 good action
against them for an assault, by virtue of an act of parliament, which makes it
criminal for any person to accuse another of sorcery and witchcraft, these idle
notions being now justly exploded by all sensible men. Mr. Jolter, who had by
this time joined the company, could not help signifying his dissent from this
opinion of his pupil, which he endeavoured to invalidate by the authority of
scripture, quotations from the fathers, and the confession of many wretches who
suffered death for having carried on correspondence with evil spirits, together
with the evidence of Satan's Invisible World, and Moreton's history of
witchcraft.
    The soldier corroborated these testimonies by facts that had happened within
the sphere of his own knowledge, and in particular mentioned the case of an old
woman of the parish in which he was born, who used to transform herself into the
shapes of sundry animals, and was at last killed by small-shot, in the character
of an hare. The Welchman thus supported, expressed his surprize at hearing that
the legislature had shewn such tenderness for criminals of so dark a hue; and
offered to prove by undeniable instances, that there was not a mountain in
Wales, which had not been in his memory the scene of necromancy and witchcraft;
»Wherefore, (said he) I am assuredly more than apove astonished and confounded
and concerned, that the parliament of Great Pritain should in their great
wisdoms and their prudence, and their penetration, give countenance and
encouragement, look you, to the works of darkness and the empire of Pelzepup;
ofer and apove the evidence of holy writ, and those writers who have been quoted
by that aggurate and learned shentleman, we are informed by profane history, of
the pribbles and pranks of the old serpent, in the bortents and oragles of
antiquity; as you will find in that most excellent historian Bolypius, and Titus
Lifius; ay, and moreofer, in the commentaries of Julius Cæsar himself, who, as
the ole 'orld knows, was a most famous, and a most faliant, and a most wise, and
a most prudent, and a most fortunate cheiftan, and a most renowned orator; ay,
and a most elegant writer to boot.«
    Peregrine did not think proper to enter the lists of dispute with three such
obstinate antagonists; but contented himself with saying, that he believed it
would be no difficult matter to impugn the arguments they had advanced; though
he did not find himself at all disposed to undertake the task, which must of
course break in upon the evening's entertainment. He therefore invited the
