proach to the bed-side; but the
gentleman, recovering his fortitude with the first moment of reflection,
dexterously threw a slip knot, which he had fastened to one of the
bed-posts, over the phantom's neck: he instantly drew it close, which
brought him to the ground, and then threw himself upon him. The fall and
the struggle made so much noise, that the other officer and the landlord
ran up with lights and weapons; and the goblin was found to be no other
than the good Friar, who, having conceived something more than a
spiritual affection for his landlord's pretty daughter, had played this
infernal farce, to gratify his passion.

Being now secured and detected, beyond hope of subterfuge or escape, he
made a full confession of his guilt, and begged earnestly for mercy.

It appeared that this fellow, who was near six feet high, had made
himself appear still taller, by putting upon his head a kind of _tiara_
of embossed paper, and had also thrust a stick through the sleeves of
his habit, which formed the appearance of a cross, and still left his
hands at liberty; and that he had rendered himself and his apparatus
visible in the dark by _phosphorus_.

The landlord contented himself with giving his reverence a hearty
drubbing, and then turning him out of doors, with a strict injunction to
quit the territory of Liege for ever, upon pain of being much more
severely treated.

When it is considered, that it is but a few years ago, that a poor
woman, within twenty miles of London, lost her life upon supposition
that she was a witch; and that it is not many years since the Cock-lane
ghost found advocates, even in the heart of London itself, among those
who, before, were never accounted fools; it cannot but be useful to put
down on record every imposition of this kind.

THE

SUPERSTITIOUS COUPLE.

In the letters from a gentleman on his travels in Italy to his friend in
England, is the following curious account of an experiment tried with
the Bolognian stone, of which phosphorus is made.

There was an English maid-servant in the house where we lodged,
(observes this gentleman), and her bed-chamber was immediately over the
one occupied by myself and friend. My companion having found his way
into it, or, at least, supposing he had done so, wrote with some paste
made merely with flour and water, the terrible words--"REMEMBER DEATH!"
in great capitals, on the inside of the bed-curtains. Over the wet
letters he strewed