r
is it likely that the Highlanders ever examined, whether by Taisch, used
for Second Sight, they mean the power of seeing, or the thing seen.

I do not find it to be true, as it is reported, that to the Second Sight
nothing is presented but phantoms of evil. Good seems to have the same
proportions in those visionary scenes, as it obtains in real life: almost
all remarkable events have evil for their basis; and are either miseries
incurred, or miseries escaped. Our sense is so much stronger 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
considered 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 see death is to be expected; because death is an
event frequent and important. But they see likewise more pleasing
incidents. A gentleman told me, that when he had once gone far from his
own Island, one of his labouring servants predicted his return, and
described the livery of his attendant, which he had never worn at home;
and which had been, without any previous design, occasionally given him.

Our desire of information was keen, and our inquiry frequent. Mr.
Boswell's frankness and gaiety made every body communicative; and we
heard many tales of these airy shows, with more or less evidence and
distinctness.

It is the common talk of the Lowland Scots, that the notion of the Second
Sight is wearing away with other superstitions; and that its reality is
no longer supposed, but by the grossest people. How far its prevalence
ever extended, or what ground it has lost, I know not. The Islanders of
all degrees, whether of rank or understanding, universally admit it,
except the Ministers, who universally deny it, and are suspected to deny
it, in consequence of a system, against conviction. One of them honestly
told me, that he came to Sky with a resolution not to believe it.

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

To the confidence of these objections it may be r