The Friendly Daemon, or the Generous Apparition Being a True Narrative of a Miraculous Cure, Newly Perform'd Upon That Famous Deaf and Dumb Gentleman, Dr. Duncan Campbel, by a Familiar Spirit That Appear'd to Him in a White Surplice, Like a Cathedral Singing Boy

In the early 1700s a respected scholar finds his world shattered by a sudden, violent affliction that robs him of speech and hearing. Convulsions seize him in public houses, his body twists, and his once‑sharp mind grows dim, leaving him dependent on the goodwill of strangers and the stale remedies of old wives. Desperate, he writes to a trusted physician, describing the relentless attacks and the social isolation that follows each episode.

Amid this darkness, an unexpected visitor appears: a gentle spirit dressed in a white surplice, singing like a cathedral choirboy. The apparition offers counsel and promises a miraculous remedy, presenting itself as a “friendly daemon” rather than a malevolent specter. The narrator, hopeful yet cautious, seeks his friend’s learned opinion on this extraordinary encounter, wondering whether the supernatural aid might finally break the cycle of suffering.