ferious a thing as matrimony contrary to my inclination. 'I am, &c.

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FANNY FICKLE.

P. S. I forgot to tell you that the pretty gentleman is the most complaifant creature in the world, and is always of my mind; but the • other, forfooth, fancies he has as much wit as myself, flights my lapdog, and hath the infolence to contradict me when he thinks I am not in the right. About half an hour ago he maintained to my face that a patch always implies a pimple.

As I look upon it to be my duty rather to fide with the parents than the daughter, I shall propofe fome confiderations to my gentle querift, which may incline her to comply with thofe under whofe direction fhe is: and at the fame time convince her that it is not impoffible but fhe may, in time, have a true affection for him who is at prefent indifferent to her; or, to use the old family maxim, that, "if fhe marries "firft, love will come after."

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