explode every thing of an extraordinary nature, is as follows. Some Perfons, fays our Author, will cry, I never faw a Prodigy, nor any thing of a marvellous nature; and after this laugh at every thing that is related of this kind. To these I shall speak from Cicero in his firft Book de Natura Deorum, where he addreffes Epicurus in these Words: Let us therefore reject whatever History relates, and what we difcover by Reason; let those who live in inland Countries not believe there are Seas. How narrow are the Limits of your Mind! If you were a Native of Seriphos, and had never travell'd out of that Inland, in which you had feen only Hares and Foxes, would you believe there were fuch Beafts in the World as Lions and Panthers, when these fhould be defcrib'd to you? But if a Person was to speak to you of the Elephant, would you also think he laugh'd at you?

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In the feven remaining Chapters, the Author eftablishes Principles in order to judge whether an effect be natural, of a miraculous or fuperftitious kind. That 'tis not always poffible to distinguish natural effects from fuch as are fupernatural, &c. On this occafion he gives us two Incidents of a fingular kind. The first, that whilft St. Charles Borromeo was at Prayers, a wicked Wretch discharg'd a Musket with a defign to kill him; the Ball went thro' the Saint's Clothes, and put him to great pain, but was of no worfe confequence than leaving a red Mark on his Skin. The fecond, that the Marquis de St. Geniés, an Officer, who read the New Teftament with great Devotion, and always carried fome part of it in his Waistcoat Pocket, being ftruck with a Mufket-ball in an Engagement, the Ball only flew into his Pocket, and

the

the Leaves of the Teftament to this Paffage in it: She-touch'd the Border of his Garment, and immediately ber Iffue of Blood franched. Luke viii,

44.

The Author's Reflections on this Occafion are these One cannot abfolutely determine whether this is natural, or the effect of an immediate Protection. Chriftians have always allow'd the Ministry of good Angels; and as this Protection cannot be denied in certain Cafes ; and that good Chriftians have often experienc'd it, tho' in an invifible manner; it confequently prevents our diftinguishing fometimes whether an effect be purely natural or not- Poffibly these Inferences may not fatisfy all the Readers of our Journal.

In the twelfth Chapter, the Subject of which is, that a great number of Practices which for a long Series of Years have been look'd upon as natural, have at last been found to be the refult of Superftition; notice is taken of the Etites or EagleStone, which Diofcorides, in his fifth Book, relates to have been employ'd in the following manner for the Discovery of Thieves. This Stone being pounded, the Powder was mix'd up with Bread made for that purpose, when all the Perfons fufpected were oblig'd to eat of it; and 'twas affur'd, that he who had committed the Robbery, could not fwallow the Bread. This fuperftitious Ufage is of great Antiquity, as Dr. Gale has obferv'd in his Notes on Jamblicus. Zera and Peucer tell us, that Thieves were found out by the Motion of an Ax fix'd to a Stake or a long Pole. Many Perfons have made a trade to dif cover Robberies by an Aftrolabe; and feveral. Philofophers have fancied that they faw clearly into the Reafon of this Practice. Heaven, fay. thefe,

thefe, is a Book, in which all things paft, present and to come, are feen. 'Tis declar'd in Jofepbus and Origen, that Jacob had read in the Tables of Heaven: why therefore may one not read the worldly Events in thofe Tables which represent the Situation of the heavenly Bodies ? What a number of Fooleries, fays our Author, have been related by Poftel, Flud, Cornelius Agrippa, and others?

In the fourteenth Chapter mention is made of thofe Pleaders taken notice of by Elius Lampridius, who, in order to fucceed at the Bar, used to purchase the Membrane or Cawl, with which Children are fometimes born. This Custom became very common, and lasted for feveral Ages; and 'twas imagin'd, that this Cawl gave fuccefs to those who poffefs'd it.

The Author concludes the firft Book with this Reflection, viz. That 'twould be of great service to the Publick, were Natural History frequently revised, and that Virtuofi would endeavour to confine it within the Bounds of Truth. The Subject is of the nobleft kind, and vaftly copious, and were the Studious to trace matters fo far backwards as to the Origin of Fables, the Search would be equally curious, inftructive, and entirely new. This Book contains a multitude of very excellent, phyfical Enquiries, of which we cannot take any farther notice, becaufe of the narrow limits to which we are confin'd.

The SECOND Book, the Subject of which is, how to diftinguish the Truth as well as Falfhood of fupernatural Effects, confifts only of four Chapters; and thcfe treat chiefly of the follow ing Particulars: viz. Of the Causes of natural Effects.

Effects. The Neceffity of admitting Spirits, and afcribing to them what cannot be produc'd by Bodies. Whence arifes the Incredulity of feveral Persons, with regard to Prodigies and Miracles. Whether the Devil can be the Author of fome Practices or Ufages, altho' no Compact or Agreement has been made with him, &c. Plan of a Treatife of Witchcraft; the Nature of Spells, and the various kinds of them; Maxims of the Parliament of Paris, with regard to Wizards and Witchcraft: that Incidents of an extraordinary nature ought to be verified as clearly as poffible. Extract of a Letter from M. Nicole, and the Hiftory of the dumb Woman who recover'd her Speech at the Tomb of James II. King of England, &c.

In this Book the Author advances feveral Principles upon the Chriftian Syftem, which. cannot fail of being disapproved by those who allow themselves a great latitude in thinking, as well as the following Quotation from the famous Gerfon. 'Tis certainly, fays that Author, an Impiety, and an Error directly repugnant to the Scriptures, to deny that Devils are the Authors of several furprifing Effects; Effects; and those who look upon every thing that is related on this Head as fictitious, deferve a fevere Correction.

Sometimes the Learned themselves are fuf. ceptible of this Error, and that because they fuffer their Faith to be weaken'd, and darken the Light of Nature. Their Souls, employ'd wholly in fenfible Objects, refer every thing to the Body; and cannot raise themselves fo high as Spirits abstracted from Matter. Plato obferves, that nothing prevents fo much our finding out the Truth, as the referring every thing to what

the

the Senses present to us; Tully, St. Austin, Albertus Magnus, William of Paris, and above all, Experience, have taught us this. And indeed a Proof of this is feen in the Saducees, and the Followers of Epicurus; who, as they admit of nothing but what is of a corporal nature, may be rank'd among the mistaken Wretches mention'd by Solomon in Ecclefiaftes, and the Book of Wisdom, who were fo foolish as to imagine they were not inform'd with a Soul; and yet believ'd, that fome Effects can be produc'd only by the Intermediation of Spirits. So far Gerfon.

That our ingenious Author himself is too credulous on feveral occafions, might be manifested in a great many particulars; as when he relates for genuine the Miracles which were perform'd by Simeon Stylites in the fifth Century, who liv'd forty Years at the top of a Pillar or Column. This Column, fays he, was vifited by People from all parts of the World; French, English, Spaniards, Perfians, and Infidels of every Sect refort to it, and ravifh'd at all they fee, are immediately converted. Hereticks, Catholicks, Monks, Priefts, Bishops, all flock to it, and return back overjoy'd, and convinced of the Truth of the Miracles they had before heard But as our Author was an Ecclefiaftick of the Church of Rome, are we to wonder at his giving credit (feemingly at leaft) to fome Relations of this kind?

Our Author is strongly of opinion, that fuperftitious Practices and Ufages have been taught by evil Spirits; that these have often, in latter times, appear'd to Perfons of too inquifitive a nature: and 'tis known, (fays our reverend Writer, with the greatest Serioufnefs) that Luther and Zuinglius thought fuch vifits as these an

honour