Author Description

Sabine Baring-Goulds excellent folkloric and historical treatment "Curiosities of Olden Times" is a look at numerous strange lore; animals being punished legally, saints which were insane, alchemy, and even divination using the bible (Sortes Sacrae.) It even contains an extremely amusing section on the efforts of a Dominican Priest to suppress the drinking of chocolate in church in Central America... with rather disastrous results. It is effectively a very good bric-a-brac dwelling simply on strange history and knowledge, and attendant figures, over the course of centuries. Fully illustrated.