Keppler，whenheassertedthesamefact，couldgainnobread，andlittlecredence；butwhenhepretendedtotellfortunesandcastnativities，thewholetownflockedtohim，andpaidhimenormousfeesforhisfalsehood。
　　WhenRogerBaconinventedthetelescopeandthemagic-lantern，noonebelievedthattheunaidedingenuityofmancouldhavedoneit；butwhensomewiseacresassertedthatthedevilhadappearedtohim，andgivenhimtheknowledgewhichheturnedtosuchaccount，noonewasboldenoughtoassertthatitwasimprobable。Hishintthatsaltpetre，sulphur，andcharcoal，mixedincertainproportions，wouldproduceeffectssimilartothunderandlightning，wasdisregardedordisbelieved；butthelegendofthebrazenheadwhichdeliveredoracles，wascreditedformanyages。
　　[Godwin，inhis“LivesoftheNecromancers，“givesthefollowingversionofthislegend。FriarBaconandFriarBungayentertainedtheprojectofenclosingEnglandwithawall，soastorenderitinaccessibletoanyinvader。Theyaccordinglyraisedthedevil，asthepersonbestabletoinformthemhowthiswastobedone。Thedeviladvisedthemtomakeabrazenhead，withalltheinternalstructureandorgansofahumanhead。Theconstructionwouldcostthemmuchtime，andtheymustwaitwithpatiencetillthefacultyofspeechdescendeduponit。Finally，however，itwouldbecomeanoracle，and，ifthequestionwerepropoundedtoit，wouldteachthemthesolutionoftheirproblem。Thefriarsspentsevenyearsinbringingthesubjecttoperfection，andwaiteddayafterdayinexpectationthatitwouldutterarticulatesounds。Atlengthnaturebecameexhaustedinthem，andtheylaydowntosleep，havingfirstgivenitstrictlyinchargetoaservantoftheirs，clownishinnature，butofstrictfidelity，thatheshouldawakenthemthemomenttheimagebegantospeak。Thatperiodarrived。Theheadutteredsounds，butsuchastheclownjudgedunworthyofnotice。“Timeis！“itsaid。Nonoticewastaken，andalongpauseensued。“Timewas！“——asimilarpause，andnonotice。
　　“Timeispassed！“Themomentthesewordswereuttered，atremendousstormensued，withthunderandlightning，andtheheadwasshiveredintoathousandpieces。ThustheexperimentofFriarBaconandFriarBungaycametonothing。]
　　SolomonDeCans，who，inthetimeofCardinalRichelieu，conceivedtheideaofasteam-engine，wasshutupintheBastilleasamadman，becausetheideaofsuchanextraordinaryinstrumentwastoopreposterousforthewiseagethatbelievedinalltheabsurditiesofwitchcraft。
　　WhenHarveyfirstprovedthecirculationoftheblood，everytonguewasletlooseagainsthim。Thethingwastooobviouslyanimposition，andanattempttodeceivethatpublicwhobelievedthataking’stouchhadpowertocurethescrofula。Thatadeadcriminal’shand，rubbedagainstawen，wouldcureit，wasreasonableenough；butthatthebloodflowedthroughtheveinswasbeyondallprobability。
　　Inourownday，asimilarfateawaitedthebeneficentdiscoveryofDr。Jenner。Thatvaccinationcouldabatethevirulenceof，orpreservefrom，thesmallpox，wasquiteincredible；nonebutacheatandaquackcouldassertit:butthattheintroductionofthevaccinematterintothehumanframecouldendowmenwiththequalitiesofacow，wasquiteprobable。Manyofthepoorerpeopleactuallydreadedthattheirchildrenwouldgrowhairyandhornedascattle，iftheysufferedthemtobevaccinated。
　　TheJesuit，FatherLabat，theshrewdandlearnedtravellerinSouthAmerica，relatesanexperimentwhichhemadeuponthecredulityofsomenativePeruvians。Holdingapowerfullensinhishand，andconcentratingtheraysofthesunuponthenakedarmofanadmiringsavage，hesoonmadehimroarwithpain。Allthetribelookedon，firstwithwonder，andthenwithindignationandwonderbothcombined。
　　Invainthephilosopherattemptedtoexplainthecauseofthephenomenon-invainheofferedtoconvincethemthattherewasnothingdevilishintheexperiment-hewasthoughttobeinleaguewiththeinfernalgodstodrawdownthefirefromHeaven，andwaslookedupon，himself，asanawfulandsupernaturalbeing。Manyattemptsweremadetogainpossessionofthelens，withtheviewofdestroyingit，andtherebyrobbingtheWesternstrangerofthemeansofbringinguponthemthevengeanceofhisdeities。
　　VerysimilarwastheconductofthatinquiringBrahmin，whichisrelatedbyForbesinhisOrientalMemoirs。TheBrahminhadamindbettercultivatedthanhisfellows；hewassmittenwithalovefortheknowledgeofEurope——readEnglishbooks——poredoverthepagesoftheEncyclopedia，andprofitedbyvariousphilosophicalinstruments；
　　butonreligiousquestionstheBrahminwasfirmtothefaithofhiscasteandthedoctrineoftheMetempsychosis。Lesthemightsacrilegiouslydevourhisprogenitors，heabstainedfromallanimalfood；andthinkingthatheatenothingwhichenjoyedlife，hesupportedhimself，likehisbrethren，uponfruitsandvegetables。Alltheknowledgethatdidnotruncountertothisbelief，hesoughtafterwithavidity，andbadefairtobecomethewisestofhisrace。Inanevilhour，hisEnglishfriendandinstructorexhibitedaverypowerfulsolarmicroscope，bymeansofwhichheshowedhimthateverydropofwaterthathedrankteemedwithlife——thateveryfruitwaslikeaworld，coveredwithinnumerableanimalculae，eachofwhichwasfittedbyitsorganizationforthesphereinwhichitmoved，andhaditswants，andthecapabilityofsupplyingthemascompletelyasvisibleanimalsmillionsoftimesitsbulk。TheEnglishphilosopherexpectedthathisHindoofriendwouldbeenrapturedatthevastfieldofknowledgethussuddenlyopenedouttohim，buthewasdeceived。TheBrahminfromthattimebecameanalteredman——thoughtful，gloomy，reserved，anddiscontented。Heappliedrepeatedlytohisfriendthathewouldmakehimapresentofthemicroscope；butasitwastheonlyoneofitskindinIndia，andtheownersetavalueuponitforotherreasons，heconstantlyrefusedtherequest，butofferedhimtheloanofitforanyperiodhemightrequire。ButnothingshortofanunconditionalgiftoftheinstrumentwouldsatisfytheBrahmin，whobecameatlastsoimportunatethatthepatienceoftheEnglishmanwasexhausted，andhegaveithim。Agleamofjoyshotacrossthecare-wornfeaturesoftheHindooasheclutchedit，andboundingwithanexultingleapintothegarden，heseizedalargestone，anddashedtheinstrumentintoathousandpieces。Whencalledupontoexplainhisextraordinaryconduct，hesaidtohisfriend，“OhthatIhadremainedinthathappystateofignorancewhereinyoufirstfoundme！YetwillIconfessthat，asmyknowledgeincreased，sodidmypleasure，untilI
　　beheldthelastwondersofthemicroscope；fromthatmomentIhavebeentormentedbydoubtandperplexedbymystery:mymind，overwhelmedbychaoticconfusion，knowsnotwheretorest，norhowtoextricateitselffromsuchamaze。Iammiserable，andmustcontinuetobeso，untilIenteronanotherstageofexistence。Iamasolitaryindividualamongfiftymillionsofpeople，alleducatedinthesamebeliefwithmyself——allhappyintheirignorance！Somaytheyeverremain！Ishallkeepthesecretwithinmyownbosom，whereitwillcorrodemypeaceandbreakmyrest。ButIshallhavesomesatisfactioninknowingthatIalonefeelthosepangswhich，hadInotdestroyedtheinstrument，mighthavebeenextensivelycommunicated，andrenderedthousandsmiserable！Forgiveme，myvaluablefriend！andoh，conveynomoreimplementsofknowledgeanddestruction！“
　　ManyalearnedmanmaysmileattheignoranceofthePeruvianandtheHindoo，unconsciousthathehimselfisjustasignorantandasprejudiced。Whodoesnotremembertheoutcryagainstthescienceofgeology，whichhashardlyyetsubsided？Itsprofessorswereimpiouslyandabsurdlyaccusedofdesigningto“hurltheCreatorfromhisthrone。“Theywerechargedwithsappingthefoundationsofreligion，andofproppingatheismbytheaidofapretendedscience。
　　Theverysameprinciplewhichleadstotherejectionofthetrue，leadstotheencouragementofthefalse。Thuswemayaccountforthesuccesswhichhasattendedgreatimpostors，attimeswhenthetruth，thoughnothalfsowondrousastheirimpositions，hasbeendisregarded。asextravagantandpreposterous。Themanwhowishestocheatthepeople，mustneedsfoundhisoperationsuponsomeprejudiceorbeliefthatalreadyexists。Thusthephilosophicpretenderswhotoldfortunesbythestarscuredalldiseasesbyonenostrum，andpreservedfromevilbycharmsandamulets，ranwiththecurrentofpopularbelief。Errorsthatwereconsecratedbytimeandlongfamiliarity，theyheightenedandembellished，andsucceededtotheirhearts’content；butthepreacheroftruthhadafoundationtomakeaswellasasuperstructure，adifficultywhichdidnotexistforthepreacheroferror。Columbuspreachedanewworld，butwasmetwithdistrustandincredulity；hadhepreachedwithasmuchzealandearnestnessthediscoveryofsomevalleyintheoldone，wherediamondshunguponthetrees，oraherbgrewthatcuredalltheillsincidentaltohumanity，hewouldhavefoundawarmandheartywelcome——mighthavesolddriedcabbageleavesforhiswonderfulherb，andmadehisfortune。
　　Infact，itwillbefoundinthehistoryofeverygenerationandraceofmen，thatwheneverachoiceofbeliefbetweenthe“WondrouslyFalse“andthe“WondrouslyTrue“isgiventoignoranceorprejudice，thattheirchoicewillbefixeduponthefirst，forthereasonthatitismostakintotheirownnature。Thegreatmajorityofmankind，andevenofthewisestamongus，arestillintheconditionofthesailor’smother——believinganddisbelievingonthesamegroundsthatshedid——protestingagainsttheflyingfish，butcherishingthegoldenwheels。Thousandsthereareamongstus，who，ratherthanpintheirfaithintheonefish，wouldbelievenotonlyinthewheelofgo]d，butthechariot-notonlyinthechariot，butinthehorsesandthedriver。
　　Lafaridondaine——lafaridondon，Vivelafaridondaine！
　　Thepopularhumoursofagreatcityareanever-failingsourceofamusementtothemanwhosesympathiesarehospitableenoughtoembraceallhiskind，andwho，refinedthoughhemaybehimself，willnotsneeratthehumblewitorgrotesquepeculiaritiesoftheboozingmechanic，thesqualidbeggar，theviciousurchin，andallthemotleygroupoftheidle，thereckless，andtheimitativethatswarminthealleysandbroadwaysofametropolis。Hewhowalksthroughagreatcitytofindsubjectsforweeping，may，Godknows，findplentyateverycornertowringhisheart；butletsuchamanwalkonhiscourse，andenjoyhisgriefalone——wearenotofthosewhowouldaccompanyhim。Themiseriesofuspoorearthdwellersgainnoalleviationfromthesympathyofthosewhomerelyhuntthemouttobepatheticoverthem。Theweepingphilosophertoooftenimpairshiseyesightbyhiswoe，andbecomesunablefromhistearstoseetheremediesfortheevilswhichhedeplores。Thusitwilloftenbefoundthatthemanofnotearsisthetruestphilanthropist，asheisthebestphysicianwhowearsacheerfulface，evenintheworstofcases。
　　Somanypenshavebeenemployedtopointoutthemiseries，andsomanytocondemnthecrimesandvices，andmoreseriousfolliesofthemultitude，thatour’sshallnotincreasethenumber，atleastinthischapter。Ourpresenttaskshallbelessungracious，andwanderingthroughthebusyhauntsofgreatcities，weshallseekonlyforamusement，andnoteaswepassafewoftheharmlessfolliesandwhimsiesofthepoor。
　　And，firstofall，walkwherewewill，wecannothelphearingfromeverysideaphraserepeatedwithdelight，andreceivedwithlaughter，bymenwithhardhandsanddirtyfaces——bysaucybutcherladsanderrand-boys——byloosewomen——byhackneycoachmen，cabrioletdrivers，andidlefellowswholoiteratthecornersofstreets。Notoneuttersthisphrasewithoutproducingalaughfromallwithinhearing。Itseemsapplicabletoeverycircumstance，andistheuniversalanswertoeveryquestion；inshort，itisthefavouriteslangphraseoftheday，aphrasethat，whileitsbriefseasonofpopularitylasts，throwsadashoffunandfrolicsomenessovertheexistenceofsqualidpovertyandill-requitedlabour，andgivesthemreasontolaughaswellastheirmorefortunatefellowsinahigherstageofsociety。