Many years ago, was on the 64 tram and reading Religion and the Decline of Magic by Keith Thomas. An elderly gent in full hasidic dress opposite me leaned forward and told me I was going to Hell for reading such a book.
It’s actually about the counter-reformation and the decline of the witch cult (as imagined at the time).
I’m not sure elderly gent actually knew that - but must have seen the picture on the front with an alchemist’s laboratory as imagined by a 17th century artist. Lots of alembics and stuffed crocodiles and mystik diagrams on the floor and nekkid wimmen holding said alembics. All very symbolic. Gave him a death stare but didn’t say anything.
Many years ago, was on the 64 tram and reading Religion and the Decline of Magic by Keith Thomas. An elderly gent in full hasidic dress opposite me leaned forward and told me I was going to Hell for reading such a book.
It’s actually about the counter-reformation and the decline of the witch cult (as imagined at the time).
I’m not sure elderly gent actually knew that - but must have seen the picture on the front with an alchemist’s laboratory as imagined by a 17th century artist. Lots of alembics and stuffed crocodiles and mystik diagrams on the floor and nekkid wimmen holding said alembics. All very symbolic. Gave him a death stare but didn’t say anything.