Tho. This is not delivering the Man from his Madness, but changing the Sort of it.

Ans. Why truly, so it is, only he is now more pleasantly mad than before.

Tho. I never was wont to give much Credit to Stories of Apparitions in common; but for the Time to come, I shall give much less:  For I believe that many Things that have been printed and published, as true Relations, were only by Artifice and Imposture, Impositions upon credulous Persons, and such as Faunus.

Ans. And I also believe that a great many of them are of the same Kind.

The ALCHYMIST.

The ARGUMENT.

This Colloquy shews the Dotage of an old Man, otherwise a very prudent Person, upon this Art; being trick’d by a Priest, under Pretence of a two-Fold Method in this Art, the long Way and the short Way. By the long Way he puts an egregious Cheat upon old Balbinus:  The Alchymist lays the Fault upon his Coals and Glasses.  Presents of Gold are sent to the Virgin Mary, that she would assist them in their Undertakings.  Some Courtiers having come to the Knowledge that Balbinus practis’d this unlawful Art, are brib’d.  At last the Alchymist is discharg’d, having Money given him to bear his Charges.

PHILECOUS, LALUS.

Phi. What News is here, that Lalus laughs to himself so that he e’en giggles again, every now and then signing himself with the Sign of the Cross?  I’ll interrupt his Felicity.  God bless you heartily, my very good Friend Lalus; you seem to me to be very happy.

La. But I shall be much happier, if I make you a Partaker of my merry Conceitedness.

Phi. Prithee, then, make me happy as soon as you can.

La. Do you know Balbinus?

Phi. What, that learned old Gentleman that has such a very good Character in the World?

La. It is as you say; but no Man is wise at all Times, or is without his blind Side.  This Man, among his many good Qualifications, has some Foibles:  He has been a long Time bewitch’d with the Art call’d Alchymy.

Phi. Believe me, that you call only Foible, is a dangerous Disease.

La. However that is, notwithstanding he had been so often bitten by this Sort of People, yet he has lately suffer’d himself to be impos’d upon again.

Phi. In what Manner?

La. A certain Priest went to him, saluted him with great Respect, and accosted him in this Manner:  Most learned Balbinus, perhaps you will wonder that I, being a Stranger to you, should thus interrupt you, who, I know, are always earnestly engag’d in the most sacred Studies. Balbinus gave him a Nod, as was his Custom; for he is wonderfully sparing of his Words.

Phi. That’s an Argument of Prudence.