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The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad

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Gutenberg ID
26282
Title
The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad
Language
en
Book source
Project Gutenberg
Description max 80 words
Set in 17th-century New England, this historical novel explores the terrifying Salem witch trials through the eyes of Charles Stevens and Cora Waters. Blending fact with fiction, the story exposes the hypocrisy of Reverend Parris and the destructive power of superstition, offering a cautionary tale against credulity run mad.
Summary up to 500 words
Published in 1893 as part of the Columbian Historical Novels series, John R. Musick's 'The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad' chronicles twenty years of American history from 1680 to 1700. The narrative centers on Charles Stevens, a man of reason, and Cora Waters, the daughter of an indentured servant, who navigate a society consumed by fear and religious fanaticism. The text details the political turmoil following the death of Charles II and the accession of the bigoted James II, which led to the persecution of Monmouth's rebels and the transportation of convicts to the colonies. Musick paints a vivid picture of the Salem village in 1684, where hunters mistake a wounded traveler for a witch and where the community's superstition reaches a fever pitch. The novel serves as a serious study of Samuel Parris, depicting him as a hypocritical figure whose ambition and bigotry fueled the tragedy. Through the fates of characters like Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Daston, the book illustrates how the abandonment of common sense and the embrace of mystical notions led to atrocities comparable to Vesuvius destroying Pompeii. As the story progresses, the delusion eventually collapses, leading to the acquittal of many accused and the eventual reprieve of the imprisoned. Musick concludes that the tragedy was a result of a people who overleaped the boundaries of human knowledge, leaving a legacy of warning against separating belief from reason.
LLM editorial rating
4.2/5
Download URL
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26282.epub.noimages
Local file path
data/epubs/pg26282.epub
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People

Authors

  • John R. Musick
Classification

Categories

  • History
  • Fiction
  • Horror