' JOHNSON. 'Why yes, Sir, I am serious.' BOSWELL. 'Why then, I'll see
what can be done.'
He was engaged to dine abroad, and asked me to return to him in the
evening at nine, which I accordingly did.
We drank tea with Mrs. Williams, who told us a story of second sight,
which happened in Wales where she was born. He listened to it very
attentively, and said he should be glad to have some instances of that
faculty well authenticated. His elevated wish for more and more evidence
for spirit, in opposition to the groveling belief of materialism,
led him to a love of such mysterious disquisitions. He again justly
observed, that we could have no certainty of the truth of supernatural
appearances, unless something was told us which we could not know
by ordinary means, or something done which could not be done but by
supernatural power; that Pharaoh in reason and justice required such
evidence from Moses; nay, that our Saviour said, 'If I had not done
among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin.
Pages:
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396