Bishop of the Diocese shall “attempt, upon any pretence whatsoever, either of possession or obsession, by fasting and prayer, to cast out any devil or devils, under pain of the imputation of imposture or cosenage, and deposition from the ministry.” I have known more than one ceremonial of exorcism
performed without this reference to episcopal authority, which was doubtless intended to check injudicious zeal in the employment of a superstitious rite. The exorcism of the false Sir Topaz is supposed to be proceeded with in the proper place, namely, the Church, and hence the reference to the bay windows and to the clear-stories. This ceremonial must have been of no uncommon occurrence in Shakespeare's time. In Catholic countries it is still resorted to ; and in the
lunatic colony of Gheel, in Belgium, it appears to be the usual active treatment to which recently admitted patients are subjected.
There is nothing new under the sun, at least, in human nature; to this conclusion, a careful study of Shakespeare must inevitably lead, for either from contemplation or obser vation, he seems to have known all the absurdites, and all the
shades of man's intellectual weakness and pride. Could he arise again, would he not find this century rather dull and uninteresting, compared with his own 7 Material improve ments excepted, would he not find the world rather worse for wear, more crowded and less merry, more pretentious and less truthful, more knowing and less wise; and would he not find existing follies as numerous as old ones, only less picturesque ! If the old world system of exorcism is caricatured by the false Sir Topaz, one of the modern tests of insanity is also keenly quizzed. The idea of testing the existence of insanity,
by questions on the doctrine of transmigration, may find its counterpart in more than one recent legal investigation, S
