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phofes, which was faid to make Men effeminate, has been adopted as a Truth by feveral Authors, and among the rest by Tertullian, who has these Words; Salmacis, quæ mafculos molles (facit) i. e. Salmacis, which makes Men foft and womanih. But Vitruvius explains this Fiction thus. The Inhabitants of the Mountains, came down to the Fountain of Salmacis in order to dwell with the Greeks; and the latter being a polite and civiliz'd People, fofthed the rough and unpolish'd Manners of those Mountaineers.

The Phenix, has been treated of by a great number of venerable Authors as a real Bird, and among the reft by Herodotus who first mentioned it, and defcribes it as follows: "I ne ver, fays he, faw it but in Painting, and indeed 'tis not often seen in Egypt. The Heliopolitans fay, that he comes thither every five hundred Years, at the Death of his Parent: In cafe he refembles the Painting I “faw, he is about the bignefs of an Eagle, "and his Feathers of a gold Colour intermix'd "with red. Several improbable Particulars are related of this Bird, fuch as, that when he "comes from Arabia into the Temple of the Sun, he brings his Parent into it, enwrapp'd

in Myrrh, and buries him in that Temple; "that he makes the Vehicle as follows: He "firft works up a quantity of Myrrh into the

fhape of an Egg, and as heavy as he can carry, "and then makes a Trial with it; which being "done, he scoops or hollows it, and lays his Pa "rent therein, and then makes the Mafs juft as "heavy as it was at firft; and this being done,he **fhuts or covers it with Myrrh, and carries it "into the Temple of the Sun in Egypt."

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* Tertull, adv. Valent. n.15. p.296. Herodot. Lib.z. No. XVII. 1732. Our VOL. III.

Our Author gives us a Description of this Bird from Solinus, and Clemens Alexandrinus; and after taking notice of feveral ancient and modern Writers, who believ'd the real exiftence of the Phoenix, he then shows that the whole is a mere Fiction, and concludes his Arguments with thefe Words: The expofing and refuting a Story that has been in fuch credit, fhows how far the Credulity of Perfons of the greatest Genius and Learning will fometimes go; the furprifing Progrefs which a Fiction, related at first by one Writer only, will make; and on what occafions, we ought to look upon Incidents as falfe, tho' they have not only the Sanction of common Fame, but the Teftimony of Authors of reputed Veracity.

He afterwards relates fome idle Whimfies of Vanderbete, fuch as; that thofe who preferve the Ashes of their Forefathers, may raise Spectres or Phantoms in the fame Form and Shape they appear'd in when living: and that the Apparitions (as he tells us) which are fometimes feen in Churchyards, may iffue in a natural way from the Bodies buried in them. This Vanderbette had form'd a Syftem of Phyficks, which was founded on what he calls the Idea feminales, on feminal Ideas; and by thefe he pretends to account for the manner of the Refurrection at the laft Day.

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Our Author takes notice of the Story which is related of Mahomet's Tomb being fufpended aloft by a Loadstone, and fhows, from Bernier, the Impoffibility of fufpending in the Air a large weight of Iron; as he likewife does of a famous Property which is related of the Loadstone, viz. That two Perfons at a great diftance from one another, may communicate their Thoughts reciprocally,

procally, by each having a Sea-Compass along with him, on which the twenty-four Letters of the Alphabet are written for (say these fictitious Writers) at the fame time that the Needle in one Compass, is turn'd to a Letter writ on the Brim or Side of it; the Needle in the other Compafs will point to the very fame Letter, and confequently the Perfons thus abfent may hold a filent Converse.

After this he mentions feveral fictitious Tales, which Aulus Gellius tells us he had read in Authors of great repute; how, that in the Countries fituated in the North, Men were seen who are fo many Cyclops, or had but one Eye in their Forehead. That in Albania, there were Men who faw better in the Night than in the Day: That in Africa there were whole Families whose Voices only bewitch'd People; infomuch, that if any of these applauded, as they were going along, the Beauty of Trees, the Fruitfulness of a Harveft, a pretty Child, a good Horfe, &c. these all died immediately, without any farther Ceremony. That the bare Glance of fome of the Inhabitants of both Sexes of Illyria, was mortal; and that in each Eye of these Persons there were two Eye-balls. That fome Indians had a Head fhap'd almoft like that of a Dog, and bark'd like one: that others were without either Neck or Head, having their Eyes in their Shoulders and, what was most wonderful, a People were feen, whofe Bodies were hairy, and cover'd with Feathers like thofe of Birds; and liv'd on no other Suftenance than the Odour of Flowers. Gentem esse corporibus birtis & avium plumantibus, nullo cibatu vefcentem, sed spiritu florum naribus baufto victitantem, &c. Noc, Attic. Lib. 9. Ch. 4.

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We fhall not take notice of the Woman at Lisbon, whofe Eyes were fo piercing, that fhe could fee through the Earth at any depth, &c. we having already mention'd it in a former Journal; nor of the famous Rabbit-Woman of Godalmin, her Story being fo fresh in the Minds of all People.

The learned Father, in the third Chapter, obferves, that moft Authors write with a view to their own Wants, rather than for Fame, or the Inftruction of the Publick; Fami non Fame, as Thuanus fays. The Aim of others is merely to difplay their Erudition, and to fhow, they have collected, all that has, or can be faid, on the Subject they write upon. The latter are fond of appearing very learned; the former fwell their Works in the fhortest time poffible, and don't allow themfelves leifure to examine what they advance. Both tranfmit to pofterity a great number of Untruths, but which are afterwards look'd upon as fupported by a kind of general Confent. Hence it is that People are fo apt to give credit to Fictions.

'Tis an unhappy Circumftance, that we should be oblig'd to fufpect the Veracity of Compilers, and even of Hiftorians of Reputation and Figure! And yet nothing can be more neceffary than this diftruft, if we may believe the gravest Authors.

Diodorus Siculus look'd upon all the Writers who preceded him as fabulous. Hellanicus, fays he in his firft Book, and Cadmus, Hecateus quoque & id genus prifci omnes ad fabulofas afferti ones declinarunt. Strabo likewife accufes of Falfhood, those who had written concerning India; without excepting the celebrated Me gasthenes

gasthenes, whofe Work is quoted by fo many of the Ancients, but is loft.

In the fixth Chapter, our Author obferves, That as we cannot eafily judge of the Truth or Falfhood of what is told us concerning far-diftant Countries; we ought to be very cautious how we give too much credit to the relations of Travellers; and that 'twould be of great fervice to the Publick, to prevent thefe from fpreading their Untruths. That not long fince the Impreffion of one of thefe fabulous Travels was ftopt; and it were, fays he, to be wifh'd, that all others in the fame Caft fhould meet with the like Treatment. He then prefents us with an Extract or two from the Voyages of John Struys into Muscovy, Tartary, Perfia, &c. and among other particulars, with what this fabulous Tra veller relates to have feen in the Ifland of Formofa, viz. That all the Inhabitants of the fouthern part of that land, have a long Tail like that of an Ox hanging at their Backs. He concludes with faying, it were to be wish'd, that the Fictions with which Lucas has interfperfed his Travels, had been exploded; however, fays he, this Writer had no need of being criticifed; for the Publick have been put fo much out of conceit with his Writings, that very few People will give credit to fuch Particulars as he has related with Truth and Sincerity.

The Subject of the feventh Chapter is, of the Medium we are to obferve between over-great Credulity and Incredulity; or an Obftinacy to believe nothing of an extraordinary and wonderful Nature; together with fome Reflections on the manner of difcovering whether thefe extraordinary Incidents are true, with Examples. The anfwer which is made to fuch as laugh and Ii3

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