Generality of Superstition--Commencement of Monarchy in Scotland--King Fergus I. crowned on the Fatal Stone of Destiny--Signs, Assistance of Spirits, Magicians, and Fortune-tellers--Natholocus sends a Friend to consult a Cunning Woman--Her Prediction verified--Constantine and Maxentius--A Heavenly Cross--A Famous Standard--Queen Guanora's Grave--Fear of St Martin--The Church's Belief in the Intercession of Departed Saints--Relics venerated--King bewitched by Witches of Forres--Evil Signs during Elthus Alipes's Reign--Sea Monster in the Don--Kenneth III. killed by an Infernal Machine--Virtue of Precious Stones--Weird Sisters--Consulting a Pythoness--Predictions by Druids--Domitian's Death foretold by Astrologers--Simon Magus--A Platonic Philosopher charged with Sorcery--The Emperor Julian instructed in Magic. In speaking of superstition, it may be truly said, "As with the people, so with the priest; as with the subjects, so with the monarch." In the humble cot the peasant is deluded and overawed by superstition; in the church the priest lays claim to supernatural power; and crowned heads have played a not unimportant part among the believers in and performers of the occult science, which has so long held the souls of men in bondage. We have it on record that a monarch has been made to tremble by the sayings of an old woman, supposed to be in league with the prince of darkness. A king and his army have been kept from battle by the movements of a harmless quadruped, or by the flight of a bird, unaware that before sunset it would be the eagle's portion. Other sovereigns have supported their tyranny over a down-trodden people by an arrogant pretension to an authority derived in a mysterious manner from another world.