Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft - Scott, Walter
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Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft Addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq. (1830) was a study of witchcraft and the supernatural by Sir Walter Scott. A lifelong student of folklore, Scott was able to draw on a wide-ranging collection of primary and secondary sources. His book found many readers throughout the 19th century, and exercised a significant influence in promoting the Victorian vogue for Gothic and ghostly fiction. Though on first publication it met with mixed reviews, it is now recognised as a pioneering work of scientific anthropology, treating of its subject in an acute and analytical…mehr

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Produktbeschreibung
Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft Addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq. (1830) was a study of witchcraft and the supernatural by Sir Walter Scott. A lifelong student of folklore, Scott was able to draw on a wide-ranging collection of primary and secondary sources. His book found many readers throughout the 19th century, and exercised a significant influence in promoting the Victorian vogue for Gothic and ghostly fiction. Though on first publication it met with mixed reviews, it is now recognised as a pioneering work of scientific anthropology, treating of its subject in an acute and analytical way which prefigures later scholarship on the subject, as well as presenting a highly readable collection of supernatural anecdotes. The book is divided into ten parts, each taking the form of a letter from the author to his son-in-law, J. G. Lockhart. This format allows Scott to write in an informal, discursive manner, enhancing the book's readability. He presents a wide survey of attitudes to demonology and witchcraft from Biblical times up to the 19th century, illustrating it with a large number of anecdotes of individual cases. He considers also the topics of ghosts, fairies, brownies, elves, second sight, and the mythologies of the various Germanic peoples. Belief in these phenomena is presented as the result of ignorance and prejudice, which was eventually dispersed by the rise of rationalist philosophy in the 18th century. Witchcraft prosecutions were, he points out, often directed against heretics and political undesirables. Throughout he treats his subjects in the analytical, rationalist manner to be expected of an heir of the Scottish Enlightenment. (wikipedia.org)
Autorenporträt
Sir Walter Scott, born on August 15, 1771, in Edinburgh, Scotland, was a seminal figure in the Romantic literature movement and is renowned for his contributions as a novelist, poet, and historian. His notable works include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and Waverley, which are celebrated for their vivid depictions of Scottish and European history. Scott's literary career began with translations and led to a revolution in historical writing that blended historical fact with fiction, greatly influencing both European and American literature.Educated as a lawyer, Scott's legal career intertwined with his writing; he served as a Clerk of Session and Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire, integrating his deep knowledge of Scottish culture and legal insights into his writing. He was also an active member of various scholarly societies in Edinburgh, contributing to his stature as a leading intellectual figure in Scottish society. His works not only entertain but provide insightful commentary on the social issues of his time, including the challenges of the Scottish Highlands and the preservation of Scottish cultural heritage.Scott's personal life was marked by a profound love for his homeland, which is evident in the detailed and affectionate portrayal of the Scottish landscape and traditions in his works. He married Charlotte Carpenter and had several children. Scott's literary legacy endures, with his innovations in the historical novel genre laying the groundwork for future writers and continuing to captivate readers around the world.