e of Nuremberg, some few of Wenceslaus, and one of
the Emperor Charles IV., &c."

This shows that not only the demons, but also the saints, are
sometimes guardians of treasure; unless you will say that the devil
had taken the shape of the prelate. But what could it avail the demon
to give the treasure to these gentlemen, who did not ask him for it,
and scarcely troubled themselves about him? I have seen two of these
pieces in the hands of M. Schopfflein.

The story we have just related is repeated, with a little difference,
in a printed paper, announcing a lottery of pieces found at
Rothenkirchen, in the province of Nassau, not far from Donnersberg.
They say in this, that the value of these pieces is twelve livres ten
sols, French money. The lottery was to be publicly drawn the first of
February, 1750. Every ticket cost six livres of French money. I repeat
these details only to prove the truth of the circumstance.

We may add to the preceding what is related by Bartholinus in his book
on the cause of the contempt of death shown by the ancient Danes,
(lib. ii. c. 2.) He relates that the riches concealed in the tombs of
the great men of that country were guarded by the shades of those to
whom they belonged, and that these shades or these demons spread
terror in the souls of those who wished to take away those treasures,
either by pouring forth a deluge of water, or by flames which they
caused to appear around the monuments which enclosed those bodies and
those treasures.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

SPECTRES WHICH APPEAR, AND PREDICT THINGS UNKNOWN AND TO COME.

Both in ancient and modern writers, we find an infinite number of
stories of spectres. We have not the least doubt that their
apparitions are the work of the demon, if they are real. Now, it
cannot be denied that there is a great deal of illusion and falsehood
in all that is related by them. We shall distinguish two sorts of
spectres: those which appear to mankind to hurt or deceive them, or to
announce things to come, fortunate or unfortunate as circumstances may
occur; the other spectres infest certain houses, of which they have
made themselves masters, and where they are seen and heard. We shall
treat of the latter in another chapter; and show that the greater
number of these spectres and apparitions may be suspected of
falsehood.

Pliny the younger, writing to his friend Sura on the subject of
apparitions, testifies that he is much inclined to believe th