“Berbiguier,” Dictionnaire Infernal, 1825 edition

BERBIGUIER. – Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbi-guier of Terre-Neuve du Thym, born in Carpentras, is a living writer who published in 1821 a work with the following title: Les Farfadets, or All the demons are not from the other world, 3 vol. in-8°, decorated of eight lithographs and the portrait of the author, surrounded by emblems, surmounted by this motto: The Scourge of the Elves, with this epigraph: Jesus Christ was sent to earth by God the Father, in order to cleanse the human race of its sins; I have reason to believe that I am destined to destroy the enemies of the Most High.

The author, who could be called, not the Scourge, but the Don Quixote of the Elves, begins with a dedication to all the emperors, kings, and sovereign princes of the four parts of the world. “Join your efforts with mine,” he tells them, “to destroy the influence of the demons, sorcerers, and elves who distress the unfortunate inhabitants of your states.” He adds that he has been tormented by the devil for twenty-three years “It is already a long time ago,” he then says, “that the diabolical persecutions of the elves would have ended on earth, if one of your subjects had had the courage to reveal them to you. He announces that he will uncover everything; and then follows a preface in which we read that the elves disturb the public peace by their nocturnal visits, that they destroy crops, provoke tempests and thunderstorms, make the influence of the planets act, cast hail, reverse the order of the seasons, disunite households, suborn women and girls, and procure secret deaths.

Mr. Berbiguier says that the leprechauns transform themselves into human forms to torment men. In chapter a of his book, he names all his enemies by name, and maintains that they are demons in disguise, agents of Beelzebub; that by calling them infamous and rogues, it is not them he is insulting, but the devils who have taken possession of their bodies, and that he very much hopes that after he [page] will have made them known, they will no longer know where to put their criminal heads. He says that Moreau, magician and sorcerer in Paris, is the representative of Beelzebub, and that Satan and Moloch possess the bodies of his doctors. “I am made to pass for mad,” he adds; “but if I were mad, my enemies would not be tormented as they are every day by my larding-boards, my pins, my sulfur, my salt, my vinegar and my ox hearts.”

The preliminary discourse that follows the preface contains a small compilation entitled: Opinion of the most recommendable sacred and profane authors, to prove that there are men given over to infernal spirits. The author cites in a confused manner Leviticus, Apuleius, Tibullus, Platina, Saint Jerome, Wierius or John Wier, Delrio, Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas, and M. Salgues

The three volumes are, in a way, the memoirs of the author, whom the devil never leaves. He establishes the power of the elves; he recounts, in chapter 4, that he had his fortune told in 1796 by a witch from Avignon, called La Mansotte, who used the tarot deck for this purpose. She added to it, he says, a ceremony which, no doubt, is what put me in the hands of the elves. They were two female disciples of Satan; they procured a sieve suitable for passing flour, on which a pair of scissors was fixed by the points. A folded piece of white paper was placed in the sieve. La Mansotte and I each held a ring of the scissors, [page] way that the sieve was, by this means, suspended in the air. At the various movements of the sieve, questions were asked of me which were to serve as information to those who wanted to put me in their possession. The witches asked for three pots: in one they enclosed some of the tarots thrown on the table, and preferably the face cards. I had drawn them from the deck blindfolded. The second pot was filled with salt, pepper and oil; the third with laurel. The three pots, covered, were placed in an alcove, and the witches withdrew to await the effect….

>> I returned home at ten o’clock in the evening; I found my three windows open, and I heard, above my head, an extraordinary noise. I lit my torch; I saw nothing. The noise I heard resembled the roaring of wild beasts; it lasted all night. I suffered various tortures for three days, during which the two witches prepared their spells. They never stopped, as long as their game lasted, asking me for money. I also had to be there to give them syrup, refreshments, and food; for their entrails were devoured by the fires of hell. They needed ribbons of different colors, which they never returned to me

> For the eight days that their magic lasted, I was overwhelmed with sadness. On the fourth day, they transformed themselves into cats, coming under my bed to torment me. Other times they came as dogs: I was overwhelmed by the meowing of some and the barking of others. God! How long those eight days were! “Mr. Berbiguier, cruelly vexed, turned to a card reader, who undertook to fight the two witches; but he only brought him [page] new torments. The author, in despair, was about to end badly, when Jesus Christ appeared to him, as we see in chapter 7, seated on a throne of diamonds and rubies, surrounded by stars, lit by a flat lampshade, from which a bright light emanated. Mr. Berbiguier says he was so pleased that he watched this beautiful spectacle for three hours without saying anything.

Chapter 8 contains new miracles; paradise is described in chapter 9: it is a large building on a green plain, lit by a multitude of torches. In the following chapters, the author has his fortune told again, and believes himself to be haunted; he constantly hears the cries of horrible beasts in his ears; he has fears and visions. He comes to Paris for a trial, meets a new magician, who reads his cards “I asked her,” he said, “if I would always be unhappy; she replied that I would not; that if I wished, she would cure me of present and future ills, and that I could make the remedy myself. “You must,” she told me, “buy a tallow candle from the first merchant whose shop has two exits, and try, when paying, to get two pennies back.” She recommended that I then leave by the door opposite the one by which I had entered, and throw the two pennies into the air; which I did. I was greatly surprised to hear the sound of two crowns, instead of two pennies. The use she told me to make of the candle was to first light my fire, throw salt into it, write on a piece of paper the name of the first person who persecuted me, prick this paper in all directions, wrap the candle in it, fix it with a pin, and let it burn completely like this.

>> As soon as I had done everything, having known the precaution to arm myself with a knife in case of attack, I heard a terrible noise in the pipe of my chimney; I imagined that I was in the power of the magician Moreau, whom I had consulted in Paris. I spent the night feeding the fire, throwing large handfuls of salt and sulfur into it, to prolong the torture of my enemies… M. Berbiguier carried out the same operation for nine days in a row, without for all that seeing himself rid of the leprechauns and magicians. He confessed, which relieved him a little, as chapter 23 attests; but the torments returned; he saw a black cloud that he recognized as the work of the magicians. In chapter 36, he addresses the leprechauns; he then cites several people who were very surprised by his knowledge, and who must indeed have been. He says, however, in chapter 58, that the leprechauns sometimes take away his intellectual faculties, even though he has been exorcised, as he recounts in chapter 61.

We see, in chapter 68, that women urge him to be gallant and forget his visions; upon which he exclaims that he would rather be given over to the leprechauns than to the ladies; and a young lady casts a spell on him by touching both of his thighs with her hands

But if Mr. Berbiguier doesn’t like ladies, he loves his squirrel, Coco; he tells the story of how one day this poor Coco, persecuted by the leprechauns, took refuge under his master’s cotton cap, and he very much hopes that people will say Berbiguier and his Coco, as they say Saint Roch and his dog, especially since his Coco dies in chapter 16 of volume 2, killed by leprechauns, because in chapter 11, Mr. Berbiguier had prevented them from disturbing the king’s feast in 1818. Also, on the following February 7, he receives a letter from the antichrist, who bitterly reproaches him for the wrong he is doing him by decrying the leprechauns, whom he destroyed even in large numbers with a larding spoon and a beef heart…

The three volumes are of the same force throughout, and we will not be saying too much in ranking this work among the most extravagant productions of the most barbaric times

Berbiguier, Dictionairre Infernal,, 1844 edition

Berbiguier. – Alexis-Vincent-Charles

Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym, born in Carpentras, is an author who was still alive until recently, and who published in 1824 a work with the following title: Les Farfadets, ou tous les démons ne sont pas de l’autre monde, 3 vols. in-8°, decorated with eight lithographs and the portrait of the author, surrounded by emblems, surmounted by this motto: The Scourge of Farfadets. The author, who was mad, begins with a dedication to all the emperors, kings, and sovereign princes of the four parts of the world. “Unite your efforts to mine,” he told them, to destroy the influence of the demons, sorcerers and elves who desolate the unfortunate inhabitants of your States.” He adds that he has been tormented by the devil for twenty-three years and he says that the elves transform themselves into human forms to vex men. In chapter 2 of his book, he names all his enemies by name, maintaining that they are demons in disguise, agents of Beelzebub; that by calling them infamous and rogues, it is not them that he insults, but the demons who have taken possession of their bodies. One does not pass for mad, he cries; but if I were mad, my enemies would not be tormented as they are every day by my larding boards, my pins, my sulfur, my salt, my vinegar and my ox hearts. – The three volumes are in some way the Memoirs of the author, whom the devil never leaves. He establishes the power of the farfadels; he relates, in chapter 4, that he was told his fortune in 1796 by a witch from Avignon, called La Mansotte, who used the tarot deck for this purpose. She added to it, he says, a ceremony which, no doubt, is what put me in the hands of the farfadets. They were two female disciples of Satan; they procured a sieve suitable for passing flour, on which a pair of scissors was fixed by the points. A folded white paper was placed in the sieve. La Mansotte and I each held a ring of the scissors, so that the sieve was, by this means, suspended in the air. [page] medium, suspended in the air. At the various movements of the sieve, I was asked questions that would serve as information to those who wanted to take possession of me. The witches asked for three pots: in one they enclosed some of the tarot cards thrown on the table, and preferably the face cards. I had drawn them from the deck blindfolded. The second pot was filled with salt, pepper and oil; the third with laurel. The three pots, covered, were placed in an alcove, and the witches withdrew to await the effect… I returned home at ten o’clock in the evening; I found my three windows open, and I heard an extraordinary noise above my head. I lit my torch; I saw nothing. The noise I heard resembled the roaring of wild beasts; it lasted all night. I suffered various tortures for three days, during which the two witches prepared their spells. They kept asking me for money as long as their game lasted. I also had to be there to give them syrup, refreshments and food; because

their entrails were devoured by the fire of

hell. They needed dif- ribbons

different colors, that they have never

surrendered. For eight days that their ma-

gie, I was overwhelmed with sadness. The

On the fourth day, they metamorphosed

in cats, coming under my bed to turn me-

lie. Other times they came as dogs:

I was overwhelmed by the meowing of some and

the barking of others. That these eight days

were long! Berbiguier addressed a

card player, who took it upon himself to fight

the two witches; but he only brought her

new torments. In the chapters

following, the author is told around his good

adventure and believes himself obsessed; he hears without

ceases to ring in his ears the cries of horrible beasts;

he has fears and visions. He comes to Paris

for a trial. becomes acquainted with a pou-

old magician, who reads cards for him. I

asked him, he said, if I would still be unwell-

happy; she answered me no; that, if

I wanted it, she would cure me of the ills pre-

sent and to come, and that I myself could

make the remedy. It is necessary, she told me, to buy-

light a tallow candle at the first

merchant whose shop will have two exits,

and try, by paying, to make you pay back

two denarii. She recommended me to go out-

then shot through the door opposite the one through

which I would have entered, just to throw the two

pennies in the air which I did. I was great-

ment surprised to hear the sound of two crowns [page] sent and to come, and that I could make the remedy myself. You must, she told me, buy a tallow candle from the first merchant whose shop has two exits, and try, when paying, to get two deniers returned to you. She recommended that I then leave by the door opposite the one by which I had entered, and throw the two deniers into the air: which I did. I was greatly surprised to hear the sound of two crowns instead of that of two deniers. The use that she told me to make of the candle was to first light my fire, throw salt into it, write on a piece of paper the name of the first person who persecuted me, prick this paper in all directions, wrap the candle in it, fix it with a pin, and let it burn completely like this. As soon as I had done everything, having taken the precaution of arming myself with a knife in case of attack, I heard a frightful noise in the pipe of my chimney; I imagined that I was in the power of the magician Moreau, whom I had consulted in Paris. I spent the night feeding the fire, throwing large handfuls of salt and sulfur into it, to prolong the torture of my enemies… ” -M. Berbiguier carried out the same operation for nine days in a row, without seeing himself rid of the farladets and magicians. The three volumes are everywhere of this force, and we will not say anything too much in classifying this work among the most extravagant productions. The author believed himself to be in correspondence with sorcerers [page] and demons. He reports letters written by rather clumsy jokers, which he attributes to Lucifer, Rothomago and others whose signatures they bear. Here is one that he transcribed scrupulously:

A M. Berbiguier.

“Abomination of hatred, earthquake, flood, storm, wind, comet, planet, ocean, ebb, flow, genie, sylph, faun, satyr, sylvan, adriade, and amadriade!” The agent of the great genius of good and evil, ally of Beelzebub and hell, companion-in-arms of Astaroth, author of original sin, and minister of the Zodiac, has the right to possess, torment, sting, purge, roast, poison, stab, and litigate the very humble and very patient vassal Berbiguier, for having cursed the very honorable and indissoluble magical society: in witness whereof we have affixed the arms of the society

>> Done in the sun, facing the moon, the grand officer, plenipotentiary minister, the 5848th day and the 5819th hour of the night, grand orix and tribune of the magical society. This power will have its effect on his friend Coco. (He was Mr. Berbiguier’s squirrel.)

>> THESAUROCHRYSONICOCHRYSIDÈS.

> By His Excellency the Secretary,

> PINCHICHI-PINCHI.

March 30, 1818.

»P.S. In eight days you will be in my power; woe betide you if you publish your work! >>>>

Berbiguer, Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863 edition

Berbiguier (Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym), born in Carpentras, is an author who may still be alive and who published in 1821 a work entitled: Les Farfadets, ou tous les démons ne sont pas, de l’autre monde, 3 vols. in-8°, decorated with eight lithographs and the portrait of the author, surrounded by emblems, surmounted by this motto: The scourge of farfadets. The author begins with a dedication to all the emperors, kings, sovereign princes of the four parts of the world. – “Join your efforts with mine,” he told them, “to destroy the influence of the demons, sorcerers and farfadets who desolate the unfortunate inhabitants of your States. >>>

He adds that he has been tormented by the devil for twenty-three years, and he says that the elves transform themselves into human forms to vex men. In Chapter II of his book, he names all his enemies by their names, maintaining that they are demons in disguise, agents of Beelzebub; that by calling them infamous and rogues, it is not them he is insulting, but the demons who have taken possession of them. “They make me out to be mad,” he cries; “but if I were mad, my enemies would not be tormented as they are every day by my larding spoons, my pins, my sulfur, my salt, my vinegar, and my ox hearts.”

The three volumes are in some way the memoirs of the author, whom the devil never leaves. He establishes the power of the elves; he recounts, in chapter IV, that he was told the good fortune in 1796 by a witch from Avignon, called

La Mansotte, who used the deck

of tarot cards for this purpose. “She added to it,” he said, “a ceremony

which, no doubt, is what put me in the

hands of the elves. They were two female

disciples of Satan; they procured a sieve

suitable for passing flour, on which they fixed

a pair of scissors by the points. A folded

white paper was placed in the sieve. La Mansotte

and I each held a ring of the scissor

cards, so that the sieve was, by this

means, suspended in the air. As the sieve moved

around, questions were asked of me which

were to serve as information to those who

wanted to take possession of me. The witches

asked for three pots; in one they

enclosed some of the tarots thrown on the

table, and preferably the face cards. I

I had pulled them out of the game blindfolded. The second

pot was filled with salt, pepper, and oil;

the third with bay leaf. The three covered pots

were placed in an alcove, and the witches

withdrew to await the effect… I returned

home at ten o’clock in the evening; I found my

three windows open, and I heard above

my head an extraordinary noise. I lit my

torch; I saw nothing. The noise I heard

resembled the roaring of ferocious beasts

; it lasted all night. I suffered for three days

various tortures, during which the two

witches prepared their spells. They never

ceased, as long as their game lasted, to

ask me for money. I also had to be

there to give them syrup, refreshments

and food; for their entrails

were devoured by hellfire. They

needed ribbons of different colors,

which they never returned to me. For eight [page] that they never gave me back. For eight days that their magic lasted, I was overwhelmed with sadness. On the fourth day, they transformed themselves into cats, coming under my bed to torment me. Other times they came as dogs: I was overwhelmed by the meowing of some and the barking of others. How long those eight days were! >>

Berbiguier spoke to a card reader, who took it upon himself to fight the two witches; but he only brought him new torments

In the following chapters, the author still has his fortune told and believes himself to be obsessed; he constantly hears the cries of horrible beasts in his ears; he has fears and visions. He comes to Paris for a trial, meets a new magician, who reads his cards. “I asked her,” he says, “if I would always be unhappy; she replied no; that, if I wanted, she would cure me of present and future ills, and that I could make the remedy myself. I must, she tells me, buy a tallow candle from the first merchant whose shop will have two exits, and try, when paying, to make you give back two deniers. “She ordered me to then leave by the door opposite the one by which I had entered, and to throw the two deniers into the air; which I did. I was greatly surprised to hear the sound of two crowns instead of that of two deniers.

>>> The use she told me to make of the candle was to first light my fire, throw salt into it, write on a piece of paper the name of the first person who persecuted me, prick this paper in all directions, wrap the candle with it, fix it with a pin, and let it burn completely like this

>> As soon as I had done everything, having taken the precaution of arming myself with a knife in case of attack, I heard a terrible noise in the chimney; I imagined that I was in the power of the magician Moreau, whom I had consulted in Paris. I spent the night feeding the fire, throwing large handfuls of salt and sulfur into it, to prolong the torture of my enemies… >>>

M. Berbiguier performed the same operation for nine days in a row, without being rid of the leprechauns and the magicians

Its three volumes are everywhere of this force, and we will not say anything too much in ranking this work among the most extravagant productions. The author believed himself to be in correspondence with sorcerers and demons. He reports letters written by rather clumsy jokers, which he attributes to Lucifer, Rothomago, and others whose signatures they bear. Here is one that he transcribed scrupulously… [letter as above]