451 
MISCELLANEA. 
SUPERSTITION IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 
A CERTAIN farmer residing at the western side of the 
parish of Drewsteignton, Devon, has lately had the misfor¬ 
tune to lose, by old age, two of his horses. He and his 
workman William, being more superstitious than wise, attri¬ 
buted the deaths to w itchcraft. They consulted with their 
intelligent neighbours on the matter, and all agreed that some 
fiendish witch had caused the animals’ death. The demise 
of Tuckett and Thomas, late white-witches, was bewailed, 
but there was one left at Crediton whose fame had reached 
the ear of the farmer, and he instantly saddled his nag and 
speedily reached the abode of Professor S., where the old 
incantations were put in practice. The professor quickly 
showed the unfortunate farmer the features of his bewitching 
enemy. Tw^enty-five shillings w^as paid for that and for the 
advice given to break the infernal spell. The farmer, over¬ 
joyed, retraced his steps, and within the space of an hour and 
a half was seen in the act of exhuming the dead bodies of his 
bewitched horses; the heart of each animal was taken out, 
was stuck all over with pins and blackthorns, and was then 
enclosed in brown paper. When night arrived, both hearts 
were consigned to a tremendous fire made from green ashen 
wood, and to augment the heat, one cwt. of coal was used 
for fuel. The hearts were consumed, and the spell was 
broken.” 
To the above we may be permitted to add an incident that 
recently occurred to ourselves. We had not been long 
domiciled in our new’ habitation, when a person living in the 
neighbourhood called for the purpose of selling some garden 
produce. As he rented an adjoining field we objected to a 
pigsty of his. the propinquity of which might not be very 
agreeable. “Oh Sir!"’ he said, “ the pigs be all dead : they were 
bewitched!” “Nonsense, man,” we replied. “They have,” he 
reiterated : “and not only they, but the ‘ taties ’ too ; there 
be plenty of haulm but not a ‘ tatee ’ at the root.” “ How’ do 
you know they have been bewitched?” w e asked. “ I w ent to a 
wise man,” he replied, “and he showed me the ‘Effigy’ of a 
person living up there”—pointing with his thumb to a house 
near,—“ w ho had bew itched them.” “And do you really believe 
it?” we exclaimed. “Yes,” w as the answer. “ But w ho gave to 
the person referred to, the wisdom you talk about, do you 
think?” “Aye ! now you ask, that 1 can. You know that not 
