Project Gutenberg 2015-06-06 Public domain in the USA. 284 Thacher, James 1754 1844 11006868 An Essay on Demonology, Ghosts and Apparitions, and Popular Superstitions Also, an Account of the Witchcraft Delusion at Salem, in 1692 Ghosts and apparitions -- Power of imagination -- Illusions -- Imagination and fear -- Superstition -- Witchcraft and sorcery -- Salem witchcraft -- Omens and auguries -- Medical quackery. Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) "An Essay on Demonology, Ghosts and Apparitions, and Popular Superstitions" by James Thacher is a historical treatise written in the early 19th century. This work explores the beliefs surrounding demons, ghosts, witchcraft, and superstitions that have plagued humanity through various ages. Thacher aims to dissect the psychological and societal implications of these phenomena while examining their roots in human imagination and superstition. The opening of the essay outlines the nature of the human mind and its susceptibility to superstition, emphasizing how erroneous beliefs can lead to dire consequences, including violence and persecution. Thacher introduces the concept that apparitions and supernatural experiences can often be explained through natural causes, like the functioning of the nervous system and the power of imagination. He presents various anecdotes and insights to illustrate how perceptions can be distorted by emotional and psychological states, setting the stage for a thorough analysis of the interplay between belief, fear, and rational thought regarding supernatural occurrences. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 60.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Superstition Witchcraft Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem BF Text Category: History - Other Category: Archaeology & Anthropology Category: Psychiatry/Psychology Category: Philosophy & Ethics 332674 2025-08-19T15:26:00.833414 text/html 314533 2024-10-24T17:31:52 text/html 202282 2025-08-19T15:26:05.251366 application/epub+zip 201618 2025-08-19T15:26:01.609411 application/epub+zip 201618 2025-08-19T15:26:01.213384 application/epub+zip 291347 2025-08-19T15:26:08.078380 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 252998 2025-08-19T15:26:04.806392 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 253274 2022-09-22T09:38:24.803569 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 294749 2025-08-19T15:26:00.471441 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 274734 2024-10-24T17:31:51 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17555 2025-08-19T15:26:08.401346 application/rdf+xml 13699 2025-08-19T15:26:01.295391 image/jpeg 2701 2025-08-19T15:26:01.256389 image/jpeg 177733 2025-08-19T15:26:00.863393 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia