e
things: but when hundreds of the most solemn people, in a country
where they have as much mother-wit certainly as the rest of
mankind, know them to be true, nothing but the froward spirit of
Sadduceeism can question them. I have not yet (he confidently
asserts) mentioned so much as one thing that will not be
justified, if it be required, by the oaths of more considerate
persons than any that can ridicule these odd phenomena.'[160]

[160] _Narratives of Sorcery and Magic_, chap. xxxi. The
faith of the Fellow of Harvard College, we may be inclined
to suppose, was quickened in proportion to his doubts. To do
him justice, he admitted that _some_ of the circumstances
alleged might be exaggerated or even imaginary.

So ended the last of public and judicial persecutions of
considerable extent for witchcraft in Christendom. As far as the
superior intellects were concerned, philosophy could now dare to
reaffirm that reason 'must be our last judge and guide in
everything.' Yet Folly, like Dulness, 'born a goddess, never
dies;' and many of the higher classes must have experienced some
silent regrets for an exploded creed which held the reality of
the constant personal interference of the demons in human
affairs. The fact that the great body of the people of every
country in Europe remained almost as firm believers as their
ancestors down to the present age, hardly needs to be insisted
on; that theirs was a _living_ faith is evidenced in the
ever-recurring popular outbreaks of superstitious ignorance,
resulting both in this country and on the Continent often in the
deaths of the objects of their diabolic fear.

Such arguments as those of Webster in England, of Becker and
Thomasius in Germany, on the special subject of witchcraft, and
the general arguments of Locke or of Bayle, could be addressed
only to the few.[161] Nor indeed would it be philosophical to
expect that the vulgar should be able to penetrate an inveterate
superstition that recently had been universally credited by the
learned world.

[161] Dr. Balthazar Becker, theological professor at
Amsterdam, published his heretical work in Dutch, under the
title of 'The World Bewitched, or a Critical Investigation
of the commonly-received Opinion respecting Spirits, their
Nature, Power, and Acts, and all those extraordinary Feats
which Men are said to perform through their Aid;' 1691. 'He
founds his arguments on two grand principles--that from