WITCHCRAFT

It has been a subject of much controversy whether the verse, "Thou sbalt not suffer a witch to live," in the 9Sd chapter of Exodus, is correctly rendered in modern versions. The Septuagint renJer it by ftipu-axos, a poisoner. It is, however, generally Held, that the latter interpretation is not the true one, and Ibat the practice here condemned was that of pretended I'.vjnation by means of supernatural agency. This was, oy the Jewish law, an act of rebellion against the Almighty Ruler of the Jewish nation, and punished as such. M Deuteronomy, xviii. 10, 11.) The only detailed and particular narrative of witchcraft in the Old Testament is that of the evocation of Samuel by the witch of Emlor. (See on this subject Sir Walter Scott's Second Letter on Dcmunology and Witchcraft.) Among the Greeks, a general belief prevailed in magical practices and Incantations, especially by women; and rbe aly was the region most celebrated for the pursuit of these arts by its inhabitants. The same superstition was equally prevalent among the Romans. But, in the sense in which the word is tsed in modern limes, a witch is suppitecd to derive her power from a peculiar compact with evd spirits; and this species of witchcraf' is of course posterior to the rise of Christianity, although the belief in demoniacal po e ion was common from the first ages of the Christian church, and a particular cla of the clergy was early set apart for the purpose of conjuring devils, with the name of exorcists. The first traces of the modern superstition respecting witchcraft are perhaps to be found in Jlufrustine. who speaks of magicians as living in society with devils, and having a compact with them. The ancient witchcraft of the cla ical limes became easily connected in vulgar belief with the sii|i erst i tions arising out of Christian theology. As early as the Council of Ancyra (308). the belief in transformations by magical art (of which we find so remarkable an instance in the romance of Apuleiusj is condemned as heretical. The gods of the ancient mythology, by the zealous preaching of the Christian clergy, acquired in popular imagination the attributes of demons; and there is little doubt that many of the supposed a emblies of witches and devil-worshippers, which terrified the imaginations of the chroniclers and historians of saints in the early part of the dark ages, originated in the secret meetings of the proscribed worshippers of Pagan deities, who endeavoured to secure their privacy by terrifying their orthodox neighbours. (See a poem of Gogthe's on this subject.) From all these causes combined, the belief In witchcraft grew, ns has been observed, side by side with the prevailing worship of saints and relics. About the lime of Charlemagne and his succe ors, we find one species of imaginary witchcraft peculiury prevalent. Storms [s. 1357]