Magic

1886 · ref. 34453 — London: George Redway 1886. Very Rare First Edition. Illustrated within the text with various symbols relating to magic and the genre. 8vo bound in early half-calf over marbled paper covered boards. xliii 1 349 1 pp. A rare survival the text-block quite clean and very well preserved the binding with evidence of use and age with rubbing to the extremities. VERY RARE AND THE TRUE FIRST EDITION VERY SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN COMMERCE. Perhaps the first truly significant publication of Lévi's work in the English language. R. A. Gilbert tells that Waite was fascinated by the quotes from Lévi that he read in Blavatsky's "Isis Unveiled" 1877 and that Waite promptly acquired a copy of Lévi's major work "Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie" which he began translating into English. In 1885 Waite suggested to the prominent Theosophist A. P. Sinnett that an anthology of Lévi's writings based on these translations would make a good book. Sinnett evidently agreed and recommended him to the publisher George Redway who took on the project thus beginning what would turn out to be a lengthy collaboration with Waite. In addition to translating and editing Lévi's essays Waite contributed a Biographical and Critical Essay. Gilbert B1. Weiser In the preface to The History of Magic Waite enumerates what he believed to be the nine key tenets of magic as codified in Levi's earlier work Doctrine and Ritual of Transcendental Magic. They are: 1 There is a potent and real Magic popular exaggerations of which are actually below the truth. 2 There is a formidable secret which constitutes the fatal science of good and evil. 3 It confers on many powers apparently super-human. 4 It is the traditional science of the secrets of Nature which has been transmitted to us from the Magi. 5 Initiation therein gives empire over souls to the sage and full capacity for ruling human wills. 6. Arising apparently from this science there is one infallible indefectible and truly catholic religion which has always existed in the world but it is unadapted for the multitude. 7 For this reason there has come into being the exoteric religion of apologue parable fable and wonder-stories which is all that is possible for the profane : it has undergone various transformations and it is represented at this day by Latin Christianity under the obedience of Rome. 8 Its veils are valid in their symbolism and it may be called valid for the crowd but the doctrine of initiates is tantamount to a negation of any literal truth therein. 9 It is Magic alone which imparts true science. Levi The three chief components of Levi's magical thesis were: Astral Light the Will and the Imagination. "Eliphas Lévi" the name under which he published his books was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew .In 1854 Lévi visited England where he met the novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton who was interested in Rosicrucianism as a literary theme and was the president of a minor Rosicrucian order. With Bulwer-Lytton Lévi conceived the notion of writing a treatise on magic. This appeared in 1855 under the title Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie and was translated into English by Arthur Edward Waite as Transcendental Magic its Doctrine and Ritual . Its famous opening lines present the single essential theme of Occultism and gives some of the flavor of its atmosp:Lévi's version of magic became a great success especially after his death. That Spiritualism was popular on both sides of the Atlantic from the 1850s contributed to this success. His magical teachings were free from obvious fanaticisms even if they remained rather murky; he had nothing to sell and did not pretend to be the inititate of some ancient or fictitious secret society . He incorporated the Tarot cards into his magical system and as a result the Tarot has been an important part of the paraphernalia of Western magicians. He had a deep impact on the magic of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later on the ex-Golden Dawn member Aleister Crowley . It was largely through the occultists inspired by him that Lévi is remembered as one of the key founders of the twentieth century revival of magic." wiki Arthur Edward Waite was a scholarly mystic who wrote extensively on occult and esoteric matters and was the co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. As his biographer R.A. Gilbert described him "Waite's name has survived because he was the first to attempt a systematic study of the history of western occultism — viewed as a spiritual tradition rather than as aspects of proto-science or as the pathology of religion." Waite was a prolific author with many of his works being well received in academic circles. He wrote occult texts on subjects including divination esotericism Rosicrucianism Freemasonry black and ceremonial magic Kabbalism and alchemy ; he also translated and reissued several important mystical and alchemical works. His works on the Holy Grail influenced by his friendship with Arthur Machen were particularly notable. wiki George Redway hardcover