A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans

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HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
arrival. On the other hand, if the Seer knew the person he saw in tlie
vision, he would tell his name, and know by the expression of his countenance
whether he came in a good or bad humour.
The Seers often saw houses, gardens, and trees, in places where there
were none, but in the course of time these places became covered with
them.
To see a spark of fire fall upon one's arm or breast, was a forerunner
of a dead child to be seen in the arms of those persons. To see a seat
empty when one was sitting on it, was a presage of that person's imme-
diate death.
There are now few persons, if any, who pretend to this faculty, and the
belief in it is almost generally exploded. Yet it cannot be denied that
apparent proofs of its existence have been adduced which have staggered
minds not prone to superstition. When the connexion between cause
and effect can be recognised, things which would otherwise have appeared
wonderful and almost incredible, are viewed as ordinary occurrences.
The impossibility of accounting for such an extraordinary phenomenon
as the alleged facultj^, on philosophical principles, or from the laws of na-
ture, must ever leave the matter suspended between rational doubt and
confirmed scepticism. " Strong reasons for incredulity," says Dr Johnson,
" Mill readily occur. This faculty of seeing things out of sight is local, and
commonly useless. It is a breach of the common order of things, without
any visible reason or perceptible benefit. It is ascribed only to a peojile
very little enlightened; and among them, for the most part, to the mean
and ignorant. To the confidence of these objections it may be replied,
that bj-^ presuming to determine what is fit, and what is beneficial, they
presuppose more knowledge of the universal system than man has at-
tained; and therefore depend upon principles too complicated and ex-
tensive for our comprehension; and that there can be no security in the
consequence, when the premises are not understood: that the Second
Sight is only wonderful because it is rare, foi", considered in itself, it in-
volves no more difficulty than dreams, or perhaps than the regular exercises
of the cogitative faculty ; that a general opinion of communica-
tive impulses, or visionaiy representations, has prevailed in all ages and
all nations ; that particular instances have been given, with such evi-
dence as neither Bacon, nor Bayle, has been able to resist; that sudden
impressions, which the event has verified, have been felt by more than
own or publish them ; that the Second Sight of tlie Hebrides implies
only the local fi-equency of a power which is no where totally unknown
and that where we are unable to decide by antecedent reason, we must
be content to yield to the force of testimony."*
Among the various modes of social intercourse which gladdened the
minds and dissipated the worldly cares of the Highlanders, weddings
bore a distinguished part, and they were longed for with a peculiar
• Jounicy lo the AVestern Iblands, p. 167, 16S.
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