memory it was a precept annually given in one of the English almanacks, to kill hogs when the moon was increasing, and the bacon would prove: the better in boiling.

We should have had little claim to the praife of curiofity, if we had not endeavoured with particular attention to examine the question of the Second Sight. Of an opinion received for centuries by a whole nation, and fuppofed to be confirmed thro its whole descent, by a series of fucceffive facts, it is defirable that the truth fhould be established,, or the fallacy detected.

The Second Sight is an impreffion made either by the mind upon the eye, or by the eye upon the mind, by which things diftant or future are perceived, and feen as if they were prefent. A man on a journey far from home falls from his horse; another, who is perhaps at work about the house, fees him bleeding on the ground, commonly with a landfcape of the place where the accident befalls him. Another feer, driving home his cattle, or wandering in idleness, or mufing in the sunshine, is fuddenby surprised by the appearance of a bridal ceremony, or funeral proceffion, and counts the mourners or attendants, of whom, if he knows them, he relates the names, if he knows them not, he can defcribe the dreffes. Things diftant are feen at the inftant: when they happen.. Of things future I know not that there is any rule for determining the time between the fight and the event.

This receptive faculty, for power it cannot be called, is neither voluntary nor conftant. The appearances have no dependence upon choice: they cannot be fummoned, detained, or recalled. The impreffion is fudden, and the effect often painful.

By the term fecond fight, feems to be meant a mode of feeing, fuperadded to that which nature generally bestows. In the Earfe it is called Taifch which fignifies likewife a spectre or a vision. I know not, nor is it likely that the Highlanders ever examined, whether by Taifch, ufed for fecond fight, they mean the power of feeing, or the thing feen.

I do not find it to be true, as it is reported, that to the fecond fight nothing is presented but phantoms of evil. Good feems to have the fame proportion in thofe vifionary fcenes, as it obtains in real life almost all remarkable events have evil for their bafis; and are either miferies incurred, or miferies escaped. Our fenfe is fo much ftronger of what we suffer, than of what we enjoy, that the ideas of pain predominate in almost every mind. What is recollection but a revival of vexations, or history but a record of wars, treasons, and calamities! Death, which is confidered as the greatest evil, happens to all. The greatest good, be it what it will, is the lot but of a part.

That they should often fee death is to be expect ed; becaufe death is an event frequent and importBut they fee likewife more pleafing inci

ant.

dents.

dents. A gentleman told me, that when he had once gone far from his own ifland, one of his labouring fervants predicted his return, and defcribed the livery of his attendant, which he had never worn at home; and which had been, without any previous defign, occafionally given him.

Our defire of information was keen, and our inquiry frequent. Mr Bofwell's frankness and gaiety made every body communicative; and we heard many tales of thefe airy flows, with more or lefs evidence and diftinctness.

It is the common talk of the Lowland Scots,. that the notion of the fecond fight is wearing away with other fuperftitions; and that its reality is no longer fuppofed, but by the groffeft people. How far its prevalence ever extended, or what ground it has loft, I know not. The iflanders of all degrees, whether of rank or understanding, univer fally admit it; except the minifters, who univerfally deny it, and are fufpected to deny it, in confequence of a system, against conviction. One of them honeftly told me, that he came to Sky with a refolution not to believe it.

Strong reafons for incredulity will readily occur. This faculty of feeing things out of fight is local, and commonly ufelefs. It is a breach of the common order of things, without any visible reason or perceptible benefit. It is afcribed only to a people very little enlightened; and among them, for the most part, to the mean and the ignorant.

To

To the confidence of thefe objections it may be replied, that by prefuming to determine what is fit, and what is beneficial, they prefuppose more knowledge of the univerfal fyftem than man has attained; and therefore depend upon principles too complicated and extenfive for our comprehenfion; and that there can be no fecurity in the confequence, when the premises are not understood; that the fecond fight is only wonderful because it is rare, for, confidered in itself, it involves no more difficulty than dreams, or perhaps than the regular exercife of the cogitative faculty; that a general opinion of communicative impulfes, or vifionary reprefentations, has prevailed in all ages and all nations; that particular instances have been given with fuch evidence, as neither Bacon nor Bayle has been able to refift; that sudden impreffions, which the event has verified, havebeen felt by more than own or publish them; that the fecond fight of the Hebrides implies only the local frequency of a power, which is nowhere totally unknown; and that where we are unable to decide by antecedent reason, we must be content to yield to the force of teftimo

ny.

By pretension to fecond fight, no profit was ever fought or gained. It is an involuntary affection, in which neither hope nor fear are known to have any part. Those who profefs to feel it, do not boast of it as a privilege, nor are confidered by others as advantageously distinguished. They

have no temptation to feign; and their hearers have no motive to encourage the imposture.

To talk with any of these feers is not eafy. There is one living in Sky, with whom we would have gladly converfed; but he was very grofs and ignorant, and knew no English. The proportion in these countries of the poor to the rich is fuch, that if we fuppofe the quality to be accidental, it can very rarely happen to a man of education; and yet on fuch men it has fometimes fallen. There is now a fecond fighted gentleman in the Highlands, who complains of the terrors to which he is expofed.

The forefight of the feers is not always prefcience they are impreffed with images, of which the event only fhews them the meaning. They tell what they have seen to others, who are at that time not more knowing than themselves, but may become at laft very adequate witneffes, by comparing the narrative with its verification.

To collect fufficient teftimonies for the fatisfaction of the public, or of ourselves, would have required more time than we could bestow. There is, against it, the feeming analogy of things confufedly feen, and little understood; and for it, the indiftinct cry of national perfuafion, which may be perhaps refolved at lait into prejudice and tradi-tion. I never could advance my curiofity to conviction; but came away at last only willing to be

lieve.

As