property, he will very often give away every moveable he is possessed
of, if his friends do not put them out of his reach; and, when he
recovers, will enquire what had become of those very things which
he had but just before distributed, not seeming to have the least
remembrance of what he had done while the fit was upon him.[4]

[Footnote 4: What is the origin of that singular notion which is found
amongst the lower orders in most countries, that divine inspiration
is often consequent on temporary or continued derangement? Surely it
cannot be derived from any correct opinions respecting the Author of
truth and knowledge. We must ascribe it, then, to ignorance, and
some feeling of dread as to his power; or rather perhaps, we ought
to consider it as the hasty offspring of surprise, on the occasional
display of reason, even in a common degree, where the faculties are
understood to be disordered. Still it is singular, that the observers
should have recourse for explanation to so injurious and so improbable
a supposition, as that of supernatural agency. What has often, been
said of sol-lunar and astral influence on the human mind, the opinion
of which is pretty widely spread over the world, may be interpreted
so as perfectly to agree with the theoretical solution of the question
now proposed, the heavenly bodies being amongst the first and the most
generally established objects of religious apprehension and worship.
It is curious enough, that what may be called the converse of the
proposition, viz. that derangement follows or is accompanied with
inspiration, whether religious or common, should almost as extensively
have formed a part of the popular creed. The reason of this notion
again, is not altogether the same as that of the former; it has its
origin probably in the observation, that enthusiasm with respect to
any one subject, which, in the present case, is to be regarded as the
appearance or expression of inspiration, usually unfits a person