themselves in their likeness, to the great annoyance of the colonists. Thus, in the year 1692, a party of real or imaginary French and Indians exhibited themselves occasionally to the colonists of the town of Gloucester, in the county of Essex, New England, alarmed the country around very greatly, skirmished repeatedly with the English, and caused the raising of two regiments, and the dispatching a strong reinforcement to the assistance of the settlement. But as these visitants, by whom they were plagued more than a fortnight, though they exchanged fire with the settlers, never killed or scalped any one, the English became convinced that they were not real Indians and Frenchmen, but that the devil and his agents had assumed such an appearance, although seemingly not enabled effectually to support it, for the molestation of the colony.*

It appears, then, that the ideas of superstition which the more ignorant converts to the Christian faith borrowed from the wreck of the classic mythology, were so rooted in the minds of their successors, that these found corroboration of their faith in demonology in the practice of every pagan nation whose destiny it was to encounter them as enemies, and that as well within the limits of Europe, as in every other part of the globe to which their arms were carried. In a word, it may be safely laid down, that the commonly received doctrine of demonology, presenting the same general outlines, though varied according to the fancy of particular nations, existed through all Europe. It seems to have been founded

Magnalia, book vii. article xviii. The fact is also alleged in the Life of Sir William Phipps.

originally on feelings incident to the human heart, or diseases to which the human frame is liable,— to have been largely augmented by what classic superstitions survived the ruins of paganism,-and to have received new contributions from the opinions collected among the barbarous nations, whether of the east or of the west. It is now necessary to enter more minutely into the question, and endeavour to trace from what especial sources the people of the middle ages derived those notions, which gradually assumed the shape of a regular system of demonology.

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 Prophetesses 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 AsmundAction of Ejectment against Spectres-Adventure of a Champion with the Goddess Freya-Conversion of the Pagans of Iceland to Christianity-Northern Superstitions mixed with those of the Celts-Satyrs of the NorthHighland Ourisk-Meming the Satyr.

THE creed of Zoroaster, which naturally occurs to unassisted reason as a mode of accounting for the mingled existence of good and evil in the visible world that belief which, in one modification or another, supposes the co-existence of a benevolent and malevolent principle, which contend together without either being able decisively to prevail over his antagonist, leads the fear and awe deeply impressed on the human mind to the worship as well of the Author of evil, so tremendous in all the effects of which credulity accounts him the primary cause, as to that of his great opponent, who is loved

and adored as the Father of all that is good and bountiful. Nay, such is the timid servility of human nature, that the worshippers will neglect the altars of the Author of good, rather than that of Arimanes, trusting with indifference to the well-known mercy of the one, while they shrink from the idea of irritating the vengeful jealousy of the awful Father of evil.

The Celtic tribes, by whom, under various denominations, Europe seems to have been originally peopled, possessed, in common with other savages, a natural tendency to the worship of the Evil Principle. They did not, perhaps, adore Arimanes under one sole name, or consider the malignant divinities as sufficiently powerful to undertake a direct struggle with the more benevolent gods; yet they thought it worth while to propitiate them by various expiatory rites and prayers, that they, and the elementary tempests, which they conceived to be under their direct command, might be merciful to suppliants who had acknowledged their power, and deprecated their vengeance.

Remains of these superstitions might be traced till past the middle of the last century, though fast becoming obsolete, or passing into mere popular customs of the country, which the peasantry observe, without thinking of their origin. About 1769, when Mr Pennant made his tour, the ceremony of the Baaltein, Beltane, or First of May, though varying in different districts of the Highlands, was yet in strict observance; and the cake, which was then baken with scrupulous attention to certain rites and forms, was divided into fragments, which were formally dedicated to birds or beasts of prey,

that they, or rather the being whose agents they were, might spare the flocks and herds.*

Another custom of similar origin lingered late among us. In many parishes of Scotland, there was suffered to exist a certain portion of land, called the Gudeman's Croft, which was never ploughed or cultivated, but suffered to remain waste, like the TEMENOS of a pagan temple. Though it was not expressly avowed, no one doubted that the goodman's croft was set apart for some evil being; in fact, that it was the portion of the arch-fiend himself, whom our ancestors distinguished by a name, which, while it was generally understood, could not, it was supposed, be offensive to the stern inhabitant of the regions of despair. This was so general a custom, that the church published an ordinance against it as an impious and blasphemous

usage.

This singular custom sunk before the efforts of the clergy in the 17th century; but there must still be many alive, who in childhood have been taught to look with wonder on knolls and patches of ground left uncultivated, because, whenever a ploughshare entered the soil, the elementary spirits were supposed to testify their displeasure by storm and thunder. Within our own memory, many such places, sanctified to barrenness by some favourite popular superstition, existed, both in Wales and Ireland, as well as in Scotland; but the high price of agricultural produce during the late war, renders

The

* See Pennant's Scottish Tour, vol. i. p. 111. traveller mentions that some festival of the same kind was, in his time, observed in Gloucestershire.