146 ON NOVEL OPINIONS but ignorance, presumption, extravagance, and blasphemy ; yet did this woman not only make numberless proselytes among her vulgar equals, but obtained advocates among those from whom better things .might havebeen expected. But it is the very absurdity which is the attraction. Such preposterous pretences being ob- viously out of the power of human means to accomplish, the extravagance is be- lieved to be supernatural. It is the im- possibility which makes the assumed cer- tainty. Men are ready to believe in all wonders except those of which God is the Author. The epilepsy of Mahomet confirmed his claims to inspiration. Extravagance in religion is a kind of spiritual empiricism, which is sure for a time to lay hold on the vulgar. The ignorant patient in both cases, who fre- quently pays little attention to the esta- blished physician, is sure to be attracted by any new nostrum from the laboratory of the irregular prescriber : he is resorted to with more confidence in proportion to
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