n Mather
was in advance of his times, in liberality of views, relating to
denominational matters. He desired to open the door to the Ordinances,
particularly Baptism, wider than was the prevalent practice. He urges
his sentiments upon Richards in earnest and fitting tones; but resorts,
also, to flattering, and what may be called coaxing, tones. He calls
him, "My ever-honored Richards," "Dearest Sir," "my dear Major," and
reminds him of the public and constant support he had given to his
official conduct: "I have signalized my perpetual respects before the
whole world." In this letter, he refers to the Salem witchcraft
prosecutions, and pronounces unqualified approval and high encomiums
upon Richards's share in the proceedings, as one of the Judges. "God has
made more than an ordinary use of your honorable hand," in "the
extinguishing" of "that horrible witchcraft," into which "the Devils
have been baptizing so many of our miserable neighbors." This language
is hardly consistent with a serious, substantial, considerable, or
indeed with any, disapprobation of the proceedings of the Court.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] _Transactions of the Literary and Historical Society of
Quebec_--Octavo, Quebec, 1831--ii., 313-316.

XI.

LETTER TO STEPHEN SEWALL. "WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD." ITS ORIGIN
AND DESIGN. COTTON MATHER'S ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS.

I come now to the examination of matters of interest and importance, not
only as illustrating the part acted by Mather in the witchcraft affair,
but as bearing upon the public history of the Province of Massachusetts
Bay, at that time.

The reader is requested carefully to examine the following letter,
addressed by Cotton Mather to Stephen Sewall, Clerk of the Court at
Salem.

"BOSTON, Sept. 20, 1692.

"MY DEAR AND MY VERY OBLIGING STEPHEN,

"It is my hap, to bee continually * * * with all sorts of
objections, and objectors against the * * * work now doing at Salem,
and it is my further good hap, to do some little Service for God and
you, in my encounters.

"But, that I may be the more capable to assist, in lifting up a
standard against the infernal enemy, I must renew my most
IMPORTUNATE REQUEST, that would please quickly to perform, what you
kindly promised, of giving me a narrative of the evidence given in
at the trials of half a dozen, or if you please, a dozen, of the
principal