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THE
Postscript.
THis Letter lying by me some time before I thought it opportune to convey it, and in the mean while meeting more than once with those that seemed to have some Opinion of Mr. Webster's Criticisms and Interpretations of Scripture, as if he had quitted himself so well there, that no Proof thence can hereafter be expected of the Being of a Witch, which is the scope that he earnestly aims at; and I reflecting upon that Passage in my Letter, which does not stick to condemn Webster's whole Book for a weak and impertinent piece, presently thought fit, (that you might not think that Censure over-rash or unjust) it being an endless task to shew all the weakness and impertinencies of his Discourse, briefly by way of Postscript, to hint the weakness and impertinency of this part which is counted the Master-piece of the Work, that thereby you may perceive that my Judgment has not been at all rash touching the whole.
And in order to this, we are first to take notice what is the real scope of his Book; which if you peruse, you shall certainly find to be this: That the Parties ordinarily deemed Witches and Wizzards, are only Knaves and Queans, to use his Phrase, and arrant Cheats, or deep Melancholists; but have no more to do with any Evil Spirit or Devil, or the Devil with them, than he has with other Sinners or wicked Men, or they with the Devil. And Secondly, we are impartially to define what is the true Notion of a Witch or Wizzard, which is necessary for the detecting of Webster's Impertinencies.
As for the Words Witch and Wizzard, from the Notation of them, they signifie no more than a wise Man, or a wise Woman, In the Word Wizzard, it is plain at the very first sight. And I think the most plain and least operose deduction of the name Witch, is from Wit, whose derived Adjective might be Wittigh or Wittich, and by contraction afterwards Witch; as the Noun Wit is from the Verb to weetwhich
