Eighteenth Century Waifs

"Eighteenth Century Waifs" by John Ashton is a compilation of historical writings from the late 1800s that examines different aspects of 18th-century life and its personalities. The book includes stories, many never before published, from a time long ago. It jumps right into things with an opening chapter about religious obsession, focusing on Roderick, a persuasive but flawed man on the far-off island of St. Kilda. The story shows how Roderick used religion to control the islanders, pushing them to do strange things that turned their society upside down. Ashton describes the isolated, superstitious world of the St. Kildans as they struggle with their faith in this misleading man, setting the tone for a wider look at social changes and old-time stories in the book.