INTRODUCTION

The present work may be regarded as a companion volume to, or even a second volume of, my History of Witchcraft and Demonology. In that book, I spoke of general principles; here, I provide particulars. It is obvious that a choice must be made when treating a subject as wide as the world, and it is unreasonable to criticize me for failing to cover China, Peru, Morocco, or Senegambia.

The Introduction to the previous volume clearly indicates the perspective from which I approach witchcraft—an attitude that is undoubtedly open to criticism, as indeed all points of view are. For practical reasons, compiling an encyclopedia is not currently possible; to do anything less, however, is to expose the joints of one's armor to every man who wishes to shoot an arrow at a venture.An idiom meaning to strike or attack without specific aim.

On the Feast of our Holy Father, John of the Cross, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, 1926.