Evening star., 1914-07-11

AAAA Cle magazines pan anu
y" reading generally becomes
a bore there is an opportu-
nifty for novel experiences offered In a
trip to the Library of Congress. Tucked
away in dusty hooks and corners
hardly thought of in these days-are
the blood-curdling histories of the an
cient days when burning witches was
the leading popular pastime of horde
Of reformers.
Some of the books are yellow and
faded, but invaluable originals. Others
are reprints. There is hardly one that
came from the presses later than 1850.
even as reprint. Strange pictures CT
women with vicious faces and claw
like hands, warnings of symptoms OF
witchcraft, and the reiterated state
ments of the authors that they are III
grave peril because of their battle
against the devil, furnish variety of
reading that will prove distinct shock
to the magazine and novel reader.
Mather. Calef, Rev. DR.. Hale and
Glanvil are a few of the ancients VINO
were the recognized authorities on
witches, and who solemnly lay down
the laws by which they are to be
known when tried in court. II II
were not for the grim tragedy which
lies behind these aged screeds, they
would be ridiculous. Not one of the
writer's but claims naively that he IS
an expert on witchcraft, while at the
same time admitting that witchcraft,
once learned, Is an instrument of the
devil.
Apparently the good people of Salem.
Mass; Lancaster, England, and other
points where the disturbances of witches
are recorded. never thought to inquire of
their experts: How do you come to
know all these mechanisms? How do
know that you're not practicing them in
secret?"
OF all the writer's, Cotton Mather ex-
cells in vividness of description. Had the
Rev DR.. Mather lived a couple centuries
later and forsaken New England for New
York. his fame as a writer OF murders
and riots might have spread through the
crime reporter" The others have vivid
touches. but DR.. Mather alone possesses
the power of using polite language in
way that makes it sound like profanity.
Here is one little phrase from the open
visible World" The phrase is contained
in sort of preface. which is entitled
THE Authors Defense:
'I am far from insensible that at this
extraordinary time of the devils coming
down in great wrath upon US there are
too many tongues and hearts set on fire
of hell"
Pleasant. isn't it? Mather goes on to
tell of a certain scrivener who. having
defed the devil and thoroughly exposed
him. suffered at the devils hands "a
horrible blow in the face" This strikes
the writer as considerably more painful
as nearly as can be gatherrd-than the
sufferings OF some woman bound to a
wooden post and set on fire.
He frankly confesses that something
of the kind may happen to him at any
time. Il may myself expect not few or
small buffetngs." is the way he puts it.
Further on he talks of the cloudy fury
which is lowering over New England.
This mythical condition while not per
ceptihle to the ordinary individual is
quite apparent to him, so much so. in
fact. that 1.-The author had need to be
fenced in iron and the staff of a spear.
This brings remarkable picture to the
reader He beholds the eminent divine
walking up and down in a cross between
Daniels lion den and cage at the zoo.
ranting at devils and calling for more
pitch with which to roast the human be-
ings possessed Of them. The purpose of
the spear stan is not made clear.
Throughout the book runs the authors
fanatical egotism.
Il have set myself down" he writes.
to countervene the plot of the devil
against New England" A man who wrote
such sentence as that today would be
carried off somewhere and chained up.
"If any are scandaliZed." continues Ma
ther. that New England. place of as