Therearesomanywondrousappearancesinnature，forwhichscienceandphilosophycannot，evennow，account，thatitisnotsurprisingthat，whennaturallawswerestilllessunderstood，menshouldhaveattributedtosupernaturalagencyeveryappearancewhichtheycouldnototherwiseexplain。Themeresttyronowunderstandsvariousphenomenawhichthewisestofoldcouldnotfathom。Theschoolboyknowswhy，uponhighmountains，thereshould，oncertainoccasions，appearthreeorfoursunsinthefirmamentatonce；andwhythefigureofatravellerupononeeminenceshouldbereproduced，inverted，andofagiganticstature，uponanother。Weallknowthestrangeprankswhichimaginationcanplayincertaindiseases——thatthehypochondriaccanseevisionsandspectres，andthattherehavebeencasesinwhichmenwereperfectlypersuadedthattheywereteapots。Sciencehaslifteduptheveil，androlledawayallthefantastichorrorsinwhichourforefathersshroudedtheseandsimilarcases。Themanwhonowimagineshimselfawolf，issenttothehospital，insteadoftothestake，asinthedaysofthewitchmania；
andearth，air，andseaareunpeopledofthegrotesquespiritsthatwereoncebelievedtohauntthem。
BeforeenteringfurtherintothehistoryofWitchcraft，itmaybeaswellifweconsidertheabsurdimpersonationoftheevilprincipleformedbythemonksintheirlegends。Wemustmakeacquaintancewiththeprimummobile，andunderstandwhatsortofapersonageitwas，whogavethewitches，inexchangefortheirsouls，thepowertotormenttheirfellow-creatures。Thepopularnotionofthedevilwas，thathewasalarge，ill-formed，hairysprite，withhorns，alongtail，clovenfeet，anddragon’swings。Inthisshapehewasconstantlybroughtonthestagebythemonksintheirearly“miracles“and“mysteries。“Intheserepresentationshewasanimportantpersonage，andansweredthepurposeoftheclowninthemodernpantomime。Thegreatfunforthepeoplewastoseehimwellbelabouredbythesaintswithclubsorcudgels，andtohearhimhowlwithpainashelimpedoff，maimedbytheblowofsomevigorousanchorite。St。Dunstangenerallyservedhimtheglorioustrickforwhichheisrenowned——catchingholdofhisnosewithapairofred-hotpincers，till“Rocksanddistantdellsresoundedwithhiscries。“
Someofthesaintsspatinhisface，tohisverygreatannoyance；andotherschoppedpiecesoffhistail，which，however，alwaysgrewonagain。Thiswaspayinghiminhisowncoin，andamusedthepopulacemightily；fortheyallrememberedthescurvytrickshehadplayedthemandtheirforefathers。Itwasbelievedthatheendeavouredtotrippeopleup，bylayinghislonginvisibletailintheirway，andgivingitasuddenwhiskwhentheirlegswereoverit；——thatheusedtogetdrunk，andswearlikeatrooper，andbesomischievousinhiscupsastoraisetempestsandearthquakes，todestroythefruitsoftheearthandthebarnsandhomesteadsoftruebelievers；——thatheusedtoruninvisiblespitsintopeoplebywayofamusinghimselfinthelongwinterevenings，andtoproceedtotavernsandregalehimselfwiththebest，offeringinpaymentpiecesofgoldwhich，onthedawnofthefollowingmorning，invariablyturnedintoslates。Sometimes，disguisedasalargedrake，heusedtolurkamongthebulrushes，andfrightenthewearytravelleroutofhiswitsbyhisawfulquack。ThereaderwillrememberthelinesofBurnsinhisaddresstothe“De’il，“whichsowellexpressthepopularnotiononthispoint——
“Aedreary，windy，winternight，Thestarsshotdownwi’sklentinlight，Wi’you，mysel，IgotafrightAyontthelough；