Magicians,
South-sayers, _&c._ such as were in former Times call'd by that Name.

But to this I answer, that take them in which Sense you please, it may
be the same; for if I were to ask the _Devil_ the Character of the best
States-man he had employ'd among us for many Years past, I am apt to
think that tho' Oracles are ceased, he would honestly, according to the
old ambiguous Way, when I ask'd if they were Christians, answer they
were (his) _Privy-Counsellors_.

It is but a little while ago, that I happen'd (in Conversation) to meet
with a long List of the Magistrates of that Age, in a neighbouring
Country, that is to say, the Men of Fame among them; and it was a very
diverting Thing to see the Judgment which was pass'd upon them among a
great deal of good Company; it is not for me to tell you how many white
Staves, Golden Keys, Mareshals Batoons, Cordons Blue, Gordon Rouge and
Gordon Blanc, there were among them, or by what Titles, as Dukes,
Counts, Marquis, Abbot, Bishop, or Justice they were to be
distinguish'd; but the marginal Notes I found upon most of them were
(being mark'd with an Asterism) as follows.

Such a Duke, such eminent Offices added to his Titles (* in the Margin)
------ _No Saint_.

Such an Arch---- with the Title of Noble added, ------ _No Archangel_.

Such an eminent Statesman and prime Minister, ------ _No Witch_.

Such a Ribbon with a Set of great Letters added, ------ _No Conjurer_.

It presently occurr'd to me that tho' Oracles were ceased, and we had
now no more double _Entendre_ in such a Degree as before, yet that
ambiguous Answers were not at an End; and that whether those Negatives
were meant so by the Writers, or not, 'twas certain Custom led the
Readers to conclude them to be Satyrs, that they were to be rung
backwards like the Bells when the Town's on fire; tho' in short, I durst
not read them backward any where, but as speaking of foreign People, for
fear of raising the _Devil_ I am talking of.

But to return to the Subject; to such mean Things is the DEVIL now
reduc'd in his ordinary Way of carrying on his Business in the World,
that his Oracles are deliver'd now by the Bellmen and the
Chimney-Sweepers, by the meanest of those that speak in the Dark, and if
he operates by them, you may expect it accordingly; his Agents seem to
me as if the DEVIL had singl'd them out by their Deformity, or that
there was something particular requir'd in their Aspect to qualify them
for their