Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/160

was performed by a large concave-glaſs, with a deep pointed focus, quick ſilvered on the backſide, and ſet in tin, with a ſocket for a candle, ſconce faſhion, and hung up againſt a wall. While the flame of the candle was diametrically oppoſite to the centre, the rays equally diverging, gave ſo powerful a light as is ſcarce credible; but on the leaſt variation from the focus, the charm ceaſed. The lady diſcerning in this man a genius which might be improved to better purpoſes than deceiving the country people, deſired him not to hide his talents, but to puſh himſelf in the world by the abilities of which he ſeemed poſeſſed. ‘Madam, ſaid he, I am now a fiddle to aſſes, but I am finiſhing a great work which will make thoſe aſſes fiddle to me.’ She then aſked what that work might be? He replied, ‘his life was at ſtake if it took air, but he found her a lady of ſuch uncommon candour, and good ſenſe, that he ſhould make no difficulty in committing his life and hope to her keeping.’ All women are naturally fond of being truſted with ſecrets; this was Mrs. Thomas’s failing: the Dr. found it out, and made her pay dear for her curioſity. ‘I have been, continued he, many years in ſearch of the Philoſopher’s Stone, and long maſter of the ſmaragdine-table of Hermes Triſmegiſtus; the green and red dragons of Raymond Lully have alſo been obedient to me, and the illuſtrious ſages themſelves deign to viſit me; yet is it but ſince I had the honour to be known to your ladyſhip, that I have been ſo fortunate as to obtain the grand ſecret of projection. I tranſmuted ſome lead I pulled off my window laſt night into this bit of gold.’ Pleaſed with the ſight of this, and having a natural propenſion to the ſtudy, the lady ſnatched it out of the philoſopher’s hand, and aſked him why he had not made more? He replied, ‘it was all the lead I could

find.