15. The craziness of the glass delusion understandably inspired the top artists and writers of the time
Though the actual number of sufferers might have been small, the glass delusion nevertheless captured the popular imagination across Europe. Understandably, it inspired many artists, including some of the continent’s finest writers. Miguel de Cervantes, best known as the author of Don Quixote, penned a novella called The Glass Graduate. The Spaniard’s work, which came out in 1613 – arguably at the height of the glass delusion craze – tells the story of a young peasant called Tomas whose dreams of becoming a lawyer are thwarted when his paramour slips him a badly-made love potion.
