We are too hasty whe down our aors in the gloss for fools, for the monstrous insistencies (as they seem to us) involved in their creed of witchcraft. In the relations of this visible world we find them to have been as rational, and shrewd to dete historialy, as ourselves. But when ohe invisible world was supposed to be opened, and the lawless agency of bad spirits assumed, what measures of probability, of decy, of fitness, or proportion -- of that which distinguishes the likely from the palpable absurd -- could they have to guide them in the reje or admission of any particular testimony? -- That maidens pined away, wasting inwardly as their waxen images ed before a fire -- that was lodged, and cattle lamed -- that whirlwinds uptore in diabolic revelry the oaks of the forest-or that spits ales only danced a fearful-i vagary about some rustics kit when no wind was stirring -- were all equally probable where no law of agency was uood. That the prince of the powers of darkness, passing by the floomp of the earth, should lay preposterous siege to the weak fantasy of i eld -- has her likelihood nor unlikelihood à priori to us, who have no measure to guess at his policy, or standard to estimate what rate those anile souls may fet the devils market. Nor, when the wicked are expressly symbolized by a goat, was it to be wo so much, that he should e sometimes in that body, and assert his metaphor. -- That the intercourse e all between both worlds erhaps the mistake -- but that once assumed, I see no reason for disbelieving oested story of this nature more than another on the score of absurdity. There is no law to judge of the lawless, or by which a dream may be criticised.
I have sometimes thought that I could not have existed in the days of received witchcraft; that I could not have slept in a village where one of those reputed hags dwelt. Our aors were bolder or more obtuse. Amidst the universal belief that these wretches were in league with the author of all evil, holdiributary to their muttering, no simple Justice of the Peace seems to have scrupled issuing, or silly Headbh serving, a warrant upon them -- as if they should subpoena Satan! -- Prospero in his boat, with his books and wand about him, suffers himself to be veyed away at the mercy of his eo an unknown island. He might have raised a storm or two, we think, on the passage. His acquiesce is i analogy to the noance of witches to the stituted powers. -- What stops the Fiend in Spenser from tearing Guyon to pieces -- or who had made it a dition of his prey, that Guyon must take assay of the glorious bait -- we have no guess. We do not know the laws of that try.
From my childhood I was extremely inquisitive about witches and witch-stories. My maid, and more legendary aunt, supplied me with, good store. But I shall mention the act which directed my curiosity inally into this el. In my fathers book-closet, the History of the Bible, by Stackhouse, occupied a distinguished station. The pictures with which it abounds -- one of the ark, in particular, and another of Solomons temple, delied with all the fidelity of ocular admeasurement, as if the artist had been upon the spot -- attracted my childish attention. There icture, too, of the Witch raising up Samuel, which I wish that I had never seen. We shall e to that hereafter. Stackhouse is in two huge tomes -- and there leasure in removing folios of that magnitude, which, with infiraining, was as much as I could manage, from th