THE only thing, my Lord, I wou'd infer from all this, is, that Enthusiasm is wonderfully powerful and extensive; that it is a matter of nice Judgment, and the hardest thing in the world to know fully and distinctly; since even[1] Atheism is not exempt from it. For, as some have well remark'd, there have been Enthusiastical Atheists. Nor can Divine Inspiration, by its outward Marks, be easily distinguish'd from it. For Inspiration is a real feeling of the Divine Presence, and Enthusiasm a false one. But the Passion they raise is much alike. For when the Mind is taken up in Vision, and fixes its view either on any real Object, or mere Specter of Divinity; when it sees, or thinks it sees any thing prodigious, and more than human; its Horror, Delight, Confusion, Fear, Admiration, or whatever Passion belongs to it, or is uppermost on this occasion, will have something vast, immane, and (as Painters say) beyond Life. And this is what gave occasion to the name of Fanaticism, as it was us'd by the Antients in its original Sense, for an Apparition transporting the Mind.
Something there will be of Extravagance and Fury, when the Ideas or Images receiv'd are too big for the narrow human Vessel to contain. So that Inspiration may be justly call'd Divine Enthusiasm: For the Word it-self signifies Divine Presence, and was made use of by the Philosopher whom the earliest Christian Fathers call'd Divine, to express whatever was sublime in human Passions[2]. This was the Spirit he allotted to Heroes, Statesmen, Poets, Orators, Musicians, and even Philosophers themselves. Nor can we, of our own accord, forbear ascribing to a[3] noble Enthusiasm, whatever is greatly perform'd by any of These. So that almost all of us know something of this Principle. But to know it as we shou'd do, and discern it in its several kinds, both in our-selves, and others; this is the great Work, and by this means alone we can hope to avoid Delusion. For to judg the Spirits whether they are of God, we must antecedently judg our own Spirit; whether it be of Reason and sound Sense; whether it be fit to judg at all, by being sedate, cool, and impartial; free of every biassing Passion, every giddy Vapor, or melancholy Fume. This is the first Knowledg and previous Judgment: To understand our-selves, and know what Spirit we are of.
Afterwards we may judg the Spirit in others, consider what their personal Merit is, and prove the Validity of their Testimony by the Solidity of their Brain. By this means we may prepare our-selves with some Antidote against Enthusiasm. And this is what I have dar'd affirm is best perform'd by keeping to Good Humour. For otherwise the Remedy it-self may turn to the Disease.
And now, my Lord, having, after all, in some measure justify'd Enthusiasm, and own'd the Word; if I appear extravagant, in addressing to you after the manner I have done, you must allow me to plead an Impulse. You must suppose me (as with truth you may) most passionately yours; and with that Kindness which is natural to you on other occasions, you must tolerate your Enthusiastick Friend, who, excepting only in the case of this over-forward Zeal, must ever appear with the highest Respect,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's, &c.
VOL. III. p. 63, 64.
Ἄρ' οἰ̑σθ' ὅτι ὑπὸ τω̑ν Νυμφω̑ν ἐκ προνοίας σαφω̑ς ἐνθουσιάσω . . . τοσαυ̑τα μέν σοι καὶ ἔτι πλείω ἔχω μανίας γιγνμένης ἀπὸ θεω̑ν λέγειν καλὰ ἔργα, &c. Phaedr. καὶ τοὺς πολιτικοὺς οὐχ ἥκιστα τούτων φαι̑μεν ἂν θείους τε εἰ̑ναι καὶ ἐνθουσιάζειν. Meno. ἔγνων οὐ̑ν ἂν καὶ περὶ τω̑ν ποιητω̑ν ἐν ὀλίγῳ του̑το, ὅτι οὐ σοφίᾳ ποιοι̑εν, ἀλλὰ φύσει τινὶ καὶ ἐνθουσιάζοντες, ὥσπερ οἱ θεομάντεις καὶ χρησμῳδοί. Apol. In particular as to Philosophers, Plutarch tells us, 'twas the Complaint of some of the four old Romans, when Learning first came to them from Greece, that their Youth grew Enthusiastick with Philosophy. For speaking of one of the Philosophers of the Athenian Embassy, he says, ἔρωτα δεινὸν ἐμβέβληκε τοι̑ς νέοις ὑφ' οὑ̑ τω̑ν ἄλλων ἡδονω̑ν καὶ διατριβω̑ν ἐκπεσόντες ἐνθουσιω̑σι τερὶ φιλοσοφίαν. Plut. Cato Major. Plato, Phaedrus, 241 e, seems here misquoted. The accepted text means: I suppose you know that I shall be quite possessed (ἐνθουσιάσω) by the nymphs, to whom you have designedly exposed me. Plato, Menon, 99 d: And, among them, we should say that the politicians were specially rapt and inspired (ἐνθουσιάζειν). Plato, Apol. 22 b (slightly misquoted). The right version would give: So I observed also about poets in a short time that they did not compose out of wisdom, but from an instinct and an inspiration (ἐνθουσιάζοντες) like seers and prophets. Plutarch, Cato Major, 22: He put a spell upon young men, under which they give up other pleasures and amusements, and are possessed by philosophy (ἐνθουσιω̑σι).
Of this Passion, in the nobler and higher sense, see more, VOL. II. p. 75, 76, 393, 394, &c. and VOL. III. p. 30, 33, 34, 37.