nt, that many believed the
persons who suffered innocent, he avoids saying that such was the
opinion of the author of the Diary.

Finally, his taking particular pains to do it, by giving a Note to the
purpose of expressing his confidence in Calef, pronouncing him a "fair
relator"--_ii., 56_--proves that Governor Hutchinson held the opinion
about Mather's "agency," which has always heretofore been ascribed to
him.

William Bentley, D.D., was born in Boston, and for a large part of the
first half of his life resided, as his family had done for a long
period, in the North part of that Town. He was of a turn of mind to
gather all local traditions, and, through all his days, devoted to
antiquarian pursuits. No one of his period paid more attention to the
subject of the witchcraft delusion. For much of our information
concerning it, we are indebted to his _History and Description of
Salem_, printed in 1800--_Massachusetts Historical Collections, I.,
vi._--After relating many of its incidents, he breaks forth in
condemnation of those who, disapproving, at the time, of the
proceedings, did not come out and denounce them. Holding the opinion,
which had come down from the beginning, that Increase Mather disapproved
of the transaction, he indignantly repudiates the idea of giving him any
credit therefor. "Increase Mather did not oppose Cotton Mather"--this is
the utterance of a received, and, to him, unquestioned, opinion that
Cotton Mather approved of, and was a leading agent in, the prosecutions.

The views of Dr. John Eliot, are freely given, to the same effect, in
his _Biographical Dictionary_, as will presently be shown.

The late Josiah Quincy had studied the annals of Massachusetts with the
thoroughness with which he grappled every subject to which he turned his
thoughts. His ancestral associations covered the whole period of its
history; and all the channels of the local traditions of Boston were
open to his enquiring and earnest mind. His _History of Harvard
University_ is a monument that will stand forever. In that work, he
speaks of the agreement of Stoughton's views with those of the Mathers;
and, in connection with the witchcraft delusion, says that both of them
"had an efficient agency in producing and prolonging that excitement."
"The conduct of Increase Mather, in relation to it, was marked with
caution and political skill; but that of his son, Cotton Mather, was
headlong, zealous, and fearless, both as to char