tion of this flourishing empire is liable to be materially influenced by their moral conduct as individuals; and that, whatever the success of the party whose cause they have espoused, their own adherence to the rules of virtue is an indispensable duty.

N. B. In order to obviate any suspicion of being actuated by selfish and interested views, the INSPECTOR thinks it necessary to declare, that he does not intend to offer himself as a candidate at the next election.

NUMBER 30.

Sure these are but imaginary wiles;

And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.-SHAKSPEARE.

No argument like matter of fact is.

And we are best of all led to

Men's principles by what they do.-HUDIBRAS.

SOME time ago, I received a letter signed AMICUS, informing me of certain transactions between several young ladies of this place and a professor of the art of witchcraft, from an adjoining county. My correspondent expressed himself in terms very indignant at those ladies,

for suffering themselves to be made the dupes of an impostor; and called upon me to join him in his animadversions upon the folly of giving credit to such practices, especially at the present day. My sentiments on this subject, however, are totally different from those of my correspondent:-so far from denying that there is such a thing as witchcraft among us, I shall undertake, in this paper, to prove its existence; and have little doubt, if his mind is in the slightest degree open to conviction, of making him as firm a believer in this doctrine as the late Cotton Mather, or even Mr. Glanville himself.

It is true that the Legislature, several years ago, thought fit to repeal the statutes provided by the wisdom of our forefathers for the punishment of witchcraft; and hence the opinion entertained by many well meaning people of its having become extinct, probably originated; for the decree of such an enlightened assembly must undoubtedly have had great influence upon their contemporaries. But whatever might have been the actual state of the case at that period, the conduct of many of our modern senators, and the abundant evidence of a different nature

which I shall produce, will, I trust, prove the truth of my position.

In the first place, it may be observed, that the

fact of the existence of witches, at the present day, is so notorious, that they are acknowledged to form a very large part of the population of a neighbouring county. That man must indeed be very ignorant, who has never either seen or heard of Lancashire witches; a race as celebrated for their beauty as those of yore were for age and ugliness. Nor is this species (of mischievous beings, shall I call them ?) confined to that county, for Yorkshire itself can furnish us with an ample number; and I fancy there are few of my male readers who have not, at some time or other, felt the force of their magic spells. How commonly do we hear it said,-" What a bewitching creature!" "How enchanting she looks!" "What wonderful charms she possesses!"-and various similar exclamations. Nay, if verbal testimony should be deemed ineligible, written proofs might undoubtedly be produced under the hand of almost every man who can guide a pen. Even though it should be allowed, that in what relates to the young and lovely of the female sex, men's words are not always to be credited, yet there seems no reason to doubt their veracity when speaking of others, devoid of these attractions. But how often do we hear of such ladies looking "like an old hag," or ugly as a witch ;"-terms of comparison which, Hh

66 as

certainly, no person would ever use, were he not convinced of their truth, and the propriety of the application.

It is not my design to enter into the history of modern witchcraft, or to enlarge upon the means by which its influence is exerted,-though these would form curious topics for discussion. It will be sufficient to observe, that the adepts in this art may be divided into two classes,-in the first of which must be ranked those to whom I have alluded. The fascination of this class is generally of a pleasing nature, and most commonly resides, like that of the basilisk, in the eyes; so that the object they gaze upon is in danger of destruction. The numbers slain annually by them, if we may believe the assertions of the dying victims, are incalculable; although their deaths are not classed under any particular head, in the bills of mortality. Instead of preparing their charms in a cauldron, in the midst of a wild heath, as customary in the days of Macbeth,witches of this description prefer a modern toilet; and the loathsome ingredients of eye of newt" and "toe of frog" are discarded, for the more powerful aid of lace and cambric, lavender and carmine.

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The second class of witches are those who, like their predecessors of old, delight in working

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"woe and trouble" to mankind; and though it must be confessed that I cannot appeal to ocular demonstration for the fact of their existence, yet I may confidently adduce the concurrent testimony of many thousands in proof of it. Almost every man is compelled to confess, at one period or other of his life, that he has certainly felt the operation of this supernatural agency, or otherwise he should have acted differently. How commonly, for instance, do we hear persons exclaim, "I was certainly bewitched when I behaved in so absurd a manner;" "I was bewitched when I married my wife ;-" I must have been bewitched or I should not have got drunk ;—“ I should not have thrown away my money at the gaming table if I had not been bewitched," &c. In short, if there is any truth in words, this mischievous influence is as commonly exerted to bewilder the minds of my countrymen, and frustrate their good intentions, as the spells of the enchanters of old were to counteract the chivalrous projects of Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Should it be alleged that these are mère common-place expressions, made use of by men in a fit of peevishness, when not altogether satisfied with the propriety of their conduct, it may be answered, that such persons ought, at least, to be as well acquainted with their own feelings and