Mather, Cotton. The Wonders of the Invisible World. Being an account of the tryals of several witches... London: 1693

MATHER, COTTON

THE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF SEVERAL WITCHES LATELY EXECUTED IN NEW-ENGLAND. PRINTED FIRST, AT BOSTON IN NEW-ENGLAND, AND REPRINTED IN LONDON: JOHN DUNMOW, 1693

4to (8 x 5 7/8 in.; 202 x 148 mm). Half-title, advertisements at end; marginal repair to half-title, a few stray spots or stains, 112 pages irregularly paginated, marginal tear to I3, closed marginal tear to M. Contemporary blind-panelled calf; recased with spine renewed. In red half morocco clamshell case. 

The first and only complete London edition

One of the rarest and most important of Mather’s works, The Wonders of the Invisible World exhibits the delusion that affected colonial New England. Mather, from a notable Boston family, entered Harvard College at twelve, and graduated three years later. At the time of the Salem trials in 1692, Mather was regarded as one of the most respected divines in New England.

Mather authored more than 400 books and tracts during his life, and had an enormous impact on American thought at the turn of the eighteenth century. The Wonders of the Invisible World has remained one of his best-known works. Written in the summer of 1692, while the trials were still being held, Mather's text offers descriptions of the individual cases, and the events surrounding them. Over one hundred suspected witches were arrested, and nineteen hanged before the hunt lost momentum in the autumn of 1692. Increase Mather—Cotton's father—led the charge against the prosecutors.   

Very rare

LITERATURE:

Holmes 454c; Sabin 46604; JCB/Landis M693/116; Wing M1175