Final answer:
Thoreau indicates that men remain afraid of change that may disrupt their personal comfort, a theme rooted in the historical Puritan fear during the Salem witch trials and broader societal resistance to transformation and reform.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thoreau suggests that, despite the eradication of witchcraft and the introduction of Christianity and candles, men are generally still afraid of change that may cause personal inconvenience. This fear is exemplified by the historical context of the Puritan belief in witchcraft during the 17th century where mass hysteria led to the Salem witch trials. During this time, the Puritan community was deeply enmeshed in a culture of fear and uncertainty, often blaming witchcraft as the source of their problems rather than examining societal issues.
The fear of witches was deeply tied to the fear of women and the potential for their advancement to challenge male comfort and societal norms. Indeed, the cessation of the witch trials coincided with pressures from the educated elite and logical arguments against spectral evidence. Thoreau's observation points to a deeper, lingering fear of transformation in society, which transcends the concrete fears of the supernatural and touches on the resistance to social and cultural reform.