The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)

Woodward's Historical Series.
No. V.
THE Witchcraft Delusion IN NEW ENGLAND: ITS Rise, Progress, and Termination, AS EXHIBITED BY Dr. COTTON MATHER, IN THE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD; AND BY Mr. ROBERT CALEF, IN HIS MORE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD . WITH A Preface, Introduction, and Notes, By SAMUEL G. DRAKE. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. The Wonders of the Invisible World.
PRINTED FOR W. ELLIOT WOODWARD, ROXBURY, MASS. MDCCCLXVI.
No. 103
Entered according to Act of Congress in the Year 1865, By SAMUEL G. DRAKE, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Massachusetts.
Edition in this size 280 Copies.
Munsell, Printer.
TO MY MORE THAN BROTHER, HARLOW ROYS , WHO AT ALL TIMES ALIKE IN PROSPERITY AND ADVERSITY HAS STOOD MY FRIEND, WHO WHEN MY STEPS SEEMED RAPIDLY DESCENDING INTO THE DARK VALLEY AND THE RIVER WITH THE BOATMAN PALE WERE CLOSE BEFORE ME, CHEERED ME BY HIS PRESENCE AND HELD ME BACK BY THE GRASP OF HIS STRONG HAND, WARM WITH LIFE AND LOVE, IN TOKEN OF AN AFFECTION WHICH STRONG AT FIRST, AS YEARS PASS AND WE GROW OLDER GROWS MORE INTENSE, I DEDICATE THESE VOLUMES.

HE Object in giving to the Public this new Edition of the Wonders of the Invisible World , is mainly to preserve an accurate Reprint of that wonderful Book. At the same Time it is intended to show that its Author has unjustly been singled out and held up to everlasting Scorn, as though he had been the Instigator of the whole Mischief; that from his high Standing socially he was more prominent than any other Man, and that this occasioned his being especially held responsible is clearly true. His ready Pen also largely contributed to place him in the front Rank of those whom that woeful Delusion led captive; he having written more largely upon the Subject than any other.
The first Edition of the Wonders of the Invisible World was published in Boston early in the Year 1693, at which Time Witches had begun to grow scarce; in other Words, Prosecutions had nearly ceased, and People were seriously looking about themselves, and anxiously inquiring what they had been about? The serious Inquirers were those (though few in Number) who had from the Beginning had Doubts as to the Reality of Witchcraft. When this Class began to reason, their Strength began to concentrate, and in due Time it put an End to the Horrors which had so strongly tended to the Ruin of the whole Community. Until this Reaction was brought about, no Person was for a Moment safe. Notwithstanding this frightful State of Things was thus brought to a Stand, a large Portion of the People retained all their Faith in the Reality of Witchcraft, and many of them exclaimed in Despair, that the Kingdom of Satan had prevailed, and that they were a God-forsaken People. In this latter Class was the Author of the Wonders of the Invisible World . He never wavered in his Faith to the very End, because his Conviction that he had espoused the Truth was stronger than any Argument which could be brought against it. Some others of the Ministers, and one or two of the Judges were equally sanguine in their own Righteousness. And yet we find the following cautious Piece of Advice given by several Ministers to his Excellency and the Honourable Council :— We judge that in the Prosecution of these, and all such Witchcrafts, there is Need of a very critical and exquisite Caution, lest by too much Credulity for Things received only upon the Devil's Authority, there be a Door opened for a long Train of miserable Consequences, and Satan get an Advantage over us, for we should not be ignorant of his Devices. For all this it is not easy to discover the Practice of any of that exquisite Caution in the Proceedings against those accused.