The Friendly Daemon, or the Generous Apparition: Being a True Narrative of a Miraculous Cure, Newly Perform'd Upon That Famous Deaf and Dumb Gentleman, Dr. Duncan Campbel, by a Familiar Spirit That Appear'd to Him in a White Surplice, Like a Cathedral Singing BoyDefoe, Daniel
Religion
The Friendly Daemon, or the Generous Apparition: Being a True Narrative of a Miraculous Cure, Newly Perform'd Upon That Famous Deaf and Dumb Gentleman, Dr. Duncan Campbel, by a Familiar Spirit That Appear'd to Him in a White Surplice, Like a Cathedral Singing Boy
Defoe, Daniel
Epistolary fiction, English -- 18th century
THIS comfortable News, tho' deliver'd to me after so surprizing a
manner, yet, was it very welcome to a languishing Person under a
complication of Misfortunes, notwithstanding I had a great struggle
with my natural Reason, before I could convince my self of what I was
yet confident my very Eyes had seen, or at least had been represented
to me after an extraordinary manner, for betwixt really seeing what we
call a Vision or verily believing we do see it, there is but a slender
difference; however, the intire Confidence I had put in Providence, and
the great desire I had to be reliev'd, were to me convincing Arguments,
beyond all Objection, that my Guardian Angel had actually appear'd and
communicated to my Eyes the very Scrowle that I had read, the Words of
which, lest my Memory should have prov'd treacherous, I enter'd in my
Pocket-Book as they are before recited, the Recipe only excepted.
HAVING thus subjected my Reason to my Senses, or at least my Faith,
for I either saw or believ'd I saw what I have here reported, I had
nothing else to do, but to put in Practice the Receipt which my good
_Genius_ had imparted to me, tho' how to come at a Loadstone, seem'd to
me as difficult as to find out the Philosopher's Stone, having but a
slender Knowledge of the thing it self, and much less of its Virtues;
however, upon enquiry, I soon found out a certain Virtuoso, near
_Moorfields_, who is an eminent dealer in such sort of Curiosities, and
by his Assistance I presently furnish'd my self with what I wanted, and
sending for some fat Amber and a certain preparation of Steel, which
I privately dispens'd in a very particular manner, according to the
_Recipe_ communicated by my _Genius_; then applying both as directed,
was miraculously deliver'd, in a great measure, from those wracking
Convulsions which had so long afflicted me, and in less than a Month's
Time my whole Microcosm was restor'd to such a happy State of Health,
Strength and Vivacity, that Heaven be prais'd, I could do any thing as
usual, but, if I leave off my Loadstone for two or three Days, which
I have sometimes done, meerly out of Curiosity, my Fits, as yet, will
remind me of my foolish Presumption, and force me to have recourse to
my wonderful Preservative, which has not only prov'd so great a friend
to my self, but has reliev'd others in the like distress; and as I have
found by three or four late Experiments, is as effectual in suppresing
Vapours and removing or preventing Hysterick Fits in Women, as it is
in Epilepsies and Convulsions in our own Sex, either Men or Children.
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