Volume 1

Dr. Blondel confuted, or, The ladies vindicated : with regard to the power of imagination in pregnant women together with a circular and general address to the ladies on this occasion / By John Henry Mauclerc.

  • Mauclerc, John Henry.
Date:
1747
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blondel confuted, or, The ladies vindicated : with regard to the power of imagination in pregnant women together with a circular and general address to the ladies on this occasion / By John Henry Mauclerc. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/68 (page 3)
    All that he a]ledges here, concerning the De¬ bits, and Errors of Men, in other Things, is quite uperfluous. Nor does it follow, becaufe we lie inder a World of Impofttion, relating to the A fl¬ airs in hand, thu all the Stories we hear of it,, are abulous, or falfc?' - As to what he juft mentions of Dreams, Witches* md Wizards^ I refer the Reader to the Judgment )f the Spe&ator, quoted be fore-hand in my Pre-# ace. I grant, that Poft hoc, ergo propter hoc, is a vulgar Sophifm : But I fhall make it my Bufinefs :o fhew, that Poft hoc, ergo propter hoc> is found Logic in the Bufinefs before us. The Dodtor fays, His Opinion is harmleft■, good- tatured and ufeful., in making eafy the Minds of \levered Perfons. I do alfo believe, that his Inten- :ion was very good ; and I think, it is to be wifti- :d, we could perfwade the greate.ft Part, that there s nothing in the Matter. I am fo convinced of the Power of Imagina- riON, and of the Weaknefs of moft Minds, that ' think, it would be good Policy, and a great service, if we could draw off more, the Thoughts >f moft Women from the Belief of thefe Stories, the ^refence of dangerous Impreftions, and the Cons¬ ideration of this Subjedt. I need not dwell any onger upon the reft of his Preface. I fhall only emark, on the Propositions, which ftand here .t the Head of this Treaufe, that the Second among hem, viz. That there’s no Solatia continui without Airce or Violence, is very true in Mechanics; but 3 a mere Sophifm, when applied to the prefent Subject of Dispute, T FI E