“FrereJacques，“whotaughtthelithotomistsofParis，oweshisecclesiasticaltitletocourtesy，ashedidnotbelongtoareligiousorder。
Medicalscience，andespeciallythestudyofmentaldisease，isdestined，Ibelieve，toreacttomuchgreateradvantageonthetheologyofthefuturethantheologyhasactedonmedicineinthepast。Theliberalspiritverygenerallyprevailinginbothprofessions，andthegoodunderstandingbetweentheirmostenlightenedmembers，promisewellforthefutureofbothinacommunitywhichholdseverypointofhumanbelief，everyinstitutioninhumanhands，andeverywordwritteninahumandialect，opentofreediscussiontoday，to-morrow，andtotheendoftime。Whethertheworldatlargewilleverbecuredoftrustingtospecificsasasubstituteforobservingthelawsofhealth，andtomechanicalorintellectualformulaasasubstituteforcharacter，mayadmitofquestion。Quackeryandidolatryareallbutimmortal。
Wecanfindmostoftheoldbeliefsaliveamongstusto-day，onlyhavingchangedtheirdressesandthesocialspheresinwhichtheythrive。WethinkthequarrelsofGalenistsandchemistsbelongtothepast，forgettingthatThomsonismhasitsnumerousapostlesinourcommunity；thatitiscommontoseeremediesvauntedaspurelyvegetable，andthattheprejudiceagainst“mineralpoisons，“
especiallymercury，isasstronginmanyquartersnowasitwasatthebeginningoftheseventeenthcentury。Namesareonlyair，andblowawaywithachangeofwind；butbeliefsarerootedinhumanwantsandweakness，anddiehard。TheoaksofDodonaareprostrate，andtheshrineofDelphiisdesolate；butthePythonessandtheSibylmaybeconsultedinLowellStreetforaverymoderatecompensation。
NostradamusandLillyseemimpossibleinourtime；butwehaveseentheadvertisementsofanastrologerinourBostonpapersyearafteryear，whichseemstoimplythathefoundbelieversandpatrons。YousmiledwhenIrelatedSirKenelmDigby’sprescriptionwiththeliveeelinit；butifeachofyouweretoemptyhisorherpockets，wouldtherenotrollout，frommorethanoneofthem，ahorse-chestnut，carriedaboutasacureforrheumatism？ThebrazenheadofRogerBaconismute；butisnot“Planchette“utteringherresponsesinahundredhousesofthiscity？WethinkofpalmistryorchiromancyasbelongingtothedaysofAlbertusMagnus，or，ifexistinginourtime，asgivenovertothegypsies；butaverydistinguishedpersonhasrecentlyshownmethelineoflife，andthelineoffortune，onthepalmofhishand，withaseemingconfidenceinthesanguinepredictionsofhiscareerwhichhadbeendrawnfromthem。Whatshallwesayoftheplausibleandwell-dressedcharlatansofourowntime，whotradeinfalsepretences，likeNicholasKnappofold，butwithoutanyfearofbeingfinedorwhipped；orofthemanyfolliesandinanities，imposingonthecredulouspartofthecommunity，eachofthemgapingwitheager，openmouthforagratuitousadvertisementbythementionofitsfoolishnameinanyrespectableconnection？