Witch, Warlock, and Magician

The journalist and author W. H. Davenport Adams (1828-91) established a reputation for himself as a popular science writer, translator and lexicographer. He also wrote several children's books. In this 1889 work, Adams gives a general introduction to alchemy in Europe and traces the development of magic and alchemy in England from the fourteenth century onwards. Initially the disciplines were persecuted by the Church and met with 'the prejudice of the vulgar', languishing throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In Book 1 Adams portrays the English 'magicians' Roger Bacon, whom he considers to have been ahead of his contemporaries; John Dee and William Lilly, astrologists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, respectively; and the English Rosicrucians. Book 2 is a historical account of witchcraft in England and Scotland, from the middle ages to the witch trials of the seventeenth century, and includes a chapter on witchcraft in literature.

W. H. Davenport Adams, the writer of "Curiosities of Superstition and Sketches of Some Unrevealed Religions," became a 19th-century English author and journalist acknowledged for his works on various subjects, which includes records, literature, and folklore. Born in 1828, Adams displayed an eager interest in exploring the extraordinary and lesser-recognised aspects of human lifestyle and belief structures. "Curiosities of Superstition" is certainly one of Adams's tremendous works, showcasing his fascination with the diverse tapestry of superstitions and religious practices round the world. In this masterpiece, Adams takes readers on a charming journey, unveiling the complex threads of perception structures that have fashioned human societies for the duration of records. The book in all likelihood delves into the atypical rituals, traditions, and myths which have performed a role in shaping the non-secular and cultural landscapes of different civilizations. Adams's writing style is possibly to combine scholarly studies with an inherent ability for storytelling, making complicated topics available to a broader target market. By exploring unrevealed religions and delving into superstitions, Adams can also have aimed to shed mild at the various approaches in which people have sought to understand and navigate the mysteries of life.

Preface; Introduction: progress of alchemy in Europe; Book I. The English Magicians: 1. Roger Bacon: the true and the legendary; 2. The story of Dr. John Dee; 3. Dr. Dee's diary; 4. Magic and imposture: a couple of knaves; 5. The last of the English magicians: William Lilly; 6. English Rosicrucians; Book II. Witches and Witchcraft: 1. Early history of witchcraft in England; 2. Witchcraft in England in the seventeenth century; 3. The decline of witchcraft in England; 4. The witches of Scotland; 5. The literature of witchcraft.