“ Then came his man Gervais's tale and made it appear that Mr.———'s strange and wonderful apparition was dwindled into an ass, and that the Devil he had seen, in the shape of a bear was no more than a poor Barico; as the Italians call him; this made his master be laughed at sufficiently. ”

“ When it came up to the bed-side, it drew the curtain more open, and lifted up the bed-cloaths was about to come in. The girl, now more terrified than ever, screamed out with all her power; as every body in the house was upon the watch, she was heard by them all, but the father only bad courage to go to her assistance, and his bravery was probably owing to a considerable quantity of reliques which he had procured from the convent, and which he brought in his hand. ”

“ It appeared that this fellow, who was near six feet high, had made himself appear still higher, by putting upon his head a kind of tiara of imbossed paper, and had also thrust a stick through the sleeves of his habit, which formed an appearance of a cross, and left all his hands at liberty ”

“ Upon this, being very well mounted, as I before observed, he resolved to ride for it, having not above two miles to the town; so clapping spurs to his horse, he galoped away. His man whose name was Gervais: not being so well mounted was a considerable way behind. The darkness and the rain together put him a little out of humour; but as that was a little unexpected, perhaps it made him ride the harder rather than abate his pace.
In the way there was a small river, but their was a good bridge over it, well walled on both sides; so that there was no danger there, more than any where else ”

“ However poor Jarvis or Gervais was fain to turn out, and lost his place for it; and the wife. Mr. ——— to this day insists upon it, that it was the Devil, and he knew him by his broad eyes; though it is known that a bear has very little eyes: But it is impossibie to persuade any vapourish body, that they have not seen the Devil, if they have but seen something, and that they are very sure they are not sure what it is.
An Imaginary Apparition the effect of Fraud, from
the Secrets of the invisible world laid open ”