[63:1] Mark Twain, _Christian Science_, p. 34 [64:1] _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland_, 3d Series, vol. iii, p. 492. Edinburgh, 1893. [65:1] _The Academy_, vol. xxxi, p. 258; 1887. [65:2] _Journal of American Folk-Lore_, vol. viii, p. 287; 1895. [65:3] John Harland and T. T. Wilkinson, _Lancashire Folk-Lore_. [66:1] Alfred T. Schofield, M.D., _The Unconscious Mind_, p. 288. [67:1] Alfred T. Schofield, M.D., _The Unconscious Mind_, p. 366. [67:2] _Boston Herald_, February 20, 1909. [70:1] Adams, _The Healing Art_, vol. i, p. 202. [72:1] Dr. R. Romme, in _La Revue_. [72:2] _Psychotherapy_, p. 213. CHAPTER VI THE ROYAL TOUCH _Malcolm._ Well; more anon.--Comes the king forth, I pray you? _Doctor._ Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls That stay his cure: their malady convinces The great assay of art; but at his touch-- Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand-- They presently amend. _Malcolm._ I thank you, doctor. [_Exit Doctor._ _Macduff._ What's the disease he means? _Malcolm._ 'Tis called the evil: A most miraculous work in this good king; Which often, since my here-remain in England, I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven, Himself best knows: but strangely visited people, All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye, The mere despair of surgery, he cures, Hanging a golden stamp about their necks, Put on with holy prayers: and 'tis spoken, To the succeeding royalty he leaves The healing benediction. With this strange virtue, He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy, And sundry blessings hang about his throne, That speak him full of grace. _Macbeth_, Act IV, Scene 3. The healing of physical ailments by laying-on of hands was in vogue in the earliest historic times. Certain Egyptian sculptures have been found, illustrative of this practice, wherein one of the healer's hands is represented as touching the patient's stomach, and the other as applied to his back.[74:1] From numerous references to the subject in Holy Writ, three are here given: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery."[74:2] "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them."[74:3]