If you browse the catalog of the American publisher Dover, known for reissuing out-of-print and unusual books, you’ll find new editions of some unique texts on witches, vampires, and werewolves.
These thoroughly documented studies on monsters were written by a rather strange figure—someone who could also be described as a wolf in sheep’s clothing: Montague Summers.
Born in England, he even took vows to become an Anglican pastor. But he was accused of pedophilia, so he resigned and converted to Catholicism.
Although he could easily be mistaken for a Catholic priest, the Church never recognized him as one. The thing is, Summers was ordained in 1909 by Bishop Ulric Vernon Herford, who had been removed from the Church more than 40 years earlier for not following Roman doctrine.
So Summers dressed like a priest and called himself a reverend, but it seems he wasn’t really one. Meanwhile, he devoted most of his life to studying and writing about witches and the occult.
It’s said he had dealings with Aleister Crowley (also known as The Great Beast), and that the admiration between them was mutual.
Summers, whose sexuality was often questioned, has been accused of taking part in diabolical rites. One of the main reasons for his fame is that he produced the first English translation of the Malleus Maleficarum, the misogynistic manual on witchcraft that became a go-to book for inquisitors during a witch hunt that lasted 300 years and led to countless deaths in the Middle Ages, especially of women.
Even though some circles still admire Summers’ “immense erudition,” it’s worth keeping in mind that his books do little more than reinforce belief in superstitions that, for centuries, have caused far more ignorance and suffering than any real benefit or meaningful idea.
-- This article was originally published in Spanish on my blog.