which her Neighbours did not believe had carried her several hundreds of Miles. If fhe chanced to ftumble, they always found Sticks or Straws that lay in the Figure of a Crofs before her. If fhe made any Mistake at Church, and cryed Amen in a wrong Place, they never failed to conclude that she was saying her Prayers backwards. There was not a Maid in the Parish that would take a Pin of her, though she should offer a Bag of Money with it. She goes by the Name of Moll White, and has made the Country ring with several imaginary Exploits which are palmed upon her. If the Dairy-maid does not make her Butter come fo foon as she should have it, Moll White is at the Bottom of the Churn. If a Horfe fweats in the Stable, Moll White has been upon his Back. If a Hare makes an unexpected Escape from the Hounds, the Huntsman curfes Moll White. Nay, (fays Sir ROGER) I have known the Master of the Pack upon fuch an Occafion, send one of his Servants to fee if Moll White has been out that Morning.

THIS Account raised my Curiosity so far, that I begged my Friend Sir ROGER to go with me into her Hovel, which stood in a folitary Corner under the fide of the Wood. Upon our firft entering Sir ROGER winked to me, and pointed at fomething that stood behind the Door, which upon

looking that Way, I found to be an old Broomstaff. At the fame time he whispered me in the Ear to take notice of a Tabby Cat that fat in the Chimney-Corner, which, as the old Knight told me, lay under as bad a Report as Moll White herfelf; for besides that Moll is faid often to accompany her in the fame Shape, the Cat is reported to have spoken twice or thrice in her Life, and to have played several Pranks above the Capacity of an ordinary Cat.

I was fecretly concerned to fee human Nature. in fo much Wretchedness and Difgrace, but at the fame time could not forbear fmiling to hear Sir ROGER, who is a little puzzled about the old Woman, advifing her as a Juftice of Peace to avoid all Communication with the Devil, and never to hurt any of her Neighbour's Cattle. We concluded our Visit with a Bounty, which was very acceptable.

IN our Return home, Sir ROGER told me, that old Moll had been often brought before him for making Children spit Pins, and giving Maids the Night-Mare; and that the Country People would be toffing her into a Pond and trying Experiments with her every Day, if it was not for him and his Chaplain.

I have fince found upon Inquiry, that Sir ROGER

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was several times staggered with the Reports that had been brought him concerning this old Woman, and would frequently have bound her over to the County Seffions had not his Chaplain with much ado perfuaded him to the contrary.

I have been the more particular in this Account, because I hear there is fcarce a Village in England that has not a Moll White in it. When an old Woman begins to dote, and grow chargeable to a Parish, she is generally turned into a Witch, and fills the whole Country with extravagant Fancies, imaginary Diftempers and terrifying Dreams. In the mean time, the poor Wretch that is the innocent Occasion of so many Evils begins to be frighted at herself, and fometimes confeffes fecret Commerce and Familiarities that her Imagination forms in a delirious old Age. This frequently cuts off Charity from the greatest Objects of Compaffion, and inspires People with a Malevolence towards those poor decrepid Parts of our Species, in whom human Nature is defaced by Infirmity and Dotage.

Charms of the Country are fo exquifite, that the Mind is loft in a certain Transport which raises us above ordinary Life, and is yet not strong enough to be inconfiftent with Tranquillity. This State of Mind was I in, ravished with the Murmur of Waters, the Whisper of Breezes, the Singing of Birds; and whether I looked up to the Heavens, down on the Earth, or turned on the Prospects around me, still ftruck with new Senfe of Pleasure ; when I found by the Voice of my Friend, who walked by me, that we had insensibly strolled into the Grove facred to the Widow. This Woman, fays he, is of all others the most unintelligible; she either designs to marry, or she does not. What is the most perplexing of all, is, that she doth not either fay to her Lovers fhe has any Refolution against that Condition of Life in general, or that fhe banishes them; but conscious of her own Merit, she permits their Addreffes without fear of any ill Confequence, or want of Refpect, from their Rage or Despair. She has that in her Afpect, against which it is impoffible to offend. A Man whose Thoughts are constantly built upon fo agreeable an Object, must be excufed if the ordinary Occurrences in Converfation are below his Attention. I call her indeed perverfe, but, alas! why do I call her fo? Because her superior Merit is