Let us

awakened to its peril too late, and that atheist ; on tho contrary, he believed in already the greater part of the commu- God most reverently.

Nor did he renity had signed the bond of Satan. So, ject or lightly esteem the Bible. He no effectual refuge reinaining hut God, simply interpreted it after a mild and to Hiin did all men fly, with unutterable humane fashion. In short, he was only groanings and wailings, in prayer, pub- skeptical by contrast with the rigid, iinlic and private, in appointed fasts and placable orthodoxy of that period ; and, fervent attendance at the sanctuary. were he living in the present day, he Never had the churches been so full, would be, nt the worst, a Unitariani, or a nor the attention of the people to their Transcendentalist. As for Mark, he en. ministers so earnest. Nor were the listed in the opposition chiefly through pastors unmindful of improving the day the influence of More, but partly, also, of their power. They preached often, froin the impulses of his own kind, and zealously; they ransacked the sensible nature. It was a small arıny, Bible for tests on witchcraft; they were certainly ; and it had a great fight to particularly stern in rebuking unbelief. undertake-a fight such as our latitudiFew were those who dared oppose their narian age can illy realize. mistaken energy ; all resistance seemed Goody Bishop was swinging from to have been quelled by the mere up- the gallows as a signal of no quarter, roar of the coming storm.

like the death's head blowing at tho Shill we abuse these old Puritans as topmast of a pirate schooner. Moro stupid and superstitious, because thry accepted the challonge, and commenced did and suffered these things?

the struggle with his characteristic remember that Melancthon was an inter- enthusiasm and energy ; disputing preter of dreams; that Luther fought- boluly, obstinately, and angrily, un the devil with an inkstand; that Kepler every occasioni

, with the equally stub. was of the Rosicrucians; that Tycho born and wrathful advocates of the Bruhe was the prince of astrologers; delusion. Like all sanguine people, ho that Bishop Jewell prayed before Queen thought his own arguments unanswerElizabeth against witchcraft; that Black- able, and was filled with contemptuous, stone held sorcery to be a crimne: that indignant amazement at the prejudices the Stuarts pretended to heal scrofula ; and contumacy of his opponents. that Sir Isaac Newton sought the philo- “ Master Curwin," he said, “it is you sopher's stone.

who are mulish and not I. You are Perhaps there were not more than threo mulish against reason, sir. You are so men in Silem who dared openly and blown upon here, in New England, by vigorously denounce the present courso harsh and sour winds of doctrine, that of the community. These three were it makes you stiff-necked, sir, iud our utopian More, young Stanton, and wry-Decked into the bargain, sir." farmer Cory. All three had the stuff in He went to Elder Higginson, and them out of which to inanufacture a begged hiin to preach a sermon in tough opposition party. More and Cory opposition to, at least, the rashness were obstinate, excitable, a little vio- and recklessness of the witch proseculent, gifted with that magoanimity which tions. “Sir," said he,. * even if you will not strike a helpless man, and, in believe in sorcery, you cannot believe short, just the fellows to stand up for that we are all sorcerers.

If you think the weak against the strong. Neither it wrong to oppose the courts altoof them belonged to the church; both getier, you can, at least, urge them to were, perhaps, a little uudevotional, if calmness, caution, and mercy. This is not skeptical, in disposition ; they, at a horriblo thing, to see members of all events, pretended to a considerable your own Avck, children of your own incredulity as to the devil; and, in their prayers, singled out worse than present exasperation, they spoke with deinons." extreme unbelief and scorn of the doc- The old man said that ho had been trine of witchcraft. Without this na- very much distressed by the events of tive tendency to frec-thinking, they the last inonth; and he even wept once would hardly have opposed the move- or twice during the conversation. The ment; for gorcery was

a point of very next Sunday he preached a serorthodox faith in those days-a matter mon on the subject, which wou the of creed, in fact, with nearly all men. enthusiastic approbation of More, but I do not mean to say that More was an which raised toward him the grir

frowns of nearly the whole congrega- households with that paper! Farmer tion. Justice Hawthorne got up and Peabody had just lost one of his culves; walked out of church, followed by two or and he knew that it was all of that old three other fiery advocates of the prose- witch (hang 'er up directly, I say), cuting movement; while Justice Cur. Goody Giggles. John Parker's wife, win waylaid the elder after service, and Alice, was safo in prison, at last; and urged him, with tears in his stern, gray John had no mind she should get out oyes, yet with grave reproof in his again to plague him with any more of strong features, to give up those perni. her diableries. Mistress Margaret civus errors altogether; to throw aside Hawkes's negro slave.girl, Candy, had thoso utterly dangerous thoughts of been rendered quite useless, yea, rather weak mercy.

Deacon Bowson, and mischievous, by soinebody's witchalınost every one else, severely con- craft; and Mistress Hawkes naturally demned Higginson's latitudinarianism, wanted remuneration, or, if that could and began to express doubts whether not be had, legal vengeance for the loss they could conscientiously sit under of her abigail's services. * Look at the ministrations of a man who was that black creeter,” cried the frugal little better than Sadduceeistic. Non housewife, with indignant skiffs and body called for a repetition of the snorts; “ cost me twelve pound ; un't serinon, nor could even More ask the worth a shillin' now; don't do a stroke older to preach such another. So the of work ; breaks things all day long; old gentleman exchanged for a fort- can't mend her by no kind of cutting." night with Mr. Hall, of Beverly, who Poor Mistress Hawks! the next fed out far other spiritual food to the thing heard of, she and Candy were in people of Salem ; and, thereafter, he prison for sorcery together. preached on that forbidden subject only Mistress Beadle's children were all in deeds, cheering the imprisoned, bewitched, the whole kit and posse laboring with the condemned, giving of them; and how could Master More what be could to widows and orphans. expect her to sign a petition for mercy We must not blame him for not making toward witches? She wished himself a martyr; we must remember women could • take hold of the busithat, like most men of the epoch, ness ; 'deed she did ; a lot on 'om he believed in sorcery ; that he was would be swung up afore night. now I afraid many of those accused ones tell ye.". In another house, the girl were really guilty of the sin laid to was spitting pins and shrieking; the their chargo; and that the only part boy was breaking crockery, and trying his conscience really called upon him to roll into the fire. As More lectured to play, was that of the good Samaritan. over his paper, a brickbat would come

More had another plan in his head, in through the window, and sunsh tho which was, to get bimself elected shining face of some unlucky pattor member of the general court from which glittered on the mantel-piece; Salem, and bring in some new, wise, a heavy tablo would commence philosophical laws on the subject of dancing at such a rate as to endwiger witchcraft, which should forever put the precious noddle of tho innocent an end to these abuses. But that little urchin who sat under it; or the assembly would not meet until some housemaid would rush down stairs with tiine in the autumn, and, in the absence shrieks, declaring that the best bedof the royal charter, everything was room was full of broomsticks, and of decided by the governor and council ; awful figures dressed up in master's while the very court which conducted clothes ; or the good-wife would return the trials was an informal one, cited on from an afflicted neighbor's, running the plea of instant necessity. Accord- over with astonishing, incredible, hideingly he was reduced, for the present, ous tales of ghastly apparitions and to the circulation of a petition, in which fiendish annoyances. Fancy a whole the evils and irregularities of the prose- neighborhood filled with Rochester cutions were set forth, and the gov. knockings, Stratford mysteries. Cockeruor was prayed to check them in his lanc ghosts, table-tumings, and animal great good sense and clemency. Oh, magnetism, all vivified to madness by what arguments, what wranglings, what a blazing credulity, and you will have solemn reproofs, what regular oldwife some fuint idea of the condition of scoldings, Moro raised in scores of Salein. More was carrassing it with ·

the

or

ror.

his hopeless petition. He got six • There," said he; “I never meant to names beside his own, and in a rage choke you; one person throttled a week threw the paper into the fire. The is quite sufficient for one small town. very reasons why he was not But you make me mad with your sniv. believer in the delusion disabled him elings and your lachrymations. I can't from offering any successful opposition abear such watery-souled fellows, when to it. Had he been orthodox and de- I see the colony in so great need of cool, vout, he might have been listened to;

brave men.

Come, get about, and deal but, in that case, he would probably me out some salt and spice, and eight have sided with the orthodox and de- yards of white linen for Rachel; linen vout in:jority. He was latitudinarian for a gown, mind you; the same sho and indifferent; and so almost all good looked at yesterove. And don't

cry

in men regarded him with coldness; while

the salt, I pray.” those who favored him, were apt to “Where are you going ?" asked Bowbe the worst characters; people who son, panting for breath. neglected church, and hated the clergy; · Into the house, to see sister Ann," sneerers at the Bible as well as scoffers replied the hunter, as he disappeared at witchcraft; heretics, godless stran- through a side door. gers, and dissolute sailors.

We must not attribute entire childishQuite beat out one day with his ness to our good deacon, on account of fruitless electioneering against the Jug- this ready flow of his tears.

He was gernaut of the tine, lie stopped on his one of those juicy men, furnished by way hoine, to obtain some groceries at nature with too much lachrymal gland, Deacon Bowson's shop. That excit- who, at the pressure of any strong emoable merchant met him in the doorway, tion, give forth an immediate supply of grasped him by the hand, and ex- moisture. Tears of compassion and claimed, in a choking voice, “ Brother affectionate syınpathy came from his More!" Then turning away his head, eyes as easily as tears of unmanly terand covering his face (not exactly like Cesar), he burst into tears.

* What More found his sister packing up a devil's to pay now ?" cried More, get noble chicken-pie for the especial digesting into a rage immediately at this tion of Elder Noyse. Why, Ann, whiinpering. *Oh! sir," snufled the !

have you gone at it. too !” he exclaimed. plaintive deacon, " to think that you “You women aro enough, sometimos, and I should have fallen upon such to drive all sensible men mad. All the awful tiines! How dreadful for us- good-wives of Salem are cooking for the cold—'fessors!”

ministers. Send this to some poor perHere his voice became inaudible son now, sister Ann; come, that will be again, and he melted into another a better use of the chickens. To think muist and copious overflow. “ Dread- of putting all the pullets of the village ful ? not a mite of it!" shouted More, down the throats of two or three dancing about the room with wrath. elders !" “I like it. I want to see it. Just So, sister Ann, casily persuaded, disshow me one of your afflicted children, patched Teague with the pio to the and see how I'll cure it."

cabin of a dilapidated old good-wife of And he brought down his fist on the the vicinity. • What is the matter with counter with such furce as to make all pussy?" presently asked More, as ho the iron weights hop up like nervous stared at an overfed cat which was shivpeople when suddenly slapped on the ering and crouching under the table. shoulder. “Come, shut up those flood- - Oh," said Mrs. Bowson, “it is going gates," he continued, catching Bow- to have a fit; that comes of overeating; son by the collar, and tightening it as I must really charge Rachel with the if he thought the water reached that poor thing's ill health." gentleman's eyes through his wind- “You will feed your clders into fits, pipe. “Oh, Master More, don't in the same way,” observed More. Ile strangulate me!" gasped the deacon, Aung the door open, and was trying to with hands aloft, and a purple face. drive the creature out, when the deacon

The hunter seemed to recollect that entered, and shut it after him. In the his friend had lungs; and letting go of same instant that epileptic pussy comthe collar, he began to slap the broad menced spinning round on two legs, back of that claret broadcloth waistcoat. and, presently, set off in headlong furi

а

ous circles about the room, knocking ideas, as much as ever you can. You her insane bead against various harder can do something for the cause of good objects, bouncing desperately at the sense and mercy in that way." windows, and finally disappearing, with “I will pray for heavenly counsel, a scrabble, up chimney. At the very brother,” she replied, “and what God first start, Bowson leaped into a chair, seems to favor, that I will strive to do." and thence watched the frantic revo. More walked back into the shop, took lutious of the animal, with eyes of his purchases without quarreling any scared vigilance. As it vanished up the further with the deacon, and set out for vast sooty orifice of the fire.place, he home. What he had said concerning pointed after it with one trembling fin- the opulent state of the clerical larders ger, and squeaked out, “ Wife, a mani- was not exaggerated. The quantity of festation !"

pies, cakes, puddings, turkeys, and More burst into contemptuous laugh- choice edibles of all kinds, which the ter, and Mrs. Bowson exclaimed, in a Salem good-wives poured into the houses mortified tone, John, do get down! of their ministers at this time, was someWhat do you mean? This is not the thing memorable. Some wanted the first time you have seen the cat in a spiritual consolations of the pastors, in fit."

this dark hour of Satan's trumph; "No," said he, cautiously descending others had been intensely gratified by from his high place of refuge : "not the the last pungent discourse against the first time ; but I hope and pray it may principalities and powers of the air; be the last. Who knows what Satan others, again, were anxious to secure may have to do with those whirligirs ?" friends in high places, who could shield

And, forgetting, apparently, why he them from any chance accusation of came into the room, he walked out with- witchcraft. Elder Noyse, being unout anotber word. Alas !" said sister married, and, therefore, an object of Ann, “ I am afraid my husband's nature general pity, was as overrun with good is not strong enough to keep a clear things as ever the Egyptians with frogs, mind in these awful excitements. Since and so forth. Parris, too, was unusually tho execution of that poor Bishop he blessed in his basket and his store, and has been greatly exercised ; and what gave promise of blooming out into a adds to his disquietude is, that his brilliant case of apoplexy. Elder HigLest beloved pastor, Elder Noyse, has ginson alone had to depend chiefly on now fully entered into the work. home supplies. Until the trial, Master Noyse seemed More trudged on bomeward, sad and strangely heodless of the spiritual mys- sullen, recapitulating to himself, with teries among us; but then he awoke great contempt, the absurd arguments suddenly to an emulation of Elder Par- which had been advanced against his ris's zeal and urgency. On the Sunday petition during the day ; occusionally before Bishop's death he gave us a pow. wondering, in spite of his incredulity, erful discourse on the futo of Agag, and at the incomprehensible phenomena made application of it to those children which he had witnessed ; anon laughing of Satan who are supposed to be among outright at the recollection of some us. And since then he has publicly scene of absurd simplicity and terror. and privately warnod us against sor- He had already entered the forest, when cery, besides visiting the afficted, ques. ho heard footsteps behind him, and a tioning the accused, and exporting the familiar voice bidding him good-evening. magistrates to their work. I only hope It was the first time since Elder Noyse's that so much zeal is not wasted, and had rejection, a period of about a month, not better bo employed in pointing out that the two men had mot to engage in the path to heaven than in trying to conversation. The first words that the choke up the broad way to hell.” minister uttered showed, by their steady

“Sister Ann," said More, “you are intonation, how much he had regained the same sensible woman always. I his confidence. How could he help it, only wish that you would cast out this when the whole community was prosdevil of witchcraft altogether from your trate at the feet of himself and his orbelief. But I see that we shall agree der ? More, on the other hand, saluted in all that is important; that we shall him with extreme civility, for he was stand by each other in the end. Clear courteous, by habit, to women and the your husband's mind of these magical clergy; besides that, he wished to apo

66

logizo tacitly for the pain which he had what we consider, our sufferings are given tho ininister at their last inter- more apparent than real. For instance, view. The dialogue wbich followed is death, or the fear of it, is one of the of little consequence to our story, and, greatest torments of our existenco; is it perhaps, in itself uninteresting; yet, not? But if we could see the more after all

, it may be worth the expense perfect state into which death leads us, of a little time and paper, inasmuch as we should not regard it as terrible. it sketches More's philosophy of life, Pain, also, if we could distinctly perand shows the nature and degree of his ceive the mental and bodily benefits heterodoxy.

which arise from it, would not be conWith your good-will, sir," observed sidered so much a thing to be avoided. the minister, “I will hold you company Thus our sufferings consist more in a as far as your cottage. These are wea- misapprehension of our situation than rying times to the spirit, which, indeed, in any reality of anguish. At the same could never endure them were not the time, it is necessary that wo should fear members kept in health by vigorous both pain and death ; otherwise, man exercise."

would rush upon fate, and the race be * Very justly said, Elder Noyse," extinguished before it had fulfilled its responded More, quite pleased with this time.” approval of one of his own favorite * Master More," responded the older, maxiins. “I am much gratified to bear with an effort at severity,“ do you you advanco, and see you practice upon, know that you are doing away with such reasonable ideas of life. I have the idea of punishment for sin, and always said that many of our doctrinal thus, either denying the condenving errors and rancorous emotions arise justice of heaven, or cl-e, affirining from our dwelling in bodies weakened that man is not a supremely guilty beby vicious habits. Yes, reverend sir, ing? Do you not believe that man was the pains and sorrows of humanity, created, and for a time existed, sinless ? bodily and spiritual, are the conse- Do you not believe that he fell from quence, very often, of its own faults that pure state by his own uct, and and follies, its own imprudence, luxury, brought upon himself and his posterity and laziness. And look at the result, a just punishment ?'' sir: it detracts from the nobility of en- "I will tell you what I think of the dun.uce; it puts us on the footing of fall," answered the hunter. “You thecriminuls rather than of martyrs. It is ologians affirm, that the original state noble to endure agonies which como of Adam was one of moral perfection; upon us unjustly, but it is no honor at I affirm, that the obligatory state of all to bear the lash of our own misdeeds. Adam was one of moral perfection. I Yes, when we suffer because of our own only change the statement of tho probsins, then suffering becomes a crimo lem by that one word. Thus, I bemore than a misfortune."

lieve that his fall was not a fall from Two months before, the elder would any actual state of purity, but only have listened to all this in respectful from an idea of purity which God had silence, if not with uttered assent. But imprinted on his conscience. I do not he had grown bolder now; he felt in- believe that he lived a while in a state clined to play the master and teacher; of sinlessness; I believe that he fell he was willing to triumph a little over with his first action, and, perhaps, with this man who had so tortured him. his first desire. I further believe, that * Master More," said he, "you forget man will fulfill this idea of perfection that we always suffer in consequence of by steps to be taken, partly in this sin ; our natural, original sin. And the world, partly in that to come. One very fact, that we all go in anguish great step to this end was, the gradual through this vale of mortality, proves growth of civility and morality through how thoroughly and personally each ono the many centuries of pagan history. of us partook of the disobedience of Another greater step was the just ex. Adam."

ample and self-elected sacrifice of • Reverend sir,” replied More, "you Christ. Another great step to each must permit me to express some small one of us, and finally to the race, will doubts on that score. You say that be death. By this philosophy tho men are evidently great sinners because moral history of Adam is mado similar they suffer greatly. But I believe, that to the moral bistory of each of his sub