Author:
Hunter, Michael, 1949- author.
ImprintNew Haven : Yale University Press, [2020]
Descriptionxi, 243 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm
Note:Introduction: The Supernatural, Science and 'Atheism' -- John Wagstaffe, witchcraft and the nature of Restoration free-thought -- From the Deists to Francis Hutchinson -- The ambivalence of the early Royal Society -- The 'Drummer of Tedworth': conflicting interpretations and the problem of fraud -- The Enlightenment of magic: mid-century skepticism and its milieu -- Second sight in Scotland: Boyle's legacy and its transformation -- Conclusion: The 'Decline of Magic" reconsidered -- Appendix I. The 'Drummer of Tedworth': a note on sources -- Appendix II. Joshua Walker's Paper on Second Sight.
Note:A provocative account of the seismic shift in attitude toward the supernatural in seventeenth and eighteenth century Britain. Early modern Britain embraced many forms of the supernatural and took the absolute existence of a spiritual world for granted. Yet in the eighteenth century these certainties were swept away. In this ground-breaking account, Michael Hunter argues that the real pioneers in skepticism about magic were humanists and free-thinkers. However, their critical attitude toward religion meant that their views were often dismissed. Hunter reveals just how divided opinion remained and how magic was never properly tested in the Enlightenment.
