WILLIAM PHIPS. 54

XIV.

COTTON MATHER'S WRITINGS SUBSEQUENT TO THE WITCHCRAFT
PROSECUTIONS. 57

XV.

HISTORY OF OPINION AS TO COTTON MATHER'S CONNECTION WITH
SALEM WITCHCRAFT. THOMAS BRATTLE. THE PEOPLE OF SALEM
VILLAGE. JOHN HALE. JOHN HIGGINSON. MICHAEL WIGGLESWORTH. 61

XVI.

HISTORY OF OPINION AS TO COTTON MATHER, CONTINUED. FRANCIS
HUTCHINSON. DANIEL NEAL. ISAAC WATTS. THOMAS HUTCHINSON.
WILLIAM BENTLEY. JOHN ELIOT. JOSIAH QUINCY. 68

XVII.

THE EFFECT UPON THE POWER OF THE MATHERS, IN THE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS OF THE PROVINCE, OF THEIR CONNECTION WITH
WITCHCRAFT. 70

XVIII.

COTTON MATHER'S WRITINGS AND CHARACTER. 74

XIX.

ROBERT CALEF'S WRITINGS AND CHARACTER. 77

XX.

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS. CONCLUSION. 84

SALEM WITCHCRAFT AND COTTON MATHER.

INTRODUCTION.

An article in _The North American Review_, for April, 1869, is mostly
devoted to a notice of the work published by me, in 1867, entitled
_Salem Witchcraft, with an account of Salem Village, and a history of
opinions on witchcraft and kindred subjects_. If the article had
contained criticisms, in the usual style, merely affecting the character
of that work, in a literary point of view, no other duty would have
devolved upon me, than carefully to consider and respectfully heed its
suggestions. But it raises questions of an historical nature that seem
to demand a response, either acknowledging the correctness of its
statements or vindicating my own.

The character of the Periodical in which it appears; the manner in which
it was heralded by rumor, long before its publication; its circulation,
since, in a separate pamphlet form; and the extent to which, in certain
quarters, its assumptions have been endorsed, make a reply imperative.

The subject to which it relates is of acknowledged interest and
importance. The Witchcraft Delusion of 1692 has justly arrested a wider
notice, and probably always will, than any other occur