 projected a scheme for chastising a number of their
own acquaintance, who had all along professed the utmost contempt for the
talents of this conjurer, which they endeavoured to ridicule in all companies,
where his surprising art was the subject of discourse; not that they had sense
and discernment enough to perceive the absurdity of his pretensions, but
affected a singularity of opinion, with a view of insulting the inferior
understandings of those who were deceived by such an idle impostor.
    Peregrine indeed, for obvious reasons, had always espoused their judgment in
this case, and joined them in reviling the public character of his friend; but
he knew how far the capacities of those virtuosi extended, and had frequently
caught them in the fact of recounting their exploits against the conjurer, which
were the productions of their own invention only. On these considerations, his
wrath was kindled against them, and he accordingly concerted measures with his
coadjutor, for overwhelming them with confusion and dismay.
    In the first place, a report was spread by his emissaries, that the magician
had undertaken to entertain the view with the appearance of any person whom his
customers should desire to see, whether dead, or at the distance of a thousand
leagues. This extraordinary proposal chancing to be the subject of conversation,
in a place where most of those infidels were assembled, they talked of it in the
usual stile, and some of them swore, the fellow ought to be pillory'd for his
presumption.
    Our hero seizing this favourable opportunity, acquiesced in their remarks,
and observed with great vehemence, that it would be a meritorious action to put
the rascal to the proof, and then toss him in a blanket for non-performance.
They were wonderfully pleased with this suggestion, and forthwith determined to
try the experiment; though, as they understood the apparition would be produced
to one only at a time, they could not immediately agree in the choice of the
person who should stand the first brunt of the magician's skill. While each of
them severally excused himself from this preference on various pretences,
Peregrine readily undertook the post, expressing great confidence of the
conjurer's incapacity to give him the least cause of apprehension.
    This point being settled, they detached one of their number to Crabtree, in
order to bespeak and adjust the hours and terms of the operation, which he
insisted upon performing at his own apartment, where every thing was prepared
for the occasion. At the appointed time, they went thither in a body, to the
number of seven, in full expectation of detecting the impostor; and were
received with such gloomy formality,
