Nothing, indeed, can be added to the diligence of Remy, or Remigius, with respect to the forms of demons. He was a commissioner for the trial of witches, in Lorrain, and as he informs us, in the course of fifteen years, he condemned nine hundred criminals to the stake. His book is one of the most remarkable productions of credulity; for the monstrous absurdities which it contains are supported by juridical proofs, most of which evidently proceeded from spectral impressions, when they were not extorted by torture. My edition of this work, which is become very rare, was printed by Vincenti, at Lyons, in 1595. It is entitled, DÆMONOLATREIA. The trials appear to have begun in 1583. Mr. Remy seems to have felt great anxiety to ascertain the exact features and dress of the demons, with whom many of the persons supposed themselves to be familiar. Yet nothing transpired, in his examinations, which varied from the usual figures exhibited by the gross sculptures and paintings of the middle age. They are said to be black-faced,[7] with sunk, but fiery eyes, their mouths wide, and smelling of sulphur; their hands hairy, with claws: their feet horny and cloven. Not only are the voices and stature of the demons described by Remy’s authorities, but many other extraordinary circumstances are recorded, which might have been omitted with great propriety. The curiosity of the worthy judge seems to have been as unlimited as his credulity. I ought to add, that his book is written in Latin, in a good style, and bears marks of considerable erudition. The result of all these inquiries has been, that recollected images only are presented to the persons labouring under delusions of this nature. But the most remarkable and decisive narrative of this kind was published, some years ago, by Nicolai, the celebrated author and bookseller, of Berlin. “Those who pretend to have seen and heard ghosts obstinately maintain, that they perceived these apparitions by means of their senses. In order to defeat that belief, we generally desire them to consider how many people have been imposed on by artful novices, and how liable we are to deceive ourselves; we advise them to lay hold of the supposed spectres; assuring them that they are generally found to be of a very corporeal nature. But those who have a predilection for the miraculous, pay no regard to these objections; insisting that the productions of their disordered imaginations are real beings. We cannot therefore collect too many of such well substantiated facts, as shew how easily our imagination imposes on us erroneous notions, and deludes not only delirious persons but even those who are in full possession of their faculties, by causing them to see phantasms which scarcely can be distinguished from real appearances.”