To the superficial glance it might seem that he who would urge a revival of witchcraft is confronted by a task…
- Date of account
- Published 1908
- Source
- The book of witches
- Reference
- The book of witches · selected passage 2
- Rights
- public_domain
- Language
- English
- Record updated
- 2026-08-24
Record summary
To the superficial glance it might seem that he who would urge a revival of witchcraft is confronted by a task more Herculean than that of making dry bones live--in that the bones he seeks to revivify have never existed
Published source text
Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.
Source passage
Source text · mention onlyTo the superficial glance it might seem that he who would urge a revival of witchcraft is confronted by a task more Herculean than that of making dry bones live--in that the bones he seeks to revivify have never existed. The educated class--which, be it remembered, includes those who have studied in the elementary schools of whatever nation--is united in declaring that such a person as a witch never did, never could, and never will exist. It is true that there are still those--a waning band--who, preserving implicit faith in the literal exactitude of revealed religion, maintain that witchcraft--along with Gardens of Eden, giants, and Jewish leaders capable of influencing the movements of sun and moon--flourished under the Old Dispensation, even though it has become incredible under the New.
Historical context
Contextual commentary · mention onlyThis is a historical account assembled under the reporting and publishing conventions of its period. It may preserve testimony, hearsay, retelling and editorial interpretation together.
Modern context
Contextual commentary · mention onlyA modern comparison can identify recurring descriptions and possible explanations, but the account is not treated as independently verified evidence merely because it appeared in print.
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