Letters on demonology and witchcraft. Addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq / by Sir Walter Scott, Bart.

  • Walter Scott
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters on demonology and witchcraft. Addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq / by Sir Walter Scott, Bart. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    76/428
    But the date of the aveng-ing' Flood g-ave birth to a race, whose hfe was gradually shortened, and who, being admitted to slighter and rarer intimacy with beings who possessed a higher rank in creation, assumed, as of course, a lower position in the scale. In the meantime, while the Deity was pleased to continue his manifestations to those who were destined to be the fathers of his elect people, we are made to understand that Avicked men, it may be by the assistance of fallen angels, were enabled to assert rank with, and attempt to match, the prophets of the God of Israel. The matter must remain uncertain, whether it was by sorcery or legerdemain that the Avizards of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, contended with Moses, in the face of the prince and people, changed their rods into serpents, and imitated se\^eral of the plagues denoimced against the devoted kingdom. Those powers of the Magi, however, Avdiether obtained by super- natural communications, or arising from knoAA'ledge of legerdemain and its kindred accomplishments, were openly exhiliited; and who can doul)t that, though we may be left in some darkness, both respecting the extent of their skill and the source fi’om which it was draAvn, Ave are told all which it can be important for us to know ? We aiTiA’’e here at the period Avhen the Almighty chose to take upon himself directly to legislate for his chosen people, without having obtained any accurate knoAv'- ledge, whether the crime of Avitchcraft, or the inter- course between the spiritual Avorld and embodied beings, for evil pur^AOses, either existed after the Flood, or AA’as visited Avith any o])en marks of Divine displeasure.
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