Thirdly, Professor W. T. Gairdner, M.D. and LL.D., thus speaks, in his address on “Insanity: Modern Views as to its Nature and Treatment”, read before the Glasgow Medico-Chirurgical Society: “But I cannot leave it [witchcraft] ... without expressing, more strongly than even Mr. Lecky does, the unqualified admiration and surprise which arise in the mind on finding that in 1584 ... there was at least one man in England ... who could scan the whole field of demonology, and all its terrible results in history, with an eye as clear from superstition, and a judgment as sound and unwavering in its opposition to abuses, as that of Mr. Lecky himself. There is only one book, so far as I know, in any language, written in the sixteenth or even the seventeenth century, that merits this praise: and it is a book which, notwithstanding its wide human interest, its great and solid learning, and a charming English style that makes it most readable, even at the present day, has never been reprinted for two hundred years, and is therefore extremely inaccessible to most readers. Reginald Scot’s _Discoverie of Witchcraft_ ... stands brightly out amid the darkness of its own and the succeeding age, as a perfectly unique example of sagacity amounting to genius.” He adds: “Nothing, however, is more evident than that Scot, however indebted to Wier (and both of them, probably, to Cornelius Agrippa ...), was far in advance of either in the clearness of his views and the unwavering steadiness of his leanings to the side of humanity and justice.” ———————————— NOTE.—_The italic numerals in the side margins denote the pages of the first, the ordinary numbers those of the second edition._ The diſcouerie of witchcraft, Wherein the lewde dealing of witches _and witchmongers is notablie detected, the_ knauerie of coniurors, the impietie of inchan- _tors, the follie of ſoothſaiers, the impudent falſ_- hood of couſenors, the infidelitie of atheiſts, _the peſtilent practiſes of Pythoniſts, the_ curioſitie of figurecaſters, the va- _nitie of dreamers, the begger_- lie art of Alcu- myſtrie, The abhomination of idolatrie, the hor- _rible art of poiſoning, the vertue and power of_ naturall magike, and all the conueiances _of Legierdemaine and iuggling are deciphered:_ and many other things opened, which _haue long lien hidden, howbeit_ verie neceſſarie to be knowne.