Chapter X

Controversy respecting the Works of Homer; Arguments of
the Disputants--Controversy on the supposed Epistles of
Phalaris--Opinion of Sir William Temple on the Superiority of
the Ancients--Dissertation of Dr. Bentley on the Epistles of
Phalaris--He proves them to be a Forgery--Doubts as to the Anabasis
being the Work of Xenophon--Arguments of Mr. Mitford in the
Affirmative--Alcyonius accused of having plagiarised from, and
destroyed, Cicero’s Treatise “De Gloria”--Curious Mistake as to
Sir T. More’s Utopia--The Icon Basilike--Disputes to which it gave
rise--Arguments, pro and con, as to the real Author of it--Lauder’s
Attempt to prove Milton a Plagiarist--Refutation of him by Dr.
Douglas--His interpolations--George Psalmanazar--His Account of
Formosa--His Repentance and Piety--Publication of Ossian’s Poems by
Mr. Macpherson--Their Authenticity is doubted--Report of the Highland
Society on the Subject--Pseudonymous and anonymous Works--Letters of
Junius--The Drapier’s Letters--Tale of a Tub--Gulliver’s Travels--The
Waverley Novels--Chatterton and the Rowley Poems--W. H. Ireland and
the Shakspearian Forgeries--Damberger’s pretended Travels--Poems of
Clotilda de Surville--Walladmor--Hunter, the American--Donville’s
Travels in Africa 147

CHAPTER XI.

Fashion of decrying modern Artists--M. Picart asserts the Merit
of modern Engravers--Means employed by him to prove the Truth
of his Assertions--“The innocent Impostors”--Goltzius imitates
perfectly the Engravings of Albert Durer--Marc Antonio Raimondi is
equally successful--Excellent Imitation of Rembrandt’s Portrait
of Burgomaster Six--Modern Tricks played with respect to Engraved
Portraits--Sir Joshua Reynolds metamorphosed into “The Monster.” 191

CHAPTER XII.

Ancient Memorials of Geographical Discoveries--Mistakes arising
from them--Frauds to which they gave occasion--Imposture of
Evemerus--Annius of Viterbo wrongfully charged with forging
Inscriptions--Spurious works given to the World by him--Forged
Inscriptions put on statues by ignorant modern Sculptors--Spurious
Medals--Instances of them in the Cabinet of Dr. Hunter--Coins
adulterated by Grecian Cities--Evelyn’s Directions for ascertaining
the Genuineness of Medals--Spurious Gold Medals--Tricks of the
Manufacturers of Pseudo-Antique Medals--Collectors addicted to
pilfering Rarities--Medals swallowed by Vaillant--Mistakes arising
from Ignorance of the Chinese Characters. 195

CHAPTER XIII.

First Opening of the Regalia to public Inspection--Edwards appointed
Keeper--Plan formed by Blood to steal the Regalia--He visits the
Tower with his pretended Wife--Means by which he contrived to become
intimate with Edwards--His Arrangements for carrying his Scheme into
Execution--He knocks down Edwards, and obtains Possession of the
Jewels--Fortunate Chance by which his Scheme was frustrated--He is
taken--Charles II. is present at his Examination--Blood contrives to
obtain a Pardon, and the Gift of an Estate from the King. 201

CHAPTER XIV.

Horrible nature of the Superstition of Vampyrism--Persons attacked
by Vampyres become Vampyres themselves--Signs by which a Vampyre
was known--Origin of one of the signs--Effect attributed to
Excommunication in the Greek church--Story of an excommunicated
Greek--Calmet’s theory of the origin of the Superstition respecting
Vampyres--St. Stanislas--Philinnium--The Strygis supposed to have
given the idea of the Vampyre--Capitulary of Charlemagne--Remedy
against attacks from the Demon--Anecdote of an impudent
Vampyre--Story of a Vampyre at Mycone--Prevalence of Vampyrism in the
north of Europe--Walachian mode of detecting Vampyres. 205

CHAPTER XV.

Feats of Jugglers formerly attributed to witchcraft--Anglo-Saxon
Gleemen--Norman Jugglers or Tregatours--Chaucer’s Description
of the Wonders performed by them--Means probably employed by
them--Recipe for making the Appearance of a Flood--Jugglers
fashionable in the Reign of Charles II.--Evelyn’s Account of a
Fire-eater--Katterfelto--Superiority of Asiatic and Eygptian
pretenders to magical Skill--Mandeville’s Account of Juggling at the
Court of the Great Khan--Extraordinary Feats witnessed by the Emperor
Jehanguire--Ibn Batuta’s Account of Hindustanee Jugglers--Account of
a Bramin who sat upon the Air--Egyptian Jugglers--Mr. Lane’s Account
of the Performance of one of them--Another fails in satisfying
Captain Scott. 212

CHAPTER XVI.

Hold taken on the public Mind by Prodigies--Dutch Boy with Hebrew
Words on the Iris of each Eye--Boy with the word Napoleon
in the Eye--Child with a Golden Tooth--Speculations on the
Subject--Superstition respecting changeling Children in the Isle of
Man--Waldron’s Description of a Changeling--Cases of extraordinary
Sleepers--The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus--Men supposed, in the
northern Regions, to be frozen during the Winter, and afterwards
thawed into Life again--Dr. Oliver’s Case of a Sleeper near Bath--Dr.
Cheyne’s Account of Colonel Townshend’s power of voluntarily
suspending Animation--Man buried alive for a Month at Jaisulmer--The
Manner of his Burial, and his Preparation for it. 221

CHAPTER XVII.

Origin of Alchemy--Argument for Transmutation--Golden Age of
Alchemy--Alchemists in the 13th century--Medals metaphorically
described--Jargon of Dr. Dee--The Green Lion--Roger Bacon--Invention
of Gunpowder--Imprisonment of Alchemists--Edict of Henry
VI.--Pope John XXII.--Pope Sixtus V.--Alchemy applied to
Medicine--Paracelsus--Evelyn’s hesitation about Alchemy--Narrative
of Helvetius--Philadept on Alchemy--Rosicrucians--A Vision--Hayden’s
description of Rosicrucians--Dr. Price--Mr. Woulfe--Mr. Kellerman.
230

CHAPTER XVIII.

Supposed Origin of Astrology--Butler on the Transmission of
Astrological Knowledge--Remarks on Astrology by Hervey--Petrarch’s
Opinion of Astrology--Catherine of Medicis--Casting of
Nativities in England--Moore’s Almanack--Writers for and against
Astrology--Horoscope of Prince Frederick of Denmark--Astrologers
contributed sometimes to realize their own Predictions--Caracalla
244