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fhadows and emblems of the whole mystery, as well as trophies fet up by the female conquerors. Laftly, in a certain town of Attica, the whole folemnity, ftripped of all its types, was performed in puris naturalibus; the votaries not flying in covies, but forted into couples. The fame may be farther conjectured from the death of Orpheus, one of the inftitutors of these mysteries; who was torn in pieces by women, because he refused to communicate his orgies to them ; which others explained, by telling us, he had caftrated himfelf upon grief for the lofs of his wife.

Omitting many others of lefs note, the next Fanatics we meet with of any eminence, were the numerous fects of heretics, appearing in the five, first centuries of the Chriftian ara, from Simon Magus and his followers, to thofe of Eutyches. I have collected their fyftems from infinite reading; and comparing them with thofe of their fucceffors in the feveral ages fince, I find there are certain bounds fet even to the irregularity of human thought, and thofe a great deal narrower than is commonly apprehended. For as they all frequently interfere, even in their wildeft ravings; fo there is one fundamental point, wherein they are fure to meet, as lines in a centre, and that is, the community of women. Great were their folicitudes in this matter; and C 3 they

*Dionyfia Brauronia.

Vid. Photium in excerptis è Conone..

they never failed of certain articles in their fchemes of worfhip, on purpofe to establish it.

The laft Fanatics of note, were those which ftarted up in Germany, a little after the reformation of Luther; fpringing, as mushrooms do at the end of a harvest. Such were John of Leyden, David George, Adam Neufter, and many others; whofe vifions and revelations always terminated in leading about half a dozen fifters apiece, and making that practice a fundamental part of their fyftem. For, human life is a continual navigation; and if we expect our veffels to pafs with fafety, through the waves and tempefts of this fluctuating world, it is neceffary to make a good provision of the flib, as feamen lay in ftore of beef for a long voyage.

Now, from this brief furvey of fome principal fects among the Fanatics in all ages, (having omitted the Mahometans, and others, who might alfo help to confirm the argument I am about ;); to which I might add several among ourselves, fuch as the family of love, fweet fingers of Ifrael, and the like; and, from reflecting upon that fundamental point in their doctrines, about women, wherein they have fo unanimously agreed; I am apt to imagine, that the feed or principle, which has ever put men upon vifions in. things invifible, is of a corporeal nature. For, the profounder chemifts inform us, that the strongest fpirits may be extracted from human flesh. Befides, the spinal marrow, being nothing else but

a con

a continuation of the brain, muft needs create a very free communication between the fuperior faculties and thofe below: and thus, the thorn in the flefs ferves for a spur to the spirit. I think it is agreed among phyficians, that nothing affects the head fo much, as a tentiginous humour, repelled and elated to the upper region, found, by daily practice, to run frequently up into madness. A very eminent member of the faculty affured me, that when the Quakers first appeared, he feldom was without fome female patients among them, for the furor Perfons of a vifionary devotion, either men or women, are, in their complexion, of all others, the moft amorous.. For zeal is frequently kindled from the fame fpark with other fires; and, from inflaming brotherly love, will proceed to raise that of a gallant.. If we infpect into the ufual procefs of modern. courtship, we fhall find it to confift in a devout turn of the eyes, called ogling; an artificial form of canting and whining, by rote, every interval, for want of other matter, made up with a fhrug, or a hum; a figh or a groan; the style compact. of infignificant words, incoherences, and repetition. Thefe I take to be the moft accomplished rules of address to a mistress, and where are these performed with more dexterity, than by the faints? Nay, to bring this argument yet clofer, I have been informed by certain fanguine brethren of the firft clafs, that, in the height and orgafmus

orgafinus of their fpiritual exercife, it has been frequent with them ******; immediately after which, they found the spirit to relax and flag of a fudden with the nerves, and they were forced to haften to a conclufion. This may be farther ftrengthened, by obferving with wonder, how unaccountably all females are attracted by vifionary or enthufiaftic preachers, though never fo contemptible in their outward mien; which is ufually fupposed to be done upon confiderations purely fpiritual, without any carnal regards at all. But, I have reason to think, the fex hath certain characteristics, by which they form a truer judgment of human abilities and performings, than we ourfelves can poffibly do of each other.

Let that be

as it will, thus much is certain, that, however fpiritual intrigues begin, they generally conclude like all others; they may branch upwards towards heaven, but the root is in the earth. Too intenfe a contemplation is not the bufinefs of flesh and blood; it must, by the neceffary courfe of things, in a little time, let go its hold, and fall into matter. Lovers, for the fake of celeftial converfe, are but another fort of Platonics, who pretend to fee ftais and heaven in ladies eyes, and to look or think no lower; but the fame pit is provided for both. And they feem a perfect moral to the story of that philofopher, who, while his thoughts and eyes were fixed upon the conftellations, found himfelf feduced by his lower parts into a ditch.

I had

I had fomewhat more to say upon this part of the fubject; but the poft is just going, which forces me in great hafte to conclude,

Pray burn this

letter as foon

as it comes to your hands.

SIR,

Yours, &c.

AN

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