The history of the life and adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell : $b a gentleman, who, tho' deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight, with their future contingencies of fortune
General
The history of the life and adventures of Mr. Duncan Campbell : $b a gentleman, who, tho' deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight, with their future contingencies of fortune
Campbell, Duncan, 1680?-1730; Deaf people -- Great Britain -- Biography; Occultism -- Early works to 1900; Prophets -- Great Britain -- Biography
repute in the world; and you, being scholars, may, if you please, have
recourse to the learned original, and I doubt not but you'll find what I
say to be a truth. For the second instance, he told them, that in Spain,
there are those they call Saludadores, that have this kind of gift.
There was, continued he, in writing, one of your own religion, venerable
fathers, and of a religious order, nay, a friar too, that had this gift.
He was a noted Dominican, said he, and though I forget his name, you
may, by writing a letter to England, learn his name. He was a devout
Portuguese, belonging to Queen Catherine Dowager's chapel, and had the
second-sight to a great degree, and was famous and eminent for it. They
then asked him what was the full power he had to do by the
second-sight. He answered, that as they had intimated that they had
perused some of the skilful writers concerning the second-sight, he did
not doubt but they had found, as well as he could tell them, that as to
the extent of people's knowledge in that secret way, it reached both
present, past, and future events. They foresee murders, drownings,
weddings, burials, combats, manslaughters, &c., all of which there are
many instances to be given. They commonly foresee sad events a little
while before they happen; for instance, if a man's fatal end be hanging,
they will see a gibbet, or rope about his neck; if beheading, they will
see a man without a head; if drowning, they will see water up to his
throat; if stabbing, they will see a dagger in his breast; if unexpected
death in his bed, they will see a windingsheet about his head. They
foretell not only marriages, but of good children; what kind of life men
shall lead, and in what condition they shall die; also riches, honours,
preferments, peace, plenty, and good weather. It is likewise usual with
persons that have lost anything to go to some of these men, by whom they
are directed how, with what persons, and in what place they shall find
their goods. It is also to be noted that these gifts bear a latitude, so
that some have it in a far more eminent degree than others; and what I
have here written down to you, you need not take as a truth from me; but
as it concerned me so nearly, I remember the passage by heart, and you
will find it very near word for word in Dr. Beaumont's book Of Familiar
Spirits. Aye, said the friars, but you have a genius too that attends
you, as we are informed. So, replied Duncan Campbell, have all persons
that have the second-sight in any eminent degree; and to prove this I
will bring no less a witness than King James, who, in his Demonology,
book the third and chapter the second, mentions also a spirit called
Brownie, that was wont formerly to haunt divers houses, without doing
any evil, but doing, as it were, necessary turns up and down the house;
he appeared like a rough man, nay, some believed that their house was
all the 'sonsier,' as they called it, that is, the more lucky or
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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