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第24节

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avert evil; I was not informed。  The Minister is now living by whom
the practice was abolished。

They have still among them a great number of charms for the cure of
different diseases; they are all invocations; perhaps transmitted
to them from the times of popery; which increasing knowledge will
bring into disuse。

They have opinions; which cannot be ranked with superstition;
because they regard only natural effects。  They expect better crops
of grain; by sowing their seed in the moon's increase。  The moon
has great influence in vulgar philosophy。  In my memory it was a
precept annually given in one of the English Almanacks; 'to kill
hogs when the moon was increasing; and the bacon would prove the
better in boiling。'

We should have had little claim to the praise of curiosity; if we
had not endeavoured with particular attention to examine the
question of the Second Sight。  Of an opinion received for centuries
by a whole nation; and supposed to be confirmed through its whole
descent; by a series of successive facts; it is desirable that the
truth should be established; or the fallacy detected。

The Second Sight is an impression made either by the mind upon the
eye; or by the eye upon the mind; by which things distant or future
are perceived; and seen as if they were present。  A man on a
journey far from home falls from his horse; another; who is perhaps
at work about the house; sees him bleeding on the ground; commonly
with a landscape of the place where the accident befalls him。
Another seer; driving home his cattle; or wandering in idleness; or
musing in the sunshine; is suddenly surprised by the appearance of
a bridal ceremony; or funeral procession; and counts the mourners
or attendants; of whom; if he knows them; he relates the names; if
he knows them not; he can describe the dresses。  Things distant are
seen at the instant when they happen。  Of things future I know not
that there is any rule for determining the time between the Sight
and the event。

This receptive faculty; for power it cannot be called; is neither
voluntary nor constant。  The appearances have no dependence upon
choice:  they cannot be summoned; detained; or recalled。  The
impression is sudden; and the effect often painful。

By the term Second Sight; seems to be meant a mode of seeing;
superadded to that which Nature generally bestows。  In the Earse it
is called Taisch; which signifies likewise a spectre; or a vision。
I know not; nor is it likely that the Highlanders ever examined;
whether by Taisch; used for Second Sight; they mean the power of
seeing; or the thing seen。

I do not find it to be true; as it is reported; that to the Second
Sight nothing is presented but phantoms of evil。  Good seems to
have the same proportions in those visionary scenes; as it obtains
in real life:  almost all remarkable events have evil for their
basis; and are either miseries incurred; or miseries escaped。  Our
sense is so much stronger of what we suffer; than of what we enjoy;
that the ideas of pain predominate in almost every mind。  What is
recollection but a revival of vexations; or history but a record of
wars; treasons; and calamities?  Death; which is considered as the
greatest evil; happens to all。  The greatest good; be it what it
will; is the lot but of a part。

That they should often see death is to be expected; because death
is an event frequent and important。  But they see likewise more
pleasing incidents。  A gentleman told me; that when he had once
gone far from his own Island; one of his labouring servants
predicted his return; and described the livery of his attendant;
which he had never worn at home; and which had been; without any
previous design; occasionally given him。

Our desire of information was keen; and our inquiry frequent。  Mr。
Boswell's frankness and gaiety made every body communicative; and
we heard many tales of these airy shows; with more or less evidence
and distinctness。

It is the common talk of the Lowland Scots; that the notion of the
Second Sight is wearing away with other superstitions; and that its
reality is no longer supposed; but by the grossest people。  How far
its prevalence ever extended; or what ground it has lost; I know
not。  The Islanders of all degrees; whether of rank or
understanding; universally admit it; except the Ministers; who
universally deny it; and are suspected to deny it; in consequence
of a system; against conviction。  One of them honestly told me;
that he came to Sky with a resolution not to believe it。

Strong reasons for incredulity will readily occur。  This faculty of
seeing things out of sight is local; and commonly useless。  It is a
breach of the common order of things; without any visible reason or
perceptible benefit。  It is ascribed only to a people very little
enlightened; and among them; for the most part; to the mean and the
ignorant。

To the confidence of these objections it may be replied; that by
presuming to determine what is fit; and what is beneficial; they
presuppose more knowledge of the universal system than man has
attained; and therefore depend upon principles too complicated and
extensive for our comprehension; and that there can be no security
in the consequence; when 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 communicative 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 has 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 nowhere totally unknown; and that
where we are unable to decide by antecedent reason; we must be
content to yield to the force of testimony。

By pretension to Second Sight; no profit was ever sought or gained。
It is an involuntary affection; in which neither hope nor fear are
known to have any part。  Those who profess to feel it; do not boast
of it as a privilege; nor are considered by others as
advantageously distinguished。  They have no temptation to feign;
and their hearers have no motive to encourage the imposture。

To talk with any of these seers is not easy。  There is one living
in Sky; with whom we would have gladly conversed; but he was very
gross and ignorant; and knew no English。  The proportion in these
countries of the poor to the rich is such; that if we suppose the
quality to be accidental; it can very rarely happen to a man of
education; and yet on such men it has sometimes fallen。  There is
now a Second Sighted gentleman in the Highlands; who complains of
the terrors to which he is exposed。

The foresight of the Seers is not always prescience; they are
impressed with images; of which the event only shews them the
meaning。  They tell what they have seen to others; who are at that
time not more knowing than themselves; but may become at last very
adequate witnesses; by comparing the narrative with its
verification。

To collect sufficient testimonies for the satisfaction of the
publick; or of ourselves; would have required more time than we
could bestow。  There is; against it; the seeming analogy of things
confusedly seen; and little understood; and for it; the indistinct
cry of national persuasion; which may be perhaps resolved at last
into prejudice and tradition。  I never could advance my curiosity
to conviction; but came away at last only willing to believe。

As there subsists no longer in the Islands much of that peculiar
and discriminative form of life; of which the idea had delighted
our imagination; we were willing to listen to such accounts of past
times as would be given us。  But we soon found what memorials were
to be expected from an illiterate people; whose whole time is a
series of distress; where every morning is labouring with
expedients for the evening; and where all mental pains or pleasure
arose from the dread of winter; the expectation of spring; the
caprices of their Chiefs; and the motions of the neighbouring
clans; where there was neither shame from ignorance; nor pride in
knowledge; neither curiosity to inquire; nor vanity to communicate。

The Chiefs indeed were exempt from urgent penury; and daily
difficulties; and in their houses were preserved what accounts
remained of past ages。  But the Chiefs were sometimes ignorant and
careless; and sometimes kept busy by turbulence and contention; and
one generation of ignorance effaces the whole series of unwritten
history。  Books are faithful repositories; which may be a while
neglected or forgotten; but when they are opened again; will again
impart their instruction:  memory; once interrupted; is not to be
recalled。  Written learning is a fixed luminary; which; after the
cloud that had hidden it has past away; is again bright in its
proper station。  Tradition is but a meteor; which; if once it
falls; cannot be rekindled。

It seems to be uni

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