By "another hearing," is meant that he had or would take legal Steps to silence his Opponent; for about the same Time the Doctor was so annoyed by certain Queries sent him by Mr. Calef, that he returned him Word by his (Mr. Calef's) Bearer, that he would have him arrested for Slander, as he was "one of the worst of Lyars." This the Doctor proclaimed also in his Pulpit. Yet Mr. Calef was always respectful in his Language in return, for anything that appears to the contrary.
On the 29th of September, 1693, Mr. Calef addressed Dr. Mather a Note, requesting that he would meet him at either of the Booksellers, Richard Wilkins or Benjamin Harris. Mr. Calef desired this Meeting that they might examine together the Memoranda of what he had noted after visiting the "possessed" or bewitched Person, Margaret Rule. At that Visit were also both the Doctors Mather, Father and Son. Meantime Mr. Calef was complained of and taken into Custody, on the Charge of having committed a scandalous Libel on Mr. Mather the younger; the Complaint being made by both. Mr. Calef states that he did not remember that he had been charged with Untruth in his Report of the Examination of Margaret; but it was asserted that he had wronged Dr. Mather by his Omissions. To which Mr. Calef replied, that he had reported only what he saw and heard himself.
As to the Prosecution for Libel, Mr. Calef says he was taken to the Court of Sessions, and after waiting a while for his Accusers, none appeared. He was therefore dismissed. He had had a Promise from Dr. Mather to meet him to compare Notes, but it does not appear that any Time was stated; and after several Months had elapsed Mr. Calef wrote, requesting him to fix upon a Time and Place of Meeting. A Meeting however never occurred, of the Kind desired; but, as the only Means of getting the Doctor's Views of what he had written, he sent him a Copy of his Notes on Margaret Rule's Exhibitions, two of which he seems to have witnessed. On the 15th of January, 1693-4, the Doctor wrote him a long Letter, in which he says: "I have this to say, as I have often already said, that do I scarcely find any one Thing in the whole Paper, whether respecting my Father or self, either fairly or truly represented." The Fairness on both Sides may be judged of, as both Papers will be found in the ensuing Work, Pages 13-22.
The Doctor sent the Author, accompanying his Letter, Copies of three Depositions, or Statements from several Persons, to the Effect that what he had stated regarding the strange Conduct of Margaret Rule was true; especially as to the Fact, that she was by invisible Hands raised from her Bed up to the Garret Floor, and that strong Men, the Bystanders, could not hold her down. The Height of the Room is not mentioned; but one Witness, Samuel Aves, says it was "a great Way;" that she was lifted "towards the Top of the Room." Three others said, this was "in Substance true." Also, Thomas Thornton, a Paver, said she was lifted up, "so as to touch the Garret Floor;" to which William Hudson assented in "Substance." All of which Testimonies, Mr. Calef ventured to insinuate was about as true, as a Report would be that Iron would swim on Water; that if that Rising in the Air without Hands actually took place, it was a Miracle, and if a Miracle it was wrought by the Devil. And yet it seems that Mr. Calef believed none but God himself could work Miracles.
Between the Date of his last Letter and the 19th of February, 1693-4, instead of answering Mr. Calef's Letter, Dr. Mather sent him Word that his Library was open to him, intimating that he might find there Answers to any and all of his Objections and Difficulties. But Mr. Calef did not avail himself of the Kindness thus tendered, though he thanked him by Letter, and at the same Time complained that he had not written him, pointing out what he conceived to be Errors in his former Communications; adding, "if you think Silence a Virtue in this Case, I shall (I suppose) so far comply with it as not to loose you any more Time to look over my Papers." This however did not end the Correspondence; for on the 16th of April following he addressed a Letter to the Doctor, calling his Attention to certain Passages in the Wonders of the Invisible World, and some other "late Books of his and his Relations." After stating a few of the Author's strange Assertions, such as that the Devil causes Wars, Plagues, and other Calamities; that the Devil is a great Linguist; that Suicides "are the Effects of a cruel & bloody Witchcraft," and several other similar Quotations. In closing this Letter, he remarks that he is only performing what he believes to be his Duty; that he is far from doing it to gain Applause, or from a Love of Contention; that, on the other Hand, he expected to make many Enemies by it.
The next Letter which he wrote to Mr. Mather was dated March the 1st, 1694-5. In this he says he had waited more than a Year "for the Performance of a reiterated Promise" from him, to reply to Arguments which he had sent for his Refutation or Approval. Instead of that promised Answer, he had received, through the Hand of a third Person, "four Sheets of recinded Papers." These were delivered under an Injunction that no Copy was to be taken of them, and he was allowed to keep them but a Fortnight. He has given some Account of those "four Sheets," and observes that he does not wonder at not being allowed to copy them, as they contained so much "crude Matter and impertinent Absurdities." Among other Things, he sent Mr. Calef Baxter's World of Spirits, characterizing it an ungainsayable Book; upon which Mr. Calef remarks, as aptly as significantly, that he knows of no "ungainsayable" Book but the Bible, and thinks no other Man who had ever read it would so style it except its Author. He is probably correct when he attributes to Mr. Baxter the Weakness incident to old Age, in allowing his Name to appear as the Author of The Certainty of the World of Spirits. But his own Words are more to the Point: "As to the sometime Reverend Author, let his Works praise the Remembrance of him; but for such as are either Erroneous and foisted upon him, or the Effect of an aged Imbecility, let them be detected that they may proceed no further."
The Experience of Mr. Calef was similar, probably, to that of most Reformers, both before and since his Time. To combat similar Superstitions at this Day would be nearly or quite as hazardous as it was then. Indeed, there have been Cases within some thirty Years in New England, in which Individuals have fared much worse than Robert Calef did in Boston more than an hundred Years before, and for no offence worthy of Notice; neither had an Eighth of the Community a Voice in this Persecution, while in Mr. Calef's Case nine Tenths of the whole People probably were crying out against him. The Villainy of a single Lawyer, and the Imbecility of a Judge may sometimes succeed in ruining for a Time the Character of any Citizen.
Mr. Calef seems to have been almost alone in the Warfare he had undertaken. "How Few," he says, "are willing to be found opposing such a Torrent, as knowing, that in so doing, they shall be sure to meet with Opposition to the utmost, from the many, both of Magistrates, Ministers and people; and the name of Sadducee, Atheist, and perhaps Witch too cast upon them most liberally, by Men of the highest Profession in Godliness."
Owing to the peculiar State of the Times when Mr. Calef wrote, he felt himself obliged to admit a great Deal that a Writer at a later Day would not have found it Necessary. This will account for some heavy Papers introduced into the Body of his Work. He had a most difficult Task to perform. Like the Mariner in a Tempest upon a Lee Shore, he needed an Eye on every Point of the Compass, and a deep Sea Lead ever in Hand.
What Overtures, if any, he made to Printers in Boston to print his Books, are unknown. It is pretty certain, however, that no One would have dared to undertake it. And what Agency, if any, he employed to have it done Abroad, is equally unknown. But one Thing is known; no Bookseller had the Hardihood to offer it for Sale, or dared to give it Shop-room. He had a few Friends who stood by him, ready to shield him, as far as was consistent with their own Safety, but none had the Boldness to come out so openly as he did. Some wrote strongly against the Delusion, but not for Publication; as Brattle of Cambridge, Cary of Charlestown, and Robert Paine. The Work of the last named Gentleman has not been made public, and remains in private Hands. It is said to be a most masterly Refutation of the Arguments made use of against Witches, written in the Time of the Trials. But it seems, on a careful Perusal of Mr. Calef's More Wonders, that not much more can be said (admitting or deferring to a Sort of Authority which cannot be argued from,) to show the utter Absurdity of the Proceedings on the Witch Trials. He has, it must be admitted, exhausted the Subject. It is very easy, it is true, to say the same Thing, using different and more elegant Language, according to the present Standard of Elegance; but for close and succinct Argument, the Author has not been surpassed by his Successors. His Statement of Apology for those poor People who had confessed themselves Witches, and accused others, is highly satisfactory.