Le streghe

In this lively mid‑nineteenth‑century pamphlet, the author revisits the once‑feared world of witches at a moment when Europe believed it had left superstition behind. Through witty commentary and a catalogue of recent occult publications, he shows how old fears are being revived alongside new scientific curiosities. The text frames the resurgence as both a social alarm and a fascination for a public eager for mystery.

Addressed directly to the “gentle ladies” who once read his earlier works, the narrator urges them to become moral arbiters of this renewed magic. He blends references to historic figures like Mesmer and Cagliostro with the latest inventions—electric devices and talking tables—suggesting that true power lies in guiding enchantment toward kindness and civic duty. The tone is part counsel, part challenge, inviting readers to balance curiosity with responsibility.