yers of the church may drive away the enemy; that we may not
fall into his toils, and that we may have nothing to dread from the
attacks of evil spirits; but in no part does it say that spells have
power over them, neither do they anywhere pray God to deliver us from
them, or to heal us. It is so far from being true that we ought to
believe the fables spread abroad on this subject, that I perfectly
well remember having read a long time ago in the old casuists, that we
ought to class in the number of grievous sins the believing that magic
can really work the wonders related of it. I shall remark, on this
occasion, that I know not how the author of the book in question can
have committed the oversight of twice citing a certain manuscript as
to be found in any other cabinet than mine, when it is a well known
fact that I formerly purchased it very dear, not knowing that the most
important and curious part was wanting. What I have said of it may be
seen in the Opuscules which I have joined to the "History of
Theology."[697] For the present, it suffices to remember that in the
famous canon _Episcopi_, related first by Reginon,[698] we read these
remarkable words--"An infinite number of people, deceived by this
false prejudice, believe all that to be true, and in believing it
stray from the true faith into the superstition of the heathen,
imagining that they can find elsewhere than in God any divinity, or
any supernatural power."

XV. From all I have hitherto said, it appears how far from truth is
all that is commonly said of this pretended magic; how contrary to all
the maxims of the church, and in opposition to the most venerated
authority, and what harm might be done to sound doctrine and true
piety by entertaining and favoring such extravagant opinions. We read,
in the author I am combating, "What shall we say of the fairies, a
prodigy so notorious and so common?" It is marvelous that it should
be a _prodigy_ and at the same time _common_. He adds, "There is not a
town, not to say a village, which cannot furnish several instances
concerning them." For my part, I have seen a great many places; I am
seventy-four years of age, and I have perhaps been only too curious on
this head; and I own that I have never happened to meet with any
prodigy of that kind. I may even add that several inquisitors, very
sensible men, after having exercised that duty a long time, have
assured me that they also never knew such a thing. It is not o