If he could become master of some great hocus-pocus system which could be made to be graceful to the ears and eyes of many, which might for awhile seem to have within it some semi-divine attribute, which should have all but divine power of mastering the loaves and fishes, then would they who followed him believe in him more firmly than other followers who had believed in their leaders.

When you see a young woman read a closed book placed on her dorsal vertebrae,--if you do believe that she so reads it, you think that she is endowed with a wonderful faculty! And should you also be made to believe that the same young woman had direct communication with Abraham, by means of some invisible wire, you would be apt to do a great many things as that young woman might tell you.

Conjuring, when not known to be conjuring, is very effective.
Much, no doubt, of Sir Timothy's power had come from his praiseworthy industry.

Though he cared nothing for the making of laws, though he knew nothing of finance, though he had abandoned his legal studies, still he worked hard.

And because he had worked harder in a special direction than others around him, therefore he was enabled to lead them.