New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-02
THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT.
JOHN FIsKE AT THE BERKELEY. TELLS IN
TEREsTING FACTS ABOUT THE OLD
TINE CRIME, THE GREATEST
MAN COJ-ID COMMIT"

"Witchcraft at Saem and Elsewhere" was the
subject the third lecture Of series by Professor
John Fiske. AZ the Berkeley Lyceum. yesterday af-
terno0n. Professor Fiske began his lecture by citing
an instance which occurred in Normandy in 1910.
wien Louis XIV granted eniency to n number OF
persons convicted by the Parliament OF Normandy of
the crime OF witchcraft. A remonstrance was sent
10 the Crown by the Parliament duplicating His
Majesty TO reflect upon the guilt of these persons.
whose crime was the greatest men can commit
both an offence agans, the glory Of God and
against the goods and lives OF their fell
low-men
Louis too we'll versed In the etiquette OF the
highest court to reverse his decision. ard the Of
tenders escaped death. but the incident serves to
the attitude OF the leaders OF that time toward
the supposed crime
Belief in witchcraft." said the lecturer was
shared by the whole human from the earliest
times down to the seventeenth century Tribes Of
people have been found living In a state OF extreme
barbarIsm, and is believed by travellers that they
were utterly without IDEAS OF religion: STILL even
among these there was a strong belief in the super
natural in human form. According 20 the pagan
idea the first association OF death and ali evil
with some similar agency They had no conception
Of natural decease-all death murder through
some superhuman power This tAlief in wchcraft
deeply rooted and accepted by all without ques-
ton.
This belief now Is entirely extinct among edu-
Gated people What has then. caused this change?
1t is not argument. A powerful cause has been at
work. and 1t il the gigantic development OF physical
science since the days Of Newton and Descartes This
force supp.anted superstition in the minds OF
the people, just clover will choke out weeds
Relating TO evidence, Mr.. Fiske related several
instances which showed the power of the belief In
the Old World long before the famous Salem witch
craft in the New. one of the first recorded the
trial OF two old women in England for bewtching
81 an being
mother suspected Il be victim OF wltchcraft-
the most natural suppositiOn at that time. She
consulted country physician, who advised her 10
hang the childs crib blanket up during the day,
and II she found anything strange about 1t 10
throw it in the fire. She did SO, and when she
looked at the blanket. found a frog on II. When
thrown In the fire it bazed suddenly, then vanished
with a queer noise AZ the same hour of the
old sitting before her fire had her face
scorched which Immediately aroused suspicion
against her. About the same time the other chill
dren seized with pains causing commissions
and other such symptoms OF evil practice. upon
which the two old women suspected were tried,
During the Middle Ages the executions for witch
craft were numerous. The last sentences OF death
for wtchcraft occurred in England in liz. in Scot
land in l722 in Cierma in f1ts and in Spain In lsl
In this country the first accused Of witchcraft
was M1rgare. Jones, at Charlestown, who aroused
suspicion by her opposition to the usual forms OF
medicinal practice such as bleeding and eeches.
and who effected remedies through the means Oh
simple herbs.
The lecture lasted for two hours. sustaining UNI
tagging interest throughout. Professor Fiske con-
cluded by summing up the probable reason Tor tne
salem horror which he ira ced rot "a some his
torians do 10 a deliberate plot, but rather 10 the
Influence Of superstitous excitement on the minds
OF children and hysterical women. causing sort
of m lrbld nervousness. which in reality an alb
normal mental state.
with this period the belief in witchcraft
ished Ii marks the gulf which parates our time
Of civilization from the dark days OF superstition
II gives lis some dim idea OF what the errOrs must
nave been when this superstition was at its prime:
when hundreds OF victims were burned at the stake,
and causes us 10 be thankful that the grim spectre
has forever disappeared"