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34 becomes an object of ridicule. All thoughts are made to assume a grotesque interpretation ; and the person assailed is surprised that his fixed and solemn opinions should take a form which compels him to distrust their identity, and forces him to laugh at the most important subjects. It can cause good sense to appear as insanity, and convert truth into a libel ; distort the wisest institutions of civilized society into the practices of barbarians, and strain the Bible into a jest book.

Thought-making.—While one of these villains is sucking at the brain of the person assailed, to extract his existing sentiments, another of the gang, in order to lead astray the sucker (for deception is practised among themselves as a part of their system ; and there exists no honor, as amongst thieves, in the community of these rascals) will force into his mind a train of ideas very different