But I have since understood, that when he is among fools and womankind, he exhibits himself as a perfect charlatan--talks of the magisterium--of sympathies and antipathies--of the cabala--of the divining-rod--and all the trumpery with which the Rosicrucians cheated a darker age, and which, to our eternal disgrace, has in some degree revived in our own.

My friend Heavysterne knew this fellow abroad, and unintentionally (for he, you must know, is, God bless the mark! a sort of believer) let me into a good deal of his real character.

Ah! were I caliph for a day, as Honest Abon Hassan wished to be, I would scourge me these jugglers out of the commonwealth with rods of scorpions.

They debauch the spirit of the ignorant and credulous with mystical trash, as effectually as if they had besotted their brains with gin, and then pick their pockets with the same facility.

And now has this strolling blackguard and mountebank put the finishing blow to the ruin of an ancient and honourable family!" "But how could he impose upon Sir Arthur to any ruinous extent ?" "Why, I don't know.