Trans. N. V. Ac.Sci. 152 Apr. 3, 



Mather distinctly expressed his serious concern as to the acceptance 

 of such testimony. But the lawyers and judges were not to be shaken 

 in their adherence to the rule of legal precedent ; decision after decision 

 was cited from the old English courts, admitting such evidence in trials 

 for witchcraft, and the more cautious and humane disposition of the 

 ministers was overborne by the stern and rigid influence of the law. 

 Yet this, be it remembered, is the lawyer's rule of action. The judges 

 were bound to conform to the precedents of former procedure ; and 

 however mournful the result, and however revolting to the sentiments 

 and beliefs of a more enlightened age. yet the Salem judges were faith- 

 ful to their professional rules and their official responsibility. We must 

 judge them by these, and not by the standards of to-day. 



The Salem witchcraft was the last chapter in the long and bloody 

 record of trials for sorcery and necromancy, which casts its shadow 

 over many a page of European history. It had already ceased on the 

 Continent and in England, and here in the New World colonies it had 

 this one tragical outbreak, and then exhausted itself never to recur. 

 It is not claimed that the views here presented are the explanation of 

 all that then occurred ; there w^ere in some cases s'nister motives actu- 

 ating persons who made charges ; there was in other cases, perhaps, 

 actual deception. But it is believed that a large part of the evidence, that 

 was most critical and most convincing, can be explained, in the way here 

 suggested, with great ease and naturalness ; and it is moreover due to 

 the men of that time, to bear in mind the ignorance of science amid 

 which they lived and the bonds ot legal precedent in which they were 

 held, and so to clear their memory from unjust severity of reprobation. 



DISCUSSION. 



A long and active discussion, covering a wide range of subjects, 

 arose after the paper of Dr. Beard. 



Dr. Benjamin N. Martin expressed his very profound interest 

 in the views presented. At the same time he was inclined to be- 

 lieve that a good deal of the testimony referred to arose from the 

 disposition of some children to mere mischief and trickery, for the 

 amusement afforded them in perplexing and mystifying grave and 

 elderly persons by odd devices and pranks. He cited recent cases 

 of marvellous "manifestations," of ghostly china-breaking and un- 

 accountable noises, etc., finally traced to mischievous children ; and 

 questioned whether much of the Salem evidence may not have been 

 of this kind. 



Mrs. Erminnie A, Smith spoke of her studies and observations 

 among the Indian tribes on the New York State Reservations, and 



