uld have recourse for explanation to so injurious and so improbable
a supposition, as that of supernatural agency. What has often, been
said of sol-lunar and astral influence on the human mind, the opinion
of which is pretty widely spread over the world, may be interpreted
so as perfectly to agree with the theoretical solution of the question
now proposed, the heavenly bodies being amongst the first and the most
generally established objects of religious apprehension and worship.
It is curious enough, that what may be called the converse of the
proposition, viz. that derangement follows or is accompanied with
inspiration, whether religious or common, should almost as extensively
have formed a part of the popular creed. The reason of this notion
again, is not altogether the same as that of the former; it has its
origin probably in the observation, that enthusiasm with respect to
any one subject, which, in the present case, is to be regarded as the
appearance or expression of inspiration, usually unfits a person
for the requisite attention to any other. The language of mankind
accordingly quite falls in with this observation, and nothing is more
general than to speak of a man being mad, who exhibits a more than
ordinary ardour in the pursuit of some isolated object. Still,
however, there seems a tacit acknowledgement amongst mankind, that the
human mind can profitably attend to only one thing at a time, and
that all excellence in any pursuit is the result of restricted
unintermitting application: And hence it is, that enthusiasm, though
perhaps admitted to be allied to one of the highest evils with
which our nature can be visited, is nevertheless imagined to be an
indication of superior strength of intellect. The weakest minds,
on the contrary, are the most apprehensive of ridicule, and in
consequence are most cautious, by a seeming indifference as to
objects, to avoid the dangerous imputation of a decided partiality.
Such persons, however, forming undoubtedly the greater portion
of every society, console themselves and one another under the
consciousness of debility, by the sense of their safety, and by the
fashionable custom of dealing out wise reflections on those more
enterprising minds, whose eccentricities or ardour, provoke their
admiration.--E.]

As soon as I got on board, a light breeze springing up at east, we got
under sail, and steered for Matavai Bay, where the Resolution anchored
the same evening. But the D