“Miramur ex intervallo fallentia.”

     ["We admire after an interval (or at a distance) things that
     deceive.”—­Seneca, Ep., 118, 2.]

So does our sight often represent to us strange images at a distance that vanish on approaching near: 

“Nunquam ad liquidum fama perducitur.”

               ["Report is never fully substantiated.” 
               —­Quintus Curtius, ix. 2.]

’Tis wonderful from how many idle beginnings and frivolous causes such famous impressions commonly, proceed.  This it is that obstructs information; for whilst we seek out causes and solid and weighty ends, worthy of so great a name, we lose the true ones; they escape our sight by their littleness.  And, in truth, a very prudent, diligent, and subtle inquisition is required in such searches, indifferent, and not prepossessed.  To this very hour, all these miracles and strange events have concealed themselves from me:  I have never seen greater monster or miracle in the world than myself:  one grows familiar with all strange things by time and custom, but the more I frequent and the better I know myself, the more does my own deformity astonish me, the less I understand myself.

The principal right of advancing and producing such accidents is reserved to fortune.  Passing the day before yesterday through a village two leagues from my house, I found the place yet warm with a miracle that had lately failed of success there, where with first the neighbourhood had been several months amused; then the neighbouring provinces began to take it up, and to run thither in great companies of all sorts of people.  A young fellow of the place had one night in sport counterfeited the voice of a spirit in his own house, without any other design at present, but only for sport; but this having succeeded with him better than he expected, to extend his farce with more actors he associated with him a stupid silly country girl, and at last there were three of them of the same age and understanding, who from domestic, proceeded to public, preachings, hiding themselves under the altar of the church, never speaking but by night, and forbidding any light to be brought.  From words which tended to the conversion of the world, and threats of the day of judgment (for these are subjects under the authority and reverence of which imposture most securely lurks), they proceeded to visions and gesticulations so simple and ridiculous that—­nothing could hardly be so gross in the sports of little children.  Yet had fortune never so little favoured the design, who knows to what height this juggling might have at last arrived?  These poor devils are at present in prison, and are like shortly to pay for the common folly; and I know not whether some judge will not also make them smart for his.  We see clearly into this, which is discovered; but in many things of the like nature that exceed our knowledge, I am of opinion that we ought to suspend our judgment, whether as to rejection or as to reception.