WITCHES AND WITCHCRAFT

WITCHES and witchcraft are words familiar in every homestead in Great Britain. Yet how few are there who have made themselves acquainted with the true meaning of the word; just as few, we venture to say, as have had opportunities of becoming acquainted with the thing itself. Certain popular traditions are handed down and accepted without further inquiry as evidences of the superstitious credulity of our forefathers, and the intellect of to-day, always in its own conceit so immeasurably in advance of that of yesterday, is satisfied with a sneer of self-complacency at believing in no such things.