Notes on the History of Witchcraft.
Worcester, MA: Charles Hamilton, 1883. First Edition. Softcover. Small quarto. 32pp. Original printed wrappers. A short work by the great authority on New England witch-trials, George Henry Moore (1823-1892). In it, he seeks to correct a number of errors in the accepted history of the Massachusetts witch trials, in particular the idea that were "no colonial or provincial laws against witchcraft in force at the time of the the witchcraft proceedings in 1692, in Massachusetts" and that the prosecutions took place under English law. This thesis was hotly contested by another authority, Abner C. Goodell in a booklet "Reasons for concluding that the Act of 1711, reversing the attainders of the persons convicted of witchcraft in Massachusetts in the year 1692, became a law" (1884), and a vigorous debate ensued, which Moore addressed in a sequel: "Final Notes on Witchcraft in Massachusetts" (1885). All were important contributions to the subject. Wrappers a little darkened at spine and margins, professionally reinforced, text block overlaps wrappers (as issued?). Edges of wrappers and some leaves a little chipped, still clean and largely unopened. A VG or better copy of a very unusual work. Item #55414
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