A history of the ridiculous extravagancies of Monsieur Oufle / occasioned by his reading books treating of magick, the black art, dæmoniacks, conjurers, of elves, fairies, of dreams, the philosopher's-stone, judicial astrology, with notes containing a multitude of quotations out of those books, which have either caused such extravagant imaginations, or may serve to cure them. Written originally in French, by the Abbot B-----, and now tr. into English.

  • Bordelon, Laurent, 1653-1730.
Date:
1711
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of the ridiculous extravagancies of Monsieur Oufle / occasioned by his reading books treating of magick, the black art, dæmoniacks, conjurers, of elves, fairies, of dreams, the philosopher's-stone, judicial astrology, with notes containing a multitude of quotations out of those books, which have either caused such extravagant imaginations, or may serve to cure them. Written originally in French, by the Abbot B-----, and now tr. into English. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    75/322 (page 63)
    Which lie alîedg’d to undeceive him, fo heated his Head, that ât once recalling to mind all that he had read on that Subject, he ran into a Train oF Difcourfeas long and ridiculous, as that of the Doctors in the Play* without giving thole who hear 'em leave to anlwer ’em. This extravagant Oration, I believe will not be tirefom to the Reader, wherefore I pro¬ ceed to infert it, as ’twas pronounc'd ; for the fubtle Mcrnand, who was prefent, and who defign’d to make ufe of it, as we fhall fee hereafter, took care to write it from his Matter's Mouth ; which he might eafiiy do ; becaufe all this happen'd in his Chamber, whilft he was copying fair fome Memorials, which Work he left on purpofc, to take as fwiftly as his Pen wou’d run, this admirable Difcourfe, which we are going to read, Noncreds lometimes interrupted him, to ftop his fluent current of Words ; but Monfieur Qufle, without minding him, ftill went on with a Vehemence fo violent, and an Im- petuofity fo precipitate, as was impottible to be refitted. For which Rea Ion, his Brother not having time to produce all the Arguments which he had to offer, I did not think fit to recite ’em here, becaufe they cou’d not be exprefs’d in all the Extent which was neceffary to enforce *ern. I commit them to writing hereafter, and collect all that this judicious Man faid to him, when he found him more fedate. 1 fhall then content my felf with reciting here only what Monfieur Oufle faid in his Enthufiaftick Fit, adding to it fuch Notes as exacttly point at the Places of the Books, which fuggefted to him this terrible Current of Words, to which his Brother was forc’d to allow a free Courfe, becaufe he cou’d not form any Dykes ftrong enough to fet bounds to it. We are cer¬ tainly coming to one of the moft prodigious Inftances that ever was feen, of an Imagination infe&ed by reading, be¬ caufe the Judgment did not at all interpofe, in order to make a reafonable ule of it. But yet this fhou’d not ex¬ tremely furprife us, if we will but throughly refiedfc on what pattes in the World, as I have already obferv’d ; and I fo much the more willingly repeat, becaufe I fee but too many Examples of it daily : for *cis certain that there are many Ouflej which fpoil themfelves by reading ; by reafon that be¬ ing incapable of difcerning Truth from Falfhood, they ir?~ tirely regulate their Opinion by their Prepotteflion, Our Vifionary was perfe&ly difpos’d to believe whatever cou’d be fuggefted to him, to authorize all forts of Apparitions ; wherefore ’twas not pottibk for him to call in Queftion any of