nce of her disease, led some of the
spectators to think that she had been carried off by the Fairies,
and that the body before them was some elfin deception. The husband,
probably, paid little attention to this opinion at the time. The body
was interred, and, after a decent time had elapsed, finding his domestic
affairs absolutely required female superintendence, the widower paid
his addresses to a young woman in the neighbourhood. The recollection,
however, of his former wife, whom he had tenderly loved, haunted his
slumbers; and, one morning, he came to the clergyman of the parish in
the utmost dismay, declaring, that she had appeared to him the preceding
night, informed him that she was a captive in Fairy Land, and conjured
him to attempt her deliverance. She directed him to bring the minister,
and certain other persons, whom she named, to her grave at midnight. Her
body was then to be dug up, and certain prayers recited; after which the
corpse was to become animated, and fly from them. One of the assistants,
the swiftest runner in the parish, was to pursue the body; and, if he
was able to seize it, before it had thrice encircled the church, the
rest were to come to his assistance, and detain it, in spite of the
struggles it should use, and the various shapes into which it might be
transformed. The redemption of the abstracted person was then to become
complete. The minister, a sensible man, argued with his parishioner upon
the indecency and absurdity of what was proposed, and dismissed him.
Next Sunday, the banns being for the first time proclaimed betwixt the
widower and his new bride, his former wife, very naturally, took the
opportunity of the following night to make him another visit, yet more
terrific than the former. She upbraided him with his incredulity, his
fickleness, and his want of affection; and, to convince him that her
appearance was no aerial illusion, she gave suck, in his presence, to
her youngest child. The man, under the greatest horror of mind, had
again recourse to the pastor; and his ghostly counsellor fell upon
an admirable expedient to console him. This was nothing less than
dispensing with the further solemnity of banns, and marrying him,
without an hour's delay, to the young woman to whom he was affianced;
after which no spectre again disturbed his repose.

* * * * *

Having concluded these general observations upon the Fairy superstition,
which, although mi