Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches
Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches is a book composed by the American folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland that was published in 1899. It contains what he believed was the religious text of a group of pagan witches in Tuscany, Italy that documented their beliefs and rituals. Historians and folklorists have disputed the existence of such a group. During the 20th century, the book was influential in the development of the contemporary Pagan religion of Wicca.
Title page of the original 1899 edition
"Maddalena" as a young fortune-teller
François Boucher's Diana Leaving Her Bath. The goddess is wearing a crescent moon crown.
Charles Godfrey Leland wrote journalism, comedy and books on folklore and linguistics. Aradia has proved his most well-known and controversial work.
Charles Godfrey Leland was an American humorist and folklorist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at Princeton University and in Europe.
Charles Godfrey Leland
Title page of the original edition of Aradia.