SCOTT, Walter. Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, addressed to J.G. Lockhart, Esq. London, John Murray, 1830.
12mo. Modern period-style half calf over 19th-century marbled boards, red morocco lettering-pice to spine; pp. [2], ix, 402, with frontispiece engraved by Lizars after J. Skene; bound without half-title; a very good copy, light marginal toning to beginning and end, otherwise internally very clean and fresh, engraved armorial bookplate inside front cover
First edition, first issue. The second issue of this work is sometimes extra-illustrated with a suite of plates by Cruikshank, which were issued separately in 1830 (reissued 1834), and are here not present. This is an important study of witchcraft and the supernatural by Sir Walter Scott, a lifelong student of folklore. In a series of informal letters, he surveys opinions respecting demonology and witchcraft from the Old Testament period to his own present day. This is one of Walter Scott's final works, in the form of letters to his friend, later son-in-law and biographer J. G. Lockhart about witchcraft and trials, demonology, fairies and elves, astrology, ghosts, and magicians. H. P. Lovecraft described the work once as one of the best compendiums on European witchcraft.
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