THROUGH SWEDEN. 
93 
treatife in favour of that form of government, entitled, De De~ 
mocratia Optimo Regimme.* He embraced the ecclefiaftical pro- 
feflion merely from motives of intereft ; but afterwards became a 
zealous Rickler for the molt abfurd tenets of the groflefl: fuper- 
ftition, whether it be that he has in reality become a convert to 
what he at firft merely belived ex ojficio ; or, as fome people are 
inclined to think, from hypocrify. He has at once fignalized his 
clerical fervor, and difplayed his own charader by a Differ tat ion on 
the Power and Influence of the Devil on the Human Body. He proves 
in this book, by evidence amounting, as he fays, to mathematical 
demonftration, not only the exiflence of the devil and his opera¬ 
tions on the human mind and body, but has been fo fuccefsful in 
his enquiries into the fubjed, as to diftinguifh the different forts of 
devils, and to afcertain the means proper for putting them to flight. 
He has difcovered that the diaholus crinitus, or hairy devil, may be 
routed by a plant called hypericum quadrangulare, (quadrangular 
St. John’s wort). There is another anecdote which may ferve ° 
to throw fome light upon the prefent fpirit of religion in Sweden. 
As far down as the reign of the late king a ceremony prevailed, 
which was very much at variance with the advanced ftate of 
knowledge, and with common fenfe, namely, that of exorcifing 
and fummoning the devil to depart from the body of an infant 
in the rite of baptifm. For this ceremony, in the late king’s 
reign, another was fubftituted lefs fliocking to the underftanding : 
but 
* Democracy the befl form of government. 
