for if we must attribute to
natural magic all that is ascribed to sorcerers, there are then no
sorcerers, properly so called, and the church is mistaken in offering
up prayers against their power.

The third proposition is false for the same reason.

The fourth is falser still, and absolutely contrary to St. Thomas,
who, speaking of the dead in general who appear, says that this occurs
either by a miracle, or by the particular permission of God, or by the
operation of good or evil angels.[647]

The fifth proposition, again, is false, and contrary to the fathers,
to the opinion commonly received among the faithful, and to the
customs of the church. If all the apparitions which do not proceed
from the angels or the blessed, or the inventive malice of mankind,
proceed only from fancy, what becomes of all the apparitions of demons
related by the saints, and which occurred to the saints? What becomes,
in particular, of all the stories of the holy solitaries, of St.
Anthony, St. Hilarion, &c.?[648] What becomes of the prayers and
ceremonies of the church against demons, who infest, possess, and
haunt, and appear often in these disturbances, possessions, and
hauntings?

The sixth proposition is false for the same reasons, and many others
which might be added.

"These," adds the reverend father who writes to me, "are the causes of
my doubting if the third dissertation was added to the two others with
your knowledge. I suspected that the printer, of his own accord, or
persuaded by evil intentioned persons, might have added it himself,
and without your participation, although under your name. For I said
to myself, either the reverend father approves this dissertation, or
he does not approve of it. It appears that he approves of it, since he
says that it is from a clever writer, and he would wish to preserve it
from oblivion.

"Now, how can he approve a dissertation false in itself and contrary
to himself? If he approves it not, is it not too much to unite to his
work a foolish composition full of falsehoods, disguises, false and
weak arguments, opposed to the common belief, the customs, and prayers
of the church; consequently dangerous, and quite favorable to the free
and incredulous thinkers which this age is so full of? Ought he not
rather to combat this writing, and show its weakness, falsehood, and
dangerous tendency? There, my reverend father, lies all my
difficulty."

Others have sent me word that they could have