"And goblins haunt from fire, or fen,

"Or mine, or flood, the walks of men!

And as it is evident this impression, (so unworthy of mankind) is received during the critical period of early infancy, I will endeavour to render the guardians of childhood more watchful over the unformed minds of those under their care, and particularly careful to prevent such an injurious sensation from being instilled into them, by giving some striking instances of its dreadful effects upon the mind. I am fully of opinion that this terrible prejudice is caused in the minds of by far the greater part of mankind, by the diabolical schemes and iniquitous stories, which have been fabricated by those wretches who have had the management of their childhood, for the express purpose of producing fear and terror, at that susceptible period of life when the tenderness of youth receives every impression that is offered to it; and being, as yet, unacquainted with the villainy of mankind, places implicit confidence and reliance upon all that is said.

Hence it too frequently arises that ignorant nursery-maids, or others employed in the ser

vice of children, infuse a deadly and contagious poison into the minds of many a promising child; which, when farther advanced in life, shall require the greatest exertions of the intellect to subdue. But very few, even amongst the most distinguished for mental power, have been able, entirely, to overcome this despicable weakness during the whole of their lives; and myriads of human beings bear this foible with them to their graves, after having frequently suffered in a most material manner by the effects of a species of folly they ought never to have been acquainted with.

Conceiving, as I do, that the most effectual way to instigate parents towards the removal of the cause, is to shew them the effects, I shall, from time to time, present my readers with an essay upon this subject; each containing a striking illustration of the fact; and I shall begin the series by the relation of a circumstance in which I was myself a very principal actor.

Many years ago, I accidentally met a party of my most intimate friends at a coffee-house, in a famed city of the North of England; and during a miscellaneous conversation, the subject of

and was honoured by a very ample dis cussion.

It will readily be believed that our opinions varied considerably; not as to the general impulse of fear itself, but as to the real grounds of fear. Some warmly contended for the positive existence of ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, and all such worthy personages; but a few, and amongst that few was myself, ventured in the plenitude of our fool-hardiness, to deny their power, or indeed reality, and perhaps impiously assevered that the existence and appearance of all such superstitious creations of the brain were merely in idea, and that' it was not only inconsistent with man's reason, but could not (according to our view), answer any good purpose. Such a positive and daring assertion, aroused the more fiery tempers of some present, and one amongst the number, addressing himself to me, told me, with some degree of irony, that although I had said so much against the existence of ghosts, he was confident I dare not pass a night amongst the cloisters and tombs of the cathedral church of that city; and in order to shew the truth of this courageous remark, he ventured to bet a considerable wager upon the

strength of my supposed fear. As I then wished for no greater amusement than to punish this worthy gentleman, (who, by the bye, is as superstitious an old fool as any in existence), and in a way I knew he the least relished, which was an affection of his purse. I imme. diately accepted the proffered wager, by which

agreed to pass the following night alone, in the gloomy and damp vaults of that beautiful Gothic edifice; and as I had no fears on the score of ghosts, I did not solicit a companion; although company would, doubtless, have much contributed to the comfortableness of my lonely situation, yet I did not choose to prefer any such request, lest it might be interpreted," by my antagonist, into that fear I so much despised.

But, fortunately for me, a suspicion entered his mind, that I should, by some means or other,. escape the performance of what he conceived to be such a disagreeable task; and, in order to compel me to abide by the wager, he ventured to offer me a companion. This was, precisely, what I so much wished for; but I knew that a refusal of his offer would fer

escape, and make him the more urgent to allow me a partner in the adventure. I accordingly pretended that I did not wish for any overlooker of my proceedings, and was not, in the smallest degree, desirous for a participator in such a glorious undertaking. This declaration, as I expected, increased his importunity, and I, at length, with great ap parent unwillingness, accepted that benefit for which I had so much wished.

Having requested a very particular friend of mine to accompany me in this strange adventure, and having provided a number of little necessaries, such as tinder-box, candles, some useful provender, brandy, &c. &c. with a few books, and a couple of blankets to protect our adventurous persons from the chilling damps of that edifice, we, on the following evening, bent our steps towards the scene of our sacrilegious actions.

It was at the usual hour when the gates are closed for the night, that we arrived at the chief portal of this stupendous and ancient edifice; and, as we approached its sculptured walls, those beautiful lines of Congreve forcibly struck my recollection, where he says