Crime & punishment > Essay on crimes and punishments

Crimes and Punishments. 195
CHAP. VIII.
Ihe Hijiory of Simon Morin.
THE tragical end of Simon Morin is not
lefs horrible than that of poor Anthony. It was
midft the feafling, pleafures, and gallantry of a
brilliant court; it was even in the times of the
greateft licentioufnefs, that this unfortunate mad¬
man was burnt at Paris, in the year 1663. Ima¬
gining that he had feen vifions, he carried his
folly lb far as to believe that he was fcnt from
God, and that he was incorporated with Jefus
Chrifl.
The Parliament very wifely condemned him
to be confined in a mad-houfe. What was very
remarkable, there happened to be confined in
the fame mad-houfe another, fool, who called
himfelf God the Father. Simon Morin was lb
Itruck with the folly of his companion, that he
acknowledged his own, and appeared for a time
to have recovered his fenfes. He declared his
repentance, and, unfortunately for himfelf, ob- >
tained his liberty.
Sometime after, he relapfed into his former
nonfenfe, and began to dogmatize. His unhappy
R 2 deftiny