Crime & punishment > Essay on crimes and punishments

198 A COMMENTARY ok
CHAP. IX.
Of Witches.
IN the year 1748, in the bifliopric of
Wnrtiburg, an old woman was convifted of
witchcraft and burnt. This was an extraordinary
phenomenon in the prefent century. But how
incredible it feems, that a people, who boafted
of their reformation, and of having trampled
fuperflition under their feet* and who flattered
themfelves that they had brought their reafbn to
perfection j is it not wonderful, I fay, that fuch
a people ihould have believed in witchcraft j
flvmid have burnt old women accufed of this
crime, and that above a hundred years after the
pretended reformation of their reafon ?
In the year 1652, a country-woman, named
Michelle Chaudron, of the little territory of
Geneva, met the Devil in her way from the city.
The Devil gave her a kifs, received her homage,
and imprinted on her upper lip and on her right
breaft, the mark which he is wont to beftow
upon his favourites. This feal of the Devil is a
little fign upon the (kin, which renders it infen-
fible.