what Reason it should be fuppofed, "(* bow

ever unacquainted fuch Souls might be with "the Pleafures of Spirits) that they are permit"ted to wander, to hover about, and linger after. "their Bodies." It feems rather to be true, what is mentioned of fuch Apparitions in St. Athanafius's Queftions to Antiochius, that † thefe Apparitions of the Saints which appear at Tombs and Temples, are not the Souls of the Saints themselves, but the good Angels appearing in their Likeness. And I imagine it must be so too, with the Souls of bad Men, they appear not themselves, but they are reprefented by the evil Angels. For the Soul upon the Departure, returns to GOD that gave it, who allots it its Station in the World of Spirits, where it is kept till the Day of Judgment in Happiness or Mifery, when it fhall receive its Compleation of the one, or the other. However, whatever these Apparitions were, they are a certain Proof, that fuch Appearances have been in fuch Places; and indeed, to add no more, it is the whole Voice of Antiquity.

But now with us, GoD be thanked, the Scene is changed, we live not in the Darkness of Errour, but in the Light of Truth; we worship not Damons, but the GOD of the whole Earth; and our Temples are not the Temples of Idols, but the Temples of the HoAthan. Tom. 2. P. 340.

*Scot. Chrift. ibid.

ly

ly GOD. If among the Heathens fuch Delufions were permitted, it was because GOD had forfaken them: But when he vouchfafes to have his Refidence in his Holy Temple, we are the further from Harm, the nearer we approach it; * There the Sparrow hath found her an Houfe, and the Swallow a Neft, where he may lay her Young; and there fhall no Harm happen to good Men, but they shall be rather protected, because they are fo near their Father's Houfe, the Houfe of Prayer.

* Pfal. lxxxiv.

OBSERVATIONS

Ο Ν

CHAPTER VII.

E learn from Morefin*, that Church-yards

Wwere ufed for the Purposes of Interment,

in order to remove Superftition.-Burial was in

* Cœmeteria hinc funt. Lycurgus, omni fuperftitione fublata, et ut vana fuperftitionis omnem evelleret è mentibus fuorum formidinem, inhumari intra Urbem et fepulchra extrui circa Deorum Templa, &c. Deprav. Rel. Orig. in verbo.

Mr. Strutt tells us, that before the Time of Christianity it was held unlawful to bury the Dead within the Cities, but they used to carry them out into the Fields haid by and there depofited them. Towards the End of the fixth Century, Auguftine obtained of King Ethelbert, a Temple of Idols (where the King ufed to worship before his Converfion) and made a Burying place of it; but St. Cuthbert afterwards obtained Leave to have Yards made to the Churches, proper for the Reception of the Dead. Anglo-Saxon Era, Vol. I. p. 69.

antient

antient Times without the Walls of Cities and Towns. Lycurgus, he tells us, first introduced Grave-ftones within the Walls, and as it were brought home the Ghofts to the very Doors.Thus we compel Horfes that are apt to ftartle, to make the neareft poffible Approaches to the Objects at which they have taken the Alarm.

Our Author is certainly very right, when he tells us that Church-yards are as little frequented by Apparitions and Ghofts as other Places, and that therefore it is a Weaknefs to be afraid of paffing through them. Superftition however will always attend Ignorance; and the Night, as fhe continues to be the Mother of Dews, will also never fail of being the fruitful Parent of chimerical Fears*.

When the Sun fets, Shadows, that fhew'd at Noon
But fmall, appear moft long and terrible.

Dryden.

The Inconveniences, complained of by our Author in the first Part of this Chapter, we have had the Pleasure of feeing remedied. With great Decency and Propriety the Church-yards here are now all inclosed: They are no longer the Receptacles of Filth, or Haunts of nightly Lewdness; and the Ashes of our Friends and Ancestors are fuffered to remain (as he wished) " in greater Quiet, and more undisturbed Peace."

* Now it is the Time of Night,
That the Graves all gaping wide,
Ev'ry one lets forth his Sprite,
In the Church-way Path to glide.

G

Shakespear.

CHAP.

CHA P. VIII.

Of vifiting Wells and Fountains: The Original of this Cuftom: The naming of them of great Antiquity: The Worship paid them by the Papifts, was grofs Idolatry.

*

the dark Ages of Popery, it was a Custom, if any Well had an awful Situation, and was feated in fome lonely melancholy Vale; if its Water was clear and limpid, and beautifully margin'd with the tender Grafs; or if it was look'd upon, as having a Medicinal Quality; to gift it to fome Saint, and honour it with his Name. Hence it is, that we have at this Day Wells and Fountains called, fome St. John's, St. Mary Magdalen's, St. Mary's Well, &c.

To these kind of Wells, the common People are accustomed to go, on a Summer's Evening, to refresh themselves with a Walk after the Toil of the Day, to drink the Water of the Fountain, and enjoy the pleafing Profpect of Shade and Stream.

Now this Custom (tho' at this Time of Day, very commendable, and harmless, and innocent) feems to be the Remains of that fuperftitious Practice of the Papifts, of paying

* ——— Viridi fi margine clauderet undas.—————Herba.—————— Juven. Sat. 3.

Ado

Adoration to Wells and Fountains: For they imagin'd there was fome Holinefs and Sanctity in them, and fo worshipped them. In the Canons of St. Anfelm, made in the Year 1102, we find this fuperftitious Practice in fome Measure forbid. * "Let no one attribute "Reverence or Sanctity to a dead Body, or a "Fountain, or other Things, (as fometimes "is to our Knowledge) without the Bishop's Authority." And in the 16th of the Canons made in the Reign of King Edgar, in the Year 963, it is order'd, †"That every Priest industriously advance Christianity, and extinguish Heathenifm, and forbid the Worfhipping of Fountains, &c. Mr. Johnson fays upon this Canon, that the Worshipping "of Wells and Fountains, was a Superftition, "which prevailed in this Nation, till the Age "before the Reformation: Nay, I cannot say, "it is extinguifh'd yet among the Papists. In "the Ages of dark Popery it was thought "fufficient to forbid the honouring of Wells "and Fountains, without the Bishop's Appro"bation."

66

The giving of Names to Wells, is of great Antiquity: We find it a Custom in the Days of the old Patriarchs. Abraham obferved this Cuftom; and therefore the Well, which he * Johnson Confti. St. Anfelm. Can. 26. Johnson Confti. 960.