the black death and the dancing mania-第28节

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he　mind；　induced　by　religious　enthusiasm；　are　also　exciting　causes　of　these　fits；　but　like　all　such　false　tokens　of　divine　workings；　they　are　easily　encountered　by　producing　in　the　patient　a　different　frame　of　mind；　and　especially　by　exciting　a　sense　of　shame：　　thus　those　affected　are　under　the　control　of　any　sensible　preacher；　who　knows　how　to　〃administer　to　a　mind　diseased；〃　and　to　expose　the　folly　of　voluntarily　yielding　to　a　sympathy　so　easily　resisted；　or　of　inviting　such　attacks　by　affectation。　　An　intelligent　and　pious　minister　of　Shetland　informed　the　physician；　who　gives　an　account　of　this　disorder　as　an　eye…witness；　that　being　considerably　annoyed　on　his　first　introduction　into　the　country　by　these　paroxysms；　whereby　the　devotions　of　the　church　were　much　impeded；　he　obviated　their　repetition　by　assuring　his　parishioners　that　no　treatment　was　more　effectual　than　immersion　in　cold　water；　and　as　his　kirk　was　fortunately　contiguous　to　a　freshwater　lake；　he　gave　notice　that　attendants　should　be　at　hand　during　divine　service　to　ensure　the　proper　means　of　cure。　　The　sequel　need　scarcely　be　told。　　The　fear　of　being　carried　out　of　the　church；　and　into　the　water；　acted　like　a　charm；　not　a　single　Naiad　was　made；　and　the　worthy　minister　for　many　years　had　reason　to　boast　of　one　of　the　best　regulated　congregations　in　Scotland。　　As　the　physician　above　alluded　to　was　attending　divine　service　in　the　kirk　of　Baliasta；　on　the　Isle　of　Unst；　a　female　shriek；　the　indication　of　a　convulsion　fit；　was　heard；　the　minister；　Mr。　Ingram；　of　Fetlar；　very　properly　stopped　his　discourse　until　the　disturber　was　removed；　and　after　advising　all　those　who　thought　they　might　be　similarly　affected　to　leave　the　church；　he　gave　out　in　the　meantime　a　psalm。　　The　congregation　was　thus　preserved　from　further　interruption；　yet　the　effect　of　sympathy　was　not　prevented；　for　as　the　narrator　of　the　account　was　leaving　the　church　he　saw　several　females　writhing　and　tossing　about　their　arms　on　the　green　grass；　who　durst　not；　for　fear　of　a　censure　from　the　pulpit；　exhibit　themselves　after　this　manner　within　the　sacred　walls　of　the　kirk。

In　the　production　of　this　disorder；　which　no　doubt　still　exists；　fanaticism　certainly　had　a　smaller　share　than　the　irritable　state　of　women　out　of　health；　who　only　needed　excitement；　no　matter　of　what　kind；　to　throw　them　into　prevailing　nervous　paroxysms。　　When；　however；　that　powerful　cause　of　nervous　disorders　takes　the　lead；　we　find　far　more　remarkable　symptoms　developed；　and　it　then　depends　on　the　mental　condition　of　the　people　among　whom　they　appear　whether　in　their　spread　they　shall　take　a　narrow　or　an　extended　rangewhether　confined　to　some　small　knot　of　zealots　they　are　to　vanish　without　a　trace；　or　whether　they　are　to　attain　even　historical　importance。

5。　　The　appearance　of　the　Convulsionnaires　in　France；　whose　inhabitants；　from　the　greater　mobility　of　their　blood；　have　in　general　been　the　less　liable　to　fanaticism；　is　in　this　respect　instructive　and　worthy　of　attention。　　In　the　year　1727　there　died　in　the　capital　of　that　country　the　Deacon　Paris；　a　zealous　opposer　of　the　Ultramontanists；　division　having　arisen　in　the　French　Church　on　account　of　the　bull　〃Unigenitus。〃　　People　made　frequent　visits　to　his　tomb　in　the　cemetery　of　St。　Medard；　and　four　years　afterwards　（in　September；　1731）　a　rumour　was　spread　that　miracles　took　place　there。　　Patients　were　seized　with　convulsions　and　tetanic　spasms；　rolled　upon　the　ground　like　persons　possessed；　were　thrown　into　violent　contortions　of　their　heads　and　limbs；　and　suffered　the　greatest　oppression；　accompanied　by　quickness　and　irregularity　of　pulse。　　This　novel　occurrence　excited　the　greatest　sensation　all　over　Paris；　and　an　immense　concourse　of　people　resorted　daily　to　the　above…named　cemetery　in　order　to　see　so　wonderful　a　spectacle；　which　the　Ultramontanists　immediately　interpreted　as　a　work　of　Satan；　while　their　opponents　ascribed　it　to　a　divine　influence。　　The　disorder　soon　increased；　until　it　produced；　in　nervous　women；　clairvoyance　（Schlafwachen）；　a　phenomenon　till　then　unknown；　for　one　female　especially　attracted　attention；　who；　blindfold；　and；　as　it　was　believed；　by　means　of　the　sense　of　smell；　read　every　writing　that　was　placed　before　her；　and　distinguished　the　characters　of　unknown　persons。　　The　very　earth　taken　from　the　grave　of　the　Deacon　was　soon　thought　to　possess　miraculous　power。　　It　was　sent　to　numerous　sick　persons　at　a　distance；　whereby　they　were　said　to　have　been　cured；　and　thus　this　nervous　disorder　spread　far　beyond　the　limits　of　the　capital；　so　that　at　one　time　it　was　computed　that　there　were　more　than　eight　hundred　decided　Convulsionnaires；　who　would　hardly　have　increased　so　much　in　numbers　had　not　Louis　XV　directed　that　the　cemetery　should　be　closed。　　The　disorder　itself　assumed　various　forms；　and　augmented　by　its　attacks　the　general　excitement。　　Many　persons；　besides　suffering　from　the　convulsions；　became　the　subjects　of　violent　pain；　which　required　the　assistance　of　their　brethren　of　the　faith。　　On　this　account　they；　as　well　as　those　who　afforded　them　aid；　were　called　by　the　common　title　of　Secourists。　The　modes　of　relief　adopted　were　remarkably　in　accordance　with　those　which　were　administered　to　the　St。　John's　dancers　and　the　Tarantati；　and　they　were　in　general　very　rough；　for　the　sufferers　were　beaten　and　goaded　in　various　parts　of　the　body　with　stones；　hammers；　swords；　clubs；　&c。；　of　which　treatment　the　defenders　of　this　extraordinary　sect　relate　the　most　astonishing　examples　in　proof　that　severe　pain　is　imperatively　demanded　by　nature　in　this　disorder　as　an　effectual　counter…irritant。　　The　Secourists　used　wooden　clubs　in　the　same　manner　as　paviors　use　their　mallets；　and　it　is　stated　that　some　Convulsionnaires　have　borne　daily　from　six　to　eight　thousand　blows　thus　inflicted　without　danger。　　One　Secourist　administered　to　a　young　woman　who　was　suffering　under　spasm　of　the　stomach　the　most　violent　blows　on　that　part；　not　to　mention　other　similar　cases　which　occurred　everywhere　in　great　numbers。　　Sometimes　the　patients　bounded　from　the　ground；　impelled　by　the　convulsions；　like　fish　when　out　of　water；　and　this　was　so　frequently　imitated　at　a　later　period　that　the　women　and　girls；　when　they　expected　such　violent　contortions；　not　wishing　to　appear　indecent；　put　on　gowns　make　like　sacks；　closed　at　the　feet。　　If　they　received　any　bruises　by　falling　down　they　were　healed　with　earth　from　the　grave　of　the　uncanonised　saint。　　They　usually；　however；　showed　great　agility　in　this　respect；　and　it　is　scarcely　necessary　to　remark　that　the　female　sex　especially　was　distinguished　by　all　kinds　of　leaping　and　almost　inconceivable　contortions　of　body。　　Some　spun　round　on　their　feet　with　incredible　rapidity；　as　is　related　of　the　dervishes；　others　ran　their　heads　against　walls；　or　curved　their　bodies　like　rope…　dancers；　so　that　their　heels　touched　their　shoulders。

All　this　degenerated　at　length　into　decided　insanity。　　A　certain　Convulsionnaire；　at　Vernon；　who　had　formerly　led　rather　a　loose　course　of　life；　employed　herself　in　confessing　the　other　sex；　in　other　places　women　of　this　sect　were　seen　imposing　exercises　of　penance　on　priests；　during　which　these　were　compelled　to　kneel　before　them。　　Others　played　with　children's　rattles；　or　drew　about　small　carts；　and　gave　to　these　childish　acts　symbolical　significations。　　One　Convulsionnaire　even　made　believe　to　shave　her　chin；　and　gave　religious　instruction　at　the　same　time；　in　order　to　imitate　Paris；　the　worker　of　miracles；　who；　during　this　operation；　and　whilst　at　table；　was　in　the　habit　of　preaching。　Some　had　a　board　placed　across　their　bodies；　upon　which　a　whole　row　of　men　stood；　and　as；　in　this　unnatural　state　of　mind；　a　kind　of　pleasure　is　derived　from　excruciating　pain；　some　too　were　seen　who　caused　their　bosoms　to　be　pinched　with　tongs；　while　others；　with　gowns　closed　at　the　feet；　stood　upon　their　heads；　and　remained　in　that　position　longer　than　would　have　been　possible　had　they　been　in　health。　　Pinault；　the　advocate；　who　belonged　to　this　sect；　barked　like　a　dog　some　hours　every　day；　and　even　this　found　imitation　among　the　believers。

The　insanity　of　the　Convulsionnaires　lasted　without　interruption　until　the　year　1790；　and　during　these　fifty…nine　years　called　forth　more　lamentable　phenomena　that　the　enlightened　spirits　of　the　eighteenth　century　would　be　willing　to　allow。　　The　grossest　immorality　found　in　the　secret　meetings　of　the　believers　a　sure　sanctuary；　and　in　their　bewildering　devotional　exercises　a　convenient　cloak。　　It　was　of　no　avail　that；　in　the　year　1762；　the　Grand　Secours　was　forbidden　by　act　of　parliament；　for　thenceforth　this　work　was　carried　on　in　secrecy；　and　with　greater　zeal　than　ever；　it　was　in　vain；　too；　that　some　physicians；　and　among　the　rest　the　austere；　pious　Hecquet；　and　after　him　Lorry；　attributed　the　conduct　of　the　Convulsionnaires　to　natural　causes。　　Men　of　distinction　among　the　upper　classes；　as；　for　instance；　Montgeron　the　deputy；　and　Lambert　an　ecclesiastic　（obt。　1813）；　stood　forth　as　the　defenders　of　this　sect；　and　the　numerous　writings　which　were　exchanged　on　the　subject　served；　by　the　importance　which　they　thus　attached　to　it；　to　give　it　stability。　　The　revolution　finally　shook　the　structure　of　t