Matthew Arnold and the Lowestoft ‘Witches'

Abstract

Explores the significance of Arnold’s allusion to the 1662 Lowestoft witch trials in “A Psychological Parallel.” Reviews the history of the trial and of the Arnold family’s connection to the area. Explains why Arnold chose to highlight the contributions of Sir Matthew Hale at the trial. Concludes that Arnold had a superficial knowledge of events and tended to embellish the truth for purposes of his own argument.