For earlier indications of the distrust of inspiration and of the tendency to associate it with religious fanaticism, cf. Davenant, 'Preface to Gondibert' (Spingarn, ii. 25):
'Yet to such painfull poets some upbraid the want of extemporary fury, or rather inspiration, a dangerous word which many have of late successfully us'd; and inspiration is a spiritual fitt. . . .'
Cf. also Hobbes, 'Answer to Davenant' (Spingarn, ii. 59):
'. . . a foolish custome, by which a man, enabled to speak wisely from the principles of nature and his own meditation, loves rather to be thought to speak by inspiration, like a Bagpipe.'
Two books which greatly influenced the contemporary attitude to 'Enthusiasm' were Casaubon's Treatise concerning Enthusiasme, as it is an Effect of Nature, but is mistaken by many for either Divine Inspiration, or Diabolical Possession(1665), and Henry More's Enthusiasmus Triumphatus (1656). See George Williamson, 'The Restoration Revolt against Enthusiasm', S.P. xxx. 571 ff.