tures to cure diseases; and the Visigoths used to steal the Sarcophagi of the dead for this purpose. But the application of magic was endless. There were two kinds which obtained notice in this country: one, that of scientific sorcery, derived from the Arabians in Spain, and consisting of judicial astrology, divination by horoscopes, cups, glasses, mirrors, swords, &c.; and the other witchcraft of northern origin, implying direct communication with fiends. Augury, formed part of the science of our Anglo-Saxon witches; and it is expressly denominated the old augury. The Sabbath of Witches was supposed to be a nocturnal assembly on a Saturday, in which the devil was said to appear in the shape of a goat, about whom they made several dances, and performed magical ceremonies. They had their cauldrons into which they cast various ingredients, at the same time telling and making hideous noises :

"Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw,-
Toad that under the cold stone,.
Days and nights, has thirty-one,
Swelter'd venom, sleeping, got,

Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!"

In order to prepare themselves for this meeting, they took several soporific drugs; after which they were fancied to fly up the chimney, and to be spirited and carried through the air, riding on a switch to their Sabbath assemblies. The property of conveyance was communicated to broomsticks, by rubbing them with a peculiar ointment. A cat,

("Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.")

an animal highly revered by the Egyptians and Romans, was a sine qua non; and Knighton mentions persons accused of keeping devils in the shape of cats. They had particular instruments which they used in their arts, in cure of the headache, &c. The Anglo-Saxon witches practised the ancient augury; they even retained the ancient art of divination, by cutting up victims.

We find, that if a lover could not obtain his fair object, he caused her to be bewitched; that witches were brought out to enchant the engines of besiegers; that favour was supposed to be granted by witchcraft; that the practice was firmly supposed to be the cause of extraordinary actions, and made the subject of accusation from malice. In fact, the clergy made it a means of intimidating and governing the laity, in the manner of the inquisition, by charging enemies with it, and so excommunicating them, and endangering their lives and property.

We see horse-shoes, owls, hawks, &c. nailed on doors. This was one Roman method of preventing witchcraft. Brand mentions various other modes. The trial by immersion was an abuse of the cold water system. The right hand was tied to the left foot, and the left hand to the right foot. If they swam, they were strongly suspected, and exposed to the stronger trial. It would be utterly impossible, in a limited work like this, to give the contents of the two large quartos forming the "Popular Antiquities; this article, therefore, with some particular superstitions which will follow it, must suffice.

DEATH WATCH.

Among the popular superstitions, which the illumination of modern times has not been able to obliterate, the dread of the Death-watch may be considered as one of the most predominant, and still conti

nues to disturb the habitations of rural tranquility with absurd apprehensions. It is chiefly in the advanced state of spring that this little animal (for it is nothing more) commences its rounds, which is no other than the call or signal by which the male and female are led to each other, and which may be considered as analogous to the call of birds, though not owing to the voice of the insect, but to its beating on any hard substance with the shield or forepart of its head. The prevailing number of distinct strokes which it beats is from seven to nine, or eleven, which very circumstance may still add in some degree to the ominous character it bears among the vulgar. These sounds or beats, which are given in pretty quick succession, are repeated at uncertain intervals, and in old houses, where the insects are numerous, may be heard almost at any hour of the day, especially if the weather be warm.

The insect is so nearly of the colour resembling decayed wood, that it may for a considerable time elude the search of an enquirer. It is about a quarter of an inch in length, and is moderately thick in proportion; and the wing shells are marked with innumerable irregular variegations of a lighter or grayer colour than the ground colour. Such, reader, is the important Death-watch!

BANSHEE.

"Hence in green Erin

The old woman comes."

The Banshee is a species of Aristocratic fairy, who, in the shape of a little hideous old woman, has been known to appear, and heard to sing in a supernatural and mournful voice under the windows of great houses, to warn the family that some of them are soon to die. In the last century, every great family in Ireland had a Banshee, who attended regularly, but latterly their visits and songs have been discontinued!

APPARITION!

These appearances, rather unfortunately for the credit of the marvellous stories connected with them, have usually been seen at the stillest hour of night, in lonely places, and are observed to shun the presence of any witness, except the single person to whom they address themselves. Hence then their name, which differs but a little in orthography, from A-pair-1-shun, and which was originally applied to them!!

MERMAID.

"Hail foreign wonder, that these climes ne'er bred!"

Comus.

"Do you put tricks upon us with savages, and men of Inde ?" The Tempest.

The "British Chronologist" informs us, that a fish resembling a Man, was, in the year 1205, taken off the coast of Suffolk, and was kept alive for six months!

The Yankees, in modern times, however, have given us equally astounding information, and were kind enough to manufacture John Bull one of these amphibious animals, and amused John's gullibility by an exhibition of it some few years ago in Bond Street, but it would not do.

The Mermaids were in former times considered as the agents of witches, and were employed in divers errands to the watery deep. The term is derived from Mere, a lake, water, or sea. For in

stance, there is Wittlesea-Mere in Cambridgeshire, and WinderMere in Cumberland. The following Information Extraordinary, will perhaps prove interesting to the reader:

"The Lords of the Admiralty, it is said, have lately received proposals (accompanied with an accurate model, which fully explains the idea), for introducing an entire new invention, by which those extra-rare marine productions-Mermaids and Mermen, may be taken alive. The machine is a sort of floating Gin-trap, which is to be baited with a Comb, mechanically attached to a Mirror, or Looking-glass! The projector proposes, when a sufficient number of either sex shall be taken, that a nautical academy shall be established in one of the sea-ports, wherein an attempt may be made to give them so much of a marine education, on the Lancasterian plan, as may render them highly serviceable to the British navy. The Men to be distributed among the guard-ships; and the Maids to attend and keep clean the Telegraph-houses, light the fires in the Light-houses, and snuff the lights on the floating beacons. In case of good behaviour, they are to be indulged occasionally with liberty to visit their relations and friends.

"As the latter part of the proposed services are more immediately under the direction of the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House, their Lordships have been pleased to promise to commune with that honourable body on so promising a scheme !"

BROWNIES.

Some have compared this class of imaginary beings (states Armstrong's Gaelic Dictionary), to the satyrs of the ancients; but without reason, since they had no disposition or point of character in common, excepting a fondness for solitude, which the Brownie possesses only at certain seasons of the year. About the end of the harvest he became more sociable, and hovered about farm-yards, stables, and cattle-houses. He had a particular fondness for the products of the dairy, and was a fearful intruder on milk maids, who made regular libations of milk or cream, to charm him off, or to procure his favour. He could be seen only by those who had the second sight; yet I have heard of instances where he made himself visible to those who were not so gifted, He is said to have been a jolly, personable being, with a broad blue bonnet, flowing yellow hair, and a long walking staff. Every manor-house had its ùruisg, or brownie, and in the kitchen, close by the fire, was a seat which was left unoccupied for him. The house of a proprietor on the banks of the Tay is, even at this day, believed to have been haunted by this sprite, and a particular apartment therein has been for centuries called brownie's room. When irritated through neglect, or disrespectful treatment, he would not hesitate to become wantonly mischievous. He was, notwithstanding, rather gainly and good-natured than formidable. Though, on the whole, a lazy lounging hobgoblin, he would often bestir himself in behalf of those who understood his humours, and suited themselves thereto. When in this mood, he was known to perform many arduous exploits in the kitchen, barn, and stable (nec cernitur ulli), with marvellous precision and rapidity. These kind turns were done without bribe, fee, or reward, for the offer of any of these would banish him for ever. Kind treatment was all that he wished for, and it never failed to procure his favour.

In the northern parts of Scotland, the brownie's disposition was

more mercenary. Brand, in his description of Zetland, observes, that "not above forty or fifty years ago, almost every family had a brownie, or evil spirit so called, which served them, to which they gave a sacrifice for his service; as when they churned their milk, they took a part thereof, and sprinkled every part of the house with it, for brownies's use; likewise, when they brewed, they had a stone, which they called "brownie's stane," wherein there was a little hole, into which they poured some wort for a sacrifice to brownie.

"They also had stacks of corn, which they called "brownie's stacks," which, though they were not bound with straw, or any way fenced, as other stacks used to be, yet the greatest storm of wind was not able to blow any straw off them.

"The brownies seldom discoursed with man, but they held frequent and affectionate converse with one another.

"They had their general assemblies too; and on these occasions they commonly selected for their rendezvous the rocky recesses of some remote torrent, whence their loud voices, mingling with the water's roar, carried to the ears of wondering superstition, detached parts of their unearthly colloquies."

SPITTING!

Spitting, according to Pliny, was superstitiously observed in averting witchcraft, and in giving a shrewder blow to an enemy. Hence seems to be derived the custom our bruizers have of Spitting in their hands, before they begin their fight. Several other vestiges of the superstition relative to fasting Spittle (Fascinationes saliva jejuna repelle veteri superstitione creditum est. Alex. at Alex.) mentioned also in Pliny, may yet be traced among our vulgar. Boys have a custom (inter se) of spitting their faith when required to make asseverations in a matter of consequence. In combinations of the colliers, &c. in the north, for the purpose of raising their wages, they are said to spit upon a stone together, by way of cementing their confederacy. We have, too, a kind of popular saying, when persons are of the same party, or agree in sentiments, "they spit on the same stone."

THE HOUSE LEEK,

Was also common in witchcraft, and it is usual even now, in the north of England, to plant it upon the top of cottage houses. The learned author of Vulgar Errors, informs us, that it was an ancient superstition, and this herb was planted on the tops of houses, as a defensative against lightning and thunder.—Quincunx, 126.

CITRON.

"Nor be the citron, Media's boast, unsung,

Though harsh its juice, and lingering on the tongue.
When the drug'd bowl, 'mid witching curses brew'd,
Wastes the pale youth by stepdame hate pursued,

Its powerful aid unbinds the muttered spell,
And frees the victim from the draught of Hell."

Sotheby's Virgil's Georgics.

The juice of the citron was used by the ancients as an antidote to, and against poison: hence it became esteemed as a preventive to the effects of witchcraft; at least, when the bewitched party were supposed to have imbibed poison, or any deleterious drug, through the agency of witches.

In our day the juice of the citron is used in chemistry, and is called Citric Acid.

WATER ORDEAL.

It was formerly a custom in several countries to weigh those that were suspected of magic, it being generally imagined that sorcerers were specifically lighter than other men. This was the origin of the practice of throwing the accused person into water; when, if his body floated upon the surface, he was convicted of witchcraft and burnt, but if it sunk to the bottom he was acquitted.* M. Ameilhon has published a curious paper in the 37th vol. of the Memoirs of the Royal Academy, on this particular subject, in which he endeavours to show the probability that some of these miserable persons did actually float on the water. He states, that among the multitude of persons subject to hysteria, and other similar complaints, there are several who cannot sink in the water; and hence he concludes that the pretended magicians and sorcerers who floated when tried by the water ordeal, were persons deeply affected with nervous disorders. Pomme, the celebrated French physician, in his Traité des Affections Vapoureuses, supports the same opinion.

DISSECTION.

It is said that Democritius, a philosopher of Abdera, while dissecting a brute, was surprised in the act by Hippocrates, who expressed himself greatly astonished that his friend could be guilty of so base an action, as it was considered nothing less than a contempt of the works of the Deity. Hippocrates added, that it was fortunate no other person witnessed his impiety. This is said to be the first dissection on record.

CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD.

But

The celebrated Harvey, in the year 1628, published his discovery of the circulation of the blood, which was of the most importance to physic of any that was ever made, and acquired him an immortal name. Nevertheless there are others who contend for the glory of this important discovery. Leonicenus says, that Fran. Paoli Sarpi, a Venetian, discovered the circulation, but durst not publish his discovery for fear of the inquisition; that he therefore only communicated the secret to Fab. ab Aquapendente, who, after his death, deposited the book he had composed on it in the library of St. Mark, where it lay a long time, till Aquapendente discovered the secret to Harvey, who then studied under him at Padua, and who, upon his return to England, a land of liberty, published it as his own Sir George Ent has shewn, that Father Paul received the first notion of the circulation of the blood from Harvey's book on that subject, which was carried to Venice by the ambassador of the republic at the court of England. As a benefactor of mankind, he is, as Hume proceeds, "entitled to the glory of having made, by reasoning alone, without any mixture of accident, a capital discovery in one of the most important branches of science. He had also the happiness of establishing at once this theory on the most solid and convincing proofs; and posterity has added little to the arguments suggested by his industry and ingenuity. His treatise of the circulation of the blood is farther embellished by that warmth and spirit which so naturally accompany the genius of invention. This great

* See Dead Sea.