Trans. N. Y. Ac. Sez. 152 Afr. 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 were in some cases sinister 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 of 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 
