CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

Origin of the general Opinions respecting Demonology among

Mankind-The Belief in the Immortality of the Soul is the

main Inducement to credit its occasional re-appearance-The

Philosophical Objections to the Apparition of an Abstract

Spirit little understood by the Vulgar and Ignorant-The

situations of excited Passion incident to Humanity, which teach

men to wish or apprehend Supernatural Apparitions-They are

often presented by the Sleeping Sense-Story of Somnambulism

-The Influence of Credulity contagious, so that Individuals

will trust the Evidence of others in despite of their own Senses

-Examples from the Historia Verdadera of Bernal Dias del

Castillo, and from the Works of Patrick Walker-The apparent

Evidence of Intercourse with the Supernatural World is some-

times owing to a depraved State of the bodily Organs-Difference

between this Disorder and Insanity, in which the Organs retain

their tone, though that of the Mind is lost-Rebellion of the

Senses of a Lunatic against the current of his Reveries-Narra-

tives of a contrary Nature, in which the Evidence of the Eyes

overbore the Conviction of the Understanding-Example of a

London Man of Pleasure-Of Nicolai, the German Bookseller

and Philosopher-Of a Patient of Dr. Gregory-Of an Eminent

Scottish Lawyer deceased-Of the same fallacious Disorder are

other instances, which have but sudden and momentary Endur-

ance-Apparition of Maupertuis-Of a late illustrious modern

Poet-The Cases quoted chiefly relating to false Impressions on

the Visual Nerve, those upon the Ear next considered-Delusions

of the touch chiefly experienced in Sleep-Delusions of the Taste

-and of the Smell-Sum of the Argument,

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LETTER II.

Consequences of the Fall on the communication between men and

the Spiritual World-Effects of the Flood-Wizards of Pharaoh

-Text in Exodus against Witches-The word Witch is by some

said to mean merely Poisoner-Or if in the Holy Text it also

means a Divineress, she must, at any rate, have been a character

very different to be identified with it-The original, Chasaph,

said to mean a person who dealt in Poisons, often a traffic of

those who dealt with Familiar Spirits-But different from the

European Witch of the Middle Ages-Thus a Witch is not

accessary to the temptation of Job-The Witch of the Hebrews

probably did not rank higher than a Divining Woman-Yet it

was a crime deserving the doom of death, since it inferred the

disowning of Jehovah's Supremacy-Other texts of Scripture,

in like manner, refer to something corresponding more with a

Fortune-teller or Divining Woman, than what is now called a

Witch-Example of the Witch of Endor-Account of her meet-

ing with Saul-Supposed by some a mere Impostor-By others

a Sorceress powerful enough to raise the Spirit of the Prophet

by her own art-Difficulties attending both positions—A middle

course adopted, supposing that, as in the case of Balak, the

Almighty had, by exertion of his will, substituted Samuel, or a

good spirit in his character, for the deception which the Witch

intended to produce-Resumption of the Argument, showing

that the Witch of Endor signified something very different from

the modern ideas of Witchcraft-The Witches mentioned in

the New Testament are not less different from modern ideas

than those of the Books of Moses, nor do they appear to have

possessed the power ascribed to Magicians-Articles of Faith

which we may gather from Scripture on this point-That there

might be certain Powers permitted by the Almighty to inferior,

and even evil Spirits, is possible; and, in some sense, the gods

of the Heathen might be accounted Demons-More frequently,

and in a general sense, they were but logs of wood, without

sense or power of any kind, and their worship founded on im-

posture-Opinion that the Oracles were silenced at the Nativity,

adopted by Milton-Cases of Demoniacs-The incarnate Posses-

sions probably ceased at the same time as the intervention of

Miracles-Opinion of the Catholics-Result that Witchcraft, as

the word is interpreted in the Middle Ages, neither occurs under

the Mosaic or Gospel Dispensation-It arose in the ignorant

period, when the Christians considered the gods of the Mahom-

medan or Heathen Nations as Fiends, and their Priests as

Conjurers or Wizards-Instance as to the Saracens, and among

the Northern Europeans yet unconverted-The gods of Mexico

and Peru explained on the same system-Also the Powahs of

North America Opinion of Mather-Gibb, a supposed War-

lock, persecuted by the other Dissenters-Conclusion,

LETTER III.

Creed of Zoroaster-received partially into most Heathen Nations

-Instances among the Celtic Tribes of Scotland-Beltane Feast

-Gudeman's Croft-Such abuses admitted into Christianity

after the earlier Ages of the Church-Law of the Romans

against Witchcraft-Roman Customs survive the fall of their

religion-Instances-Demonology of the Northern Barbarians—

Nicksas Bhar-geist-Correspondence between the Northern

and Roman Witches-The Power of Fascination ascribed to the

Sorceresses-Example from the Eyrbiggia Saga-The Prophet-

esses of the Germans-The gods of Valhalla not highly regarded

by their Worshippers-Often defied by the Champions-Demons

of the North-Story of Assueit and Asmund-Action of Eject-

ment against Spectres-Adventure of a Champion with the

goddess Freya-Conversion of the Pagans of Iceland to Chris-

tianity-Northern Superstitions mixed with those of the Celts-

Satyrs of the North-Highland Ourisk-Meming the Satyr,

LETTER IV.

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The Fairy Superstition is derived from different sources-The

Classical Worship of the Silvans, or Rural Deities, proved by

Roman Altars Discovered-The Gothic Duergar, or Dwarfs,

supposed to be derived from the Northern Laps or Fins-The

Niebelungen-Lied-King Laurin's Adventures-Celtic Fairies

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