Reader to attend with utmoft Perpenfity; for I now proceed to unravel this knotty Point.

THERE is in Mankind a certain

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+. And this I take to be a clear Solution of the Matter.

HAVING therefore fo narrowly paffed through this intricate Difficulty, the Reader will, I am fure, agree with me in the Conclufion, That, if the Moderns mean by Madness only a Disturbance or Tranfpofition of the Brain, by Force of certain Vapours iffuing up from the lower Faculties, then has this Madness been the Parent of all thofe mighty Revolutions that have happened in Empire, in Philosophy, and in Religion. For the Brain, in its natural Pofition and State of Serenity, difpofeth its Owner to país his Life in the common Forms, without any Thoughts of fubduing Multitudes to his own Power, his Reafons, or his Vi fons: And the more he shapes his Understanding by the Pattern of human Learning, the lefs he is inclined to form Parties after his particular Notions; be cause that inftructs him in his private Infirmities, as well as in the ftubborn Ignorance of the People. But when a Man's Fancy gets aftride on his Reafon, when Imagination is at Cuffs with the Senfes, and common Understanding, as well as common Senfe, is kicked out of Doors, the first Profelyte he makes, is himfelf; and when that is once compaffed, the Difficulty is not fo great in bringing over others; a ftrong Delufion always operating from without as vie gorously as from within. For Cant and Vifion are

† Here is another Defect in the Manufcript; but I think the Author did wifely, and that the Matter which thus strained his Faculties, was not worth a Solution; and it were well if all metaphyfical Cobweb Problems were no otherwife an fwered.

to the Ear and the Eye the fame that Tickling is to the Touch. Thofe Entertainments and Pleasures we most value in Life, are fuch as dupe and play the Wag with the Senfes. For if we take an Examination of what is generally understood by Happiness, as it has Refpect either to the Understanding or the Senses, we fhall find all its Properties and Adjuncts will herd under this fhort Definition, That it is a perpetual Poffeffion of being well deceived. And, firft, with Relation to the Mind or Understanding, 'tis manifeft what mighty Advantages Fiction has over Truth: and the Reafon is juft at our Elbow; because Imagination can build nobler Scenes, and produce more wonderful Revolutions, than Fortune or Nature will be at Expence to furnish. Nor is Mankind. fo much to blame in his Choice thus determining him, if we confider that the Debate merely lies between Things paft, and Things conceived. And fo the Queftion is only this: Whether Things that have Place in the Imagination, may not as properly be faid to exift, as thofe that are feated in the Memory? Which may be juftly held in the Affirmative: And very much to the Advantage of the former; fince this is acknow-. ledged to be the Womb of Things, and the other allowed to be no more than the Grave. Again, if we take this Definition of Happiness, and examine it with Reference to the Senfes, it will be acknowledged wonderfully adapt. How fading and infipid do all Objects accoft us that are not conveyed in the Vehi cle of Delufion? How fhrunk is every Thing as it appears in the Glafs of Nature? So that, if it were not for the Affiftance of artificial Mediums, falfe Lights, refracted Angles, Varnish, and Tinfel, there would be a mighty Level in the Felicity and Enjoyments of mortal Men. If this were ferioufly confidered by the World, as I have a certain Reason to fufpect it hardly will, Men would no longer reckon among their high Points of Wisdom, the Art of expofing weak Sides, and publishing Infirmities: An Employment, in my Opinion, neither better nor worse than that of

unmasking i

unmaking; which, I think, has never been allowed fair Ufage, either in the World or the Play-house.

In the Proportion that Credulity is a more peaceful Poffeffion of the Mind than Curiofity, fo far preferable is that Wisdom which converfes about the Surface, to that pretended Philofophy which enters into the Depth of Things, and then comes gravely back with Informations and Difcoveries, that in the Infide they are good for nothing. The two Senfes to which all Objects first addrefs themselves, are the Sight and the Touch. Thefe never examine farther than the Colour, the Shape, the Size, and whatever other Qualities dwell, or are drawn by Art upon the outward of Bodies; and then comes Reafon officioufly, with Tools for cutting, and opening, and mangling, and piercing, offering to demonftrate, that they are not of the fame Confiftence quite through. Now, I take all this to be the last Degree of perverting Nature; one of whofe eternal Laws it is, to put her beft Furniture forward. And therefore, in order to fave the Charges of all fuch expenfive Anatomy for the Time to come, I do here think fit to inform the Reader, that, in fuch Conclufions as these, Reafon is certainly in the Right; and that in moft corporeal Beings which have fallen under my Cognifance, the Outfide hath been infinitely preferable to the In. Whereof I have been farther convinced from fome late Experiments. Laft Week I faw a Woman fayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her Perfon for the worfe. Yefterday I ordered the Carcafs of a Beau to be ftript in my Pre fence; when we were all amazed to find fo many unfufpected Faults under one Suit of Cloaths. Then I laid open his Brain, his Heart, and his Spleen. But plainly perceived at every Operation, that the far

I

ther

we proceeded, we found the Defects increase pon us in Number and Bulk. From all which I justly formed this Conclufion to myfelf, That whatever Philofopher or Projector can find out an Art to fodder and patch up the Flaws and Imperfections of

Nature,

Nature, will defervé much better of Mankind, and teach us a more useful Science, than that fo much in prefent Efteem, of widening and expofing them, (like him who held Anatomy to be the ultimate End of Phyfick). And he whofe Fortunes and Difpofitions have placed him in a convenient Station to enjoy the Fruits of this noble Art; he that can, with Epicurus, content his Ideas with the Films and Images that fly off upon his Senfes from the Superficies of Things; fuch a Man truly wife, creams off Nature, leaving the four and the Dregs for Philofophy and Reafon to lap up. This is the fublime and refined Point of Felicity, called the Poffeffion of being well deceived; the ferene peaceful State of being a Fool among

Knaves.

BUT to return to Madness: It is certain, that, according to the System I have above deduced, every Species thereof proceeds from a Redundancy of Vapour; therefore, as fome Kinds of Phrenzy give double Strength to the Sinews, fo there are of other Species, which add Vigour, and Life, and Spirit, to the Brain. Now, it ufually happens, that these a&tive Spirits, getting Poffeffion of the Brain, resemble thofe that haunt other wafte and empty Dwellings, which, for Want of Bufinefs, either vanish, and carry away a Piece of the House, or else stay at home, and fling it all out of the Windows. By which are myftically displayed the two principal Branches of Madness; and which fome Philofophers, not confidering so well as I, have mistook to be different in their Caufes; over-haftily affigning the first to Deficiency, and the other to Redundance.

I think it therefore manifeft, from what I have here advanced, that the main Point of Skill and Address, is, to furnish Employment for this Redundancy of Vapour, and prudently to adjust the Seafons of it; by which Means it may certainly become of cardinal and catholick Emolument in a Commonwealth. Thus one Man, chufing a proper Juncture, leaps into a Gulph, from thence proceeds a Hero, and is called

the

the Saver of his Country: another atchieves the fame Enterprize; but unluckily timing it, has left the Brand of Madness fixed as a Reproach upon his Memory. Upon fo nice a Diftinction are we taught to repeat the Name of Curtius with Reverence and Love; that of Empedocles, with Hatred and Contempt. Thus alfo it is ufually conceived, that the elder Brutus only perfonated the Fool and Madman for the Good of the Publick. But this was nothing else than a Redundancy of the fame Vapour, long mifapplied, called by the Latins, ingenium par negotiis; or, (to tranflate it as nearly as I can), a fort of Phrenzy, never in its right Element till you take it up in the Bufinefs of the State.

UPON all which, and many other Reasons of equal Weight, though not equally curious, I do here gladly embrace an Opportunity I have long fought for, of recommending it as a very noble Undertaking, to Sir Ed S- —r, Sir Cr M- -ve, Sir JBls, Jn H, Efq; and other Patriotsconcerned, that they would move for Leave to bring in a Bill, for appointing Commiffioners to inspect into Bedlam, and the Parts adjacent; who fhall be impowered to fend for Perfons, Papers, and Records; to examine into the Merits and Qualifications of every Student and Profeffor; to observe with utmost Exactnefs their feveral Difpofitions and Behaviour; by which Means, duly distinguishing and adapting their Talents, they might produce admirable Inftruments for the feveral Offices in a State, * * civil and military; proceeding in fuch Methods as I fhall here humbly propofe. And I hope the gentle Reader will give fome Allowance to my great Solicitudes in this important Affair, upon account of that high Efteem I have ever borne that honourable Society, whereof I had fometime the Happiness to be an unworthy Member.

[Tacit.]

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