magical words, characters, or ceremonies, by which evil spirits, tempests, and the like, are supposed to be raised or driven away. The priests of the Roman Catholic church pretend to expel devils, by preparing holy water in a particular manner, and sprinkling it over the possessed, accompanied with a number of conjurations and exorcisms.

According to some authors, the difference between conjuration and witchcraft consists in this, that the former effects its object by prayers and invocation of God's name, to compel the devil to do what is desired, so that the conjuror is supposed to be at war with the devil, and that evil spirit to act merely out of constraint; whereas the latter attains its end by an immediate application to the devil himself, and the complaisance of his Satanic majesty is supposed to be the consequence of some compact between him and the witch or wizard, so that all the parties have a good understanding together. But conjuration and witchcraft both differ from enchantment and sorcery, which operate secretly and slowly by spells, charms, and the like, without calling on the devil, or having any conference with that personage.