sorcery and magic, unless he understands fully the mental and physical process by

which these results are obtained. The fact is, the subject of the psychologist is rendered temporarily insane; the nervous system, being excited to an unnatural degree, overcomes the mental power, and conveys to the senses images that do not in reality exist; yet, while the spectator is ready to admit his insanity, the process by which he was rendered insane "puzzles the will," and sets the speculative, superstitious faculties at work. Many persons get over this dilemma by pronouncing the whole proceeding a hoax; but it is no such thing; it is the result of natural causes— by some well understood-wherein the material man obtains a mastery over the spiritual man in the same person, through the predisposing influence of a weak imagina

tion.

If, therefore, the mental and physical faculties are so governed by the imagination in our day, as of old, (and there certainly can be no change in that respect until the very nature of man becomes changed,) what prevents popular belief in sorcery and magic? It is owing to the simple fact that the learned who do believe in supernatural agencies have not, in the present enlightened condition of the world, the moral courage to avow their belief, and because priestcraft, having once failed in its attempt to make it the instrument of its designs, dares not venture on a second experiment; and thus there is no active element employed to fan the popular mind into a superstitious tremor. It is not because the elements of superstition do not exist and pervade the minds of men. Want of encouragement in this weak faculty has, during the past two or three centuries, prevented its exercise and development, and society has been the gainer, because the intellectual faculties of men have been directed to more rational and profitable channels.

But, if the signs of the times are true, we are now fast approaching a period where the two extremes of mentality are to meet, and mankind is to merge from its present

lofty pinnacle of intelligence into the superstitious darkness of the middle ages. We see editors of intelligence stepping out of their road as public instructors, and discussing, with grave argument, the so-called "spiritual manifestations" of the day. Men who profess to favor the spirit of human progress, and who essay to direct their fellow-men on the road to mental, social, and physical improvement, go back to the dark ages, adopt the ignorant notions of those remote times, and without perceiving that all this is the offspring of their own distempered imaginations, deliberately publish those old theories revamped, and weakly avow their supernatural belief. We have said that the most learned as well as the most ignorant are subject to superstitious reasoning, or rather hallucinations; but it is eminently the province of good sense, and the duty of intelligent men, not only to resist those hallucinations in themselves, but to discourage them in others, since no good can be derived from them in any shape, and much injury may ensue from their cultivation. The man who yields to them is impaired in his intellect, and utterly undeserv ing, in this age, and among civilized people, of the least respect or consideration. In Central Africa, or the city of Iximaya, or even in China, he would find kindred weakness and sympathy; but it is entirely beneath the dignity of human intelligence, where men boast of being civilized, to listen to him.

We shall venture to lengthen this essay by quoting the following chapter from a work entitled "Sorcery and Magic," just published by J. S. Redfield, Clinton Hall, which exhibits the uses to which popular belief in such matters are employed where those things are fashionable.

THE URSULINES OF LOUDUN.

Soon after the period of the persecution of Louis Gaufridi, there was, in the town of Loudun, in the ancient province of Anjou, a priest named Urbain Grandier, a canon of the church there, and a man who was as remarkable for his learning and talent as for

his handsome person and courtly manners. He was born toward the end of the sixteenth century, at Bouvere, near Sablé, at which latter place his father, Pierre Grandier, exercised the profession of a notary, and his uncle, Claude Grandier, was, like himself, a priest. Urbain Grandier had studied in the college of the Jesuits at Bordeaux, and distinguished himself so much by his attainments and by his eloquence, that he became very popular at Loudun, where he obtained two benefices as a preacher. This excited the jealousy and hatred of his brother clergy, whom his proud and resentful spirit hindered him from conciliating. He seems to have given them some hold upon him by certain irregularities in his life, especially by his familiarities with the other sex, which were a matter of scandal in the town. Loudun, moreover, contained a large population of Protestants, and Urbain Grandier perhaps had a leaning toward them.

Between the years 1620 and 1629, Urbain Grandier had had several serious quarrels, and some lawsuits, with the clergy of Loudun. A priest named Mounier had published libels upon him, and Urbain prosecuted and obtained a judgment against him, and exacted the full penalty with unfeeling rigor. He had gained an action against another priest named Mignon, a canon of the church of St. Croix, in a matter relating to a house which the latter claimed, and he had made Mignon his personal enemy by the offensive manner in which he exulted in his defeat. By such proceedings as these, and by his real or reputed amours, he had gained many enemies. In 1629, he was accused before the court of the Bishop of Poitiers of scandalous intrigues, and even of having secretly introduced women into his church for improper purposes, and he was condemned by the official to be ejected from all his benefices. But some irregularity having been discovered in the proceedings, Urbain appealed, and obtained a decree of parliament, referring the case to the Presidial of Poitiers; and he was acquitted of the charges brought against him, which his

accusers were compelled to retract. This judgment was delivered on the 25th of May, 1631. It increased the exasperation of his enemies to such a degree, that the Archbishop of Bordeaux, as Urbain's friend, advised him to quit Loudun, and establish himself in some other place, out of the way of his persecutors. But the angry priest was too proud and resentful to listen to counsel like this.

In the year 1626, a small convent of Ursuline nuns had been established at Loudun, and being very poor, they rented a private house, and were allowed to support themselves by taking as boarders a few young ladies whom they educated. Their first confessor, or "director of conscience," was a priest named Mussaut, who died soon after the acquittal of Urbain Grandier by the Presidial of Poitiers. Urbain, rather imprudently, became a candidate for Mussaut's place, but was rejected, it was afterward said, on account of his scandalous character. The office of director of conscience to the Ursulines was given to his old enemy Mignon. This affair seems to have caused a revival of animosities which might otherwise have sunk into oblivion.

Meanwhile the young scholars of the convent appear to have felt dull in the company of their teachers, and they determined to amuse themselves with frightening them. For this purpose they left their beds by night, made dreadful noises about the house, and took advantage of secret passages and peculiarities they had discovered in the building to play a variety of pranks, which they laid to the charge of the ghost of the late spiritual director, Father Mussaut. The nuns communicated their terrors to Mussaut's successor, who soon suspected the intrigue; he saw to what advantage it might be turned, and obtained the confidence of the girls who were carrying it on. He not only encouraged them to proceed, but he soon brought the nuns themselves to join in his plans.

Mignon now proceeded more systematically in instructing his patients in the parts they were to act, and taught them to coun

credulity of the civil magistrates. As the latter had exposed some of their tricks, and had given them considerable embarrassment, the nuns were now made to say in their fits that they would no longer give any answers in the presence of the bailli or other municipal officers.

The priests now made their appeal to the Bishop of Poitiers, who at last openly espoused their cause; and, on the 28th of November, he appointed two commissioners, the deans of the canons of Champigni and of the canons of Thouars, to examine into this strange affair. With their countenance and assistance, the exorcisms commenced anew; and when, on the 1st of December, the bailli went to the convent, and insisted upon being admitted to the examination, and upon being permitted to put questions to the nuns when exorcised, he was refused by Barré, who now acted as chief exorcist. The bailli then formally forbade him to put any questions to the pretended demons tending to defame individuals; but Barré merely replied that it was his intention to use his own discretion in this respect. The priests had now every thing at their own will, and they were sanguine of success, when their

plot was deranged by the unexpected announcement that the Archbishop of Bordeaux was on his way to Loudun. On several occasions, the priests had declared, to explain some temporary intermission of the fits, that they had succeeded in driving away the demons, but that they had subsequently been sent back by the magician. When news came of the approach of the archbishop, they disappeared entirely, and the nuns became quiet and tranquil. Some prudent directions given by the archbishop seem to have put a stop to further proceedings, and even Mignon and Barré let the matter drop, so that little more was heard of it.