es, and not to lift up their hands to cut the grapes,
unless by his express order. The vine appeared directly, covered with
leaves and loaded with grapes, to the great astonishment of all
present; every one took up his knife, awaiting the order of Cudlingen
to cut some grapes; but after having kept them for some time in that
expectation, he suddenly caused the vine and the grapes to disappear:
then every one found himself armed with his knife and holding his
neighbor's nose with one hand, so that if they had cut off a bunch
without the order of Cudlingen, they would have cut off one another's
noses.

We have seen in these parts a horse which appeared gifted with wit and
discernment, and to understand what his master said. All the secret
consisted in the horse's having been taught to observe certain motions
of his master; and from these motions he was led to do certain things
to which he was accustomed, and to go to certain persons, which he
would never have done but for the sign or motion which he saw his
master make.

A hundred other similar facts might be cited, which might pass for
magical operations, if we did not know that they are simple
contrivances and tricks of art, performed by persons well exercised in
such things. It may be that sometimes people have ascribed to magic
and the evil spirit operations like those we have just related, and
that what have been taken for the spirits of deceased persons were
often arranged on purpose by young people to frighten passers-by. They
will cover themselves with white or black, and show themselves in a
cemetery in the posture of persons requesting prayers; after that they
will be the first to exclaim that they have seen a spirit: at other
times it will be pick-pockets, or young men, who will hide their
amorous intrigues, or their thefts and knavish tricks, under this
disguise.

Sometimes a widow, or heirs, from interested motives, will publicly
declare that the deceased husband appears in his house, and is in
torment; that he has asked or commanded such and such things, or such
and such restitutions. I own that this may happen, and does happen
sometimes; but it does not follow that spirits never return. The
return of souls is infinitely more rare than the common people
believe; I say the same of pretended magical operations and
apparitions of the demon.

It is remarked that the greater the ignorance which prevails in a
country, the more superstition reigns there; and