bodies and that they acquire immortality by intercourse with the
magicians. [Footnote: This opinion is especially supported in a
little book of the Abbe Montfaucon de Villars, "Le Comte de Gabalis
au Entretiens sur les sciences secretes et mysterieuses suivant les
principes des anciens mages ou sages cabbalistes," of which several
editions are extant. I only mention the one published at Amsterdam
(Jacques Le Jeune, 1700, 18mo, with engravings), which contains a
second part not included in the original edition [_The Editor_]]
On the contrary my cabalist taught me that eternal life does not
fall to the lot of any creature, earthly or aerial. I follow his
sentiment without presuming myself to judge it.

He was in the habit of saying that the Elves kill those who reveal
their mysteries, and he attributes the death of M. l'Abbe Coignard,
who was murdered on the Lyons road, to the vengeance of those
spirits. But I know very well that this much lamented death had a
more natural cause. I shall speak freely of the air and fire
spirits. One has to run some risk in life and that with Elves is an
extremely small one.

I have zealously gathered the words of my good teacher M. l'Abbe
Jerome Coignard, who perished as I have said. He was a man full of
knowledge and godliness. Could his soul have been less troubled he
would have been the equal in virtue of M. l'Abbe Rollin, whom he far
surpassed in extent of knowledge and penetration of intellect.

He had at least the advantage over M. Rollin that he had not fallen
into Jansenism during the agitation of a troubled life, because the
soundness of his mind was not to be shaken by the violence of
reckless doctrines, and before Him I can attest to the purity of his