Paragraph in the present work which might not easily beĮxpanded into a page, scarcely a page which might not I am conscious, then, that there is scarcely a Gaps and lacunae, however carefully we endeavour to make Indeed, even at best is itself bound to have no inconsiderable Huddled and confused conspectus of the whole, for such, Tithe of the facts I believe it is better to give a documentedĪccount of certain aspects rather than to essay a somewhat Where there is no human hope of recording more than a Method, since in dealing with a topic such as Witchcraft Sense of its drawbacks and danger I have selected the second Ing by-ways and valuable inquiry, of silence when he wouldįain be entering upon discussion and exposition. Omissions, of hiatus, of self-denial, the avoidance of fascinat¬ Laborious research, but all this at the expense of inevitable Neglected and unrealized, utilize new material the result of Stress some few forgotten facts whose importance is now In the history of Witchcraft, deal with these at some length, Pages will most certainly be thin and often superficial: orĪgain he may rather concentrate upon one or twp features Man at the dawn of life to the last spiritistic fad and mani¬įestation at yesterday’s seance or circle, in which case his Prised within a reasonable compass he may elect to attemptĪ bird’s-eye view of the whole range from China to Peru,įrom the half-articulate, rhythmic incantations of primitive Since it is essential that his work should be com¬ He is laying himself open to damaging and not impertinentĬriticism. He is acutely conscious that whichever way he may decide He is called upon to exercise a choice, and hisĭilemma is by no means made the easier owing to the fact Occult art,-at once confronts the writer with a most difficult Secret Divination, Satanism, and every kind of malign Purpose by Witchcraft, Sorcery, Black Magic, Necromancy, The history of Witchcraft, a subject as old as the world andĪs wide as the world,-since I understand for the present James Visits the Warlock's Den (Pieter Breughel) 2« (Frontispiece to Sadducismus Tnumphatns, 1681) I, The Departure for the Sabbat (David Teniers) J^onthpi* Diabolic Possession and Modern Spiritism. Grande Puissance of Lamballe, and all the Italian andįrench Madonnas at whose shrines we hone worshipped. Agostino, the Madonna della StradaĪt the Gesit, La Nicopeja of Sm Marco at Venice, Notre-ĭame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle of Rennes, Notre-Dam de Lady of Pompeii, La Consolata of Turin, ConsolatrixĪfflictorum in 8. Of Our Lady's miraculous Picture at CampocavaUo, Our In memory of Loreto and Our Lady's Holy House, as also Imtiati sunt Beelfihegor : et comedenmt sacfificia movtuornm,Įt immolamrunt filios suos, et filias suas dmmoniis*Įt effud&runt sanguinem innocmtem. Pierre le Loyer Ludwig Elich Godelmann Nicolas Remy Salerini Leonard Vair De Lancre Alfonso de Castro Sebastian Miehaelis Sinistrari Perreaud Dom Calmet Sylvester Mazzolini Prierias."- The History of Witchcraft and Demonology (1926) by Montague Summers Grilland Jerome Mengo Binsfeld Gerson Ulrich Molitor Basin Murner Crespet Anania Henri Boguet Bodin Martin Delrio S.J. Among the most authoritative I may cite a few names : Sprenger (Malleus Maleficarum) Guazzo Bartolomeo Spina, O.P. They are, moreover, often difficult to read owing to technicalities of phrase and vocabulary. 'My present work is the result of more than thirty years’ close attention to the subject of Witchcraft, and during this period I have made a systematic and intensive study of the older demonologists, as I am convinced that their first-hand evidence is of prime importance and value, whilst since their writings are very voluminous and of the last rarity they have universally been neglected, and are allowed to accumulate thick dust undisturbed. "In the following pages I have endeavoured to show the witch as she really was – an evil liver: a social pest and parasite: the devotee of a loathly and obscene creed: an adept at poisoning, blackmail, and other creeping crimes: a member of a powerful secret organisation inimical to Church and State: a blasphemer in word and deed, swaying the villagers by terror and superstition: a charlatan and a quack sometimes: a bawd: an abortionist: the dark counsellor of lewd court ladies and adulterous gallants: a minister to vice and inconceivable corruption, battening upon the filth and foulest passions of the age."- The History of Witchcraft and Demonology (1926) by Montague Summers
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