Part 29

So early as the year 1672, Louis XIV promulgated an order of the council of state, forbidding the tribunals from proceeding to judgment in cases where the accusation was of sorcery only.

In England we paid a much later tribute to the progress of illumination and knowledge; and it was not till the year 1736 that a statute was passed, repealing the law made in the first year of James I, and enacting that no capital prosecution should for the future take place for conjuration, sorcery and enchantment, but restricting the punishment of persons pretending to tell fortunes and discover stolen goods by witchcraft, to that appertaining to a misdemeanour.

As long as death could by law be awarded against those who were charged with a commerce with evil spirits, and by their means inflicting mischief on their species, it is a subject not unworthy of grave argument and true philanthropy, to endeavour to detect the fallacy of such pretences, and expose the incalculable evils and the dreadful tragedies that have grown out of accusations and prosecutions for such imaginary crimes. But the effect of perpetuating the silly and superstitious tales that have survived this mortal blow, is exactly opposite. It only serves to keep alive the lingering folly of imbecile minds, and still to feed with pestiferous clouds the thoughts of the ignorant. Let us rather hail with heart-felt gladness the light which has, though late, broken in upon us, and weep over the calamity of our forefathers, who, in addition to the inevitable ills of our sublunary state, were harassed with imaginary terrors, and haunted by suggestions,

Whose horrid image did unfix their hair, And make their seated hearts knock at their ribs, Against the use of nature.

THE END.

FOOTNOTES

Joshua, vii. 16, et seq.

De Arte Poetica, v. 150.

Romans, xi. 32.

Comte de Gabalis.

Genesis xli, 8, 25, &c.

Exodus, vii. 11; viii. 19.

Ibid, xxii. 18.

Deuteronomy, xviii. 10,11.

Leviticus, xx. 27.

Numbers, xxii. 5,6,7.

Numbers, xxiv, 1.

Ibid, xxiii. 23.

1 Sam. xxviii. 6, et seq.

2 Kings, xxi. 6.

1 Kings, xxii. 20, et seqq.

1 Chron. xxi. 1,7,14.

2 Kings, i. 2,3,4.

Matthew, xii. 24.

Genesis, xliv. 5.

Genesis, xliv. 15.

Brewster on Natural Magic, Letter IX.

De Natura Deorum, Lib. I, c. 38.