276 FLORA HISTORICA. 



relates that a fellow in the reign of Charles the 

 First obtained a celebrity by detecting witches, and 

 actually caused the death of nearly sixty poor old 

 creatures on charges of witchcraft In those days, 

 the ordeal for the trial of witches was to tie them 

 up in a sack, and throw them into a river. If they 

 swam, they were taken out and burnt as decided 

 witches ; if they sank, why then they were drowned 

 in the experiment ! At last, the fellow was himself 

 charged with witchcraft, tried, and perished by his 

 own ordeal. 



The fear of evil spirits and the power of magic 

 seem to have prevailed over all nations before true 

 religion and pure philosophy had extended their 

 universal blessings. The Scriptures inform us of 

 its existence in eastern countries; and from the 

 numerous ceremonies of the Romans to prevent the 

 effects of enchantment, we learn how much it oc- 

 cupied their attention. That the poets of every 

 age have availed themselves of the superstition 

 of the times to render their poems more effective, 

 we have an instance in our own great dramatic 

 poet, whom we have frequently quoted on this 

 subject. The prince of the Latin poet says in the 

 'iEneid — 



For Circe had long loved the youth in vain, 

 Till love, refused, converted to disdain : 



