88 On Popular Illufions. 



could they be deceived in the folemn and public 

 infpeftion of the Vampire's body, which always 

 took place? And how could the deftrudlion of a 

 wretched carcafe, long dead, become the means 

 of reftoring public tranquillity, fo as to be ordered 

 by the magiftrates ? The beft explanation is, 

 to fhew, by unqueftionable fadls, how fuch de- 

 lufions have taken place j this will alfo elucidate 

 the nature of all the illufions already mentioned. 

 When Tournefort vifited the ifland of Mycone*, 

 in 1701, the principal town, at which he refided, 

 was difturbed by a vroucolacas, or redivivus -, the 

 confternation was fo great, that moft of the inha- 

 bitants flept in tents, in the market-place: their 

 peace was reftored by burning the carcafe of the 

 redivivtiSy after a public examination, in which 

 it was declared to be frefii. Thefe are the prin- 

 cipal fafts, and apparently ftrong : now let us 

 unveil their origin, by an abftrad of Tourne- 

 fort's obfervations. 



I. Tournefort obferves, tliat the perfon ac- 

 cufed of thofe dilhirbances had been quarrelfome 

 during his life, and was murdered privately. So 

 that he was a proper fubjeft of fufpicion ; fup- 

 pofing the general delufion once eftablifhed. 



II. The redivivus was accufed of nothing 

 which might not have been pradifed by ordinary 

 vagabonds ; ** he was feen to walk in the night 



* Letter III. 



" with 



