SCHOLOMANCE

De Betoverde Wereld (The Enchanted/Bewitched World) Signed by the author. Presented in exquisite green leather clamshell box gilded in gold, trimmed in marbled paper, the book is raised from it's nest by ribbons. All four books bound in one volume in the original plain vellum with later endpapers and spine possibly replaced near period (also vellum); Incorrect pagination at the beginning (introduction to Book IV follows the title page and Book I after 24 pages of summary), but nevertheless complete. There is a full page woodcut of a medieval drinking horn. It measures about 8 x 6 1/2 inches, and is 3 inches thick at the spine and almost 4 inches thick at the ends. Frontispiece portrait of Bekker replaced with a LARGE loosely inserted folding copper engraved portrait from 1698. Archival tape repair to a single page. The front board is somewhat bowed, but the book block is still firm and fully intact.

This is the Dutch classic against witchcraft and devils by Balthasar Bekker.  Bekker was a Dutch minister and author of philosophical and theological works. Opposing superstition, he was a key figure in the end of the witchcraft persecutions in early modern Europe.

An enthusiastic disciple of Descartes, he wrote several works in philosophy and theology, which by their freedom of thought aroused considerable hostility. This is his best known work, The World Bewitched (1691), in which he examined critically the phenomena generally ascribed to spiritual agency. He attacked the belief in "possession" by the devil. Indeed he questioned the devil's very existence. The book had a sensational effect and was one of the key works of the Early Enlightenment in Europe. It was almost certainly the most controversial. Bekker became a heroic figure defying an army of obscurantists.

The publication of De Betoverde Weereld in 1691 led to Bekker's deposition from the ministry. The orthodox among Dutch theologians saw his views as placing him among notorious atheists: Thomas Hobbes, Adriaan Koerbagh, Lodewijk Meyer and Baruch Spinoza. Eric Walten came to his defense, attacking his opponents in extreme terms. Bekker was tried for blasphemy, maligning the public Church, and spreading atheistic ideas about Scripture. Some towns banned the book, but Amsterdam and the States of Holland never did.

With contributions by Robert Fitzgerald (author of A Gathering of Masks), Andrew D. Chumbley, and other members and associates of Cultus Sabbati. 

Limited DeLuxe Edition of 171 numbered copies. In custom slipcase, and bound in morocco and boards, hand-numbered. A VERY FINE COPY. This volume printed letterpress as fine private press works often have been, but rarely are now. Beautifully illustrated with traditional red & black plates. Bound and printed to represent the high standard expected from Xoanon with unusual gilt snake design embossing on board. Tall octavo. 

The Psalter of Cain consists of a series of devotional magical works to Cain, holy ancestor of sorcerers. Its magical foci are dedicated specifically to the Ancestral Manes of the Sabbatic Current, the shade-mothers and fathers of the Companie of the Wise.

Historically, the figure of Biblical Cain is known from the context of Italian witchcraft and Romany magic, as well as esoteric orders of Freemasonry and the Society of the Horseman’s Word. However, it is from the British witchcraft-lineages of the Cultus Sabbati that Cain has come to modern occult prominence as the especial patron of the Witch’s Art, the embodiment of Exile and Opposition explicit within the Elder Craft.  In its rarefied embodiment of Crooked Path Sorcery – the ever-deviating path of Bane and Blessing, the power of Cain arises from his mythic forms of Transgressor-against-God, First Murderer, Wandering Exile, and First Tamer of the Horse, among others. These Cainite arcana received their highest ritual and literary expression in Andrew D. Chumbley’s Dragon-Book of Essex. 

John Murray, London. First edition, small 8vo. ix + 402 pages.  Rebound in black leather circa 1880, with gold gilding by Riviere and Son. Corners sharp, leather shows little to no signs of wear to boards, extremities, spine, gilding still in tact and shiny, binding tight, pages crisp and very clean, truly exceptional condition. This is not a particularly rare book as far antiquarian books are concerned, but a first edition in fine binding in this condition, bound by a famous master binder, is a rare gem indeed.

Addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq, a Scott's collection of essays on the witch-craze, demonology, and other occult subjects.

Published by H.G. Bohn. 560 pages. Cloth faded and worn around the extremities, mild fraying at spine ends, mild soiling on cover boards, corners are bumped, covers and spine are all solid with no loose pages, binding firm.

Romance and Superstition of Various Countries. Contents : Origin and Belief in Fairies/ Origin of Word Fairy/Oriental Fairies/Fairy-Land/Spensers Fairy Queen/Scandinavia Fairies/Elves/Trolls/Northern Islands/Germany/Switzerland/Great Britain/Scottish Lowland Fairies/Celts & Cymry/Scottish Highland Fairies/Isle of Man/Wales/Brittany Fairies/Southern & Eastern Europe Fairy Tales/African Fairy Tales.

New York. GP Putnam's Sons. Black hardcover with blind stamped witches wheel to front cover. Does not include dust jacket. There are several small bumps to outer cover and slightly worn bumped corners . Interior is crisp and clean with no markings save a blacked out owners name on front blank page.

A Practical Guide For Witches,Warlocks & Covens. A guide that reveals the rites, signs, omens and step-by-step secrets of the art of witchcraft. Included is information about powers and their attainment, casting spells, initiation rituals and recipes. A guide that illustrates the rites, signs, omens and a step-by-step system of witchcraft. Included is information about powers and their attainment, casting spells, initiation rituals and recipes.

First Edition. Ward and Downey. Quarter Leather, Bound by Root & Son Bindery Co;  illustrated, 363 Pages.  8.9"x 5.7".    Eye catching marble covers with leather corners and binding, pin-striped gold borders and gold floral binding, gold tops to pages, marbled end pages. Some light wear to edges, boards rubbed lightly front and back, very mild spotting/blemishing to first and last pages with a few others as well, several pages still un-cut from when first printed, hinges and text block are very good.

The author believes that all modern English books on the devil and his works are the same; they tell the same tales, are not illustrated and give the same cases of witchcraft. In this book, he has localized his facts and has provided 47 illustrations. Ashton gives a succinct account of demonology and witchcraft in England and America by using authorities not usually given and by a thorough research of ancient cases, using original sources. This volume brings to light many cases never before published. Also included is a curious frontispiece of the "Only Known Specimen of the Devil's Writing".  An appendix contains a list of books consulted in this work.

London: T.C. Newby. First Editions. Approx size: 5 x 8 inches (13 x 20 cm) 8vo. Quarter leather over blue/gold marbled boards.  The marbled boards really are exquisite, the pattern is perfection, and remains vivid and unscarred. Spine has five raised bands, gold gilding, red title labels. Vol 1 has moderate rubbing to leather, corners worn, but hinges are completely sound with no cracking. Marbled endpapers with no splits. Very solid binding with no loose pages. Very light stain on bottom of the title page of Vol 1, otherwise immaculate text block throughout - no inscriptions, stamps or stickers - pages show little if any signs of age. Vol 2 is rough on the edges of the leather, spine with heavy wear on upper front hinge and slight cracking. Cords are slightly visible, but boards are still holding very strong, with no danger of detaching. There is a scrape in the leather about 2 inches long x .25" wide, on the front cover. Brown volume number label under the title is missing on Vol 2. A very rare first edition indeed, and a strikingly beautiful set.

Contents: Dweller in the Temple; Waking and Sleeping, and How the Dweller in the Temple Sometimes Looks Abroad; Allegorical dreams, Presentiment, etc.; Warnings; Double dreaming and Trance; Wraiths; Dopplegangers or Doubles; Apparitions; Future that Awaits Us; Power of Will; Troubled Spirits; Haunted Houses; spectral lights and Apparitions attached to certain families; apparitions seeking the prayers of the living; the Poltergeist of the Germans and Possession; miscellaneous phenomena.

London : printed for William Shrowsbury at the Bible in Duke-Lane, and John Leigh at Stationers-Hall. 2nd Edition - Two Parts bound together in One Volume. "The great audit" has separate divisional title page; register and pagination are continuous. Part Two has separate title page and pagination. --- Bound in Original calf leather with "Cambridge style" gilt designs on both covers. Covers worn and shipped around edges, rubbed heavily with loss of leather on corners and edges. Leaves are clean and crisp. - 8vo [16], 360; [8], 308 pages. The Rare Portrait Frontispiece of Matthew Hale is bound preceeding the Part One title page.

Two Choice and Useful Treatises: the One Lux Orientalis; or an Enquiry Into the Opinion of the Eastern Sages Concerning the Præexistence of Souls. Being a Key to Unlock the Grand Mysteries of Providence. In Relation to Mans Sin and Misery. the Other, a Discourse of Truth, by the Late Reverend Dr. Rust Lord Bishop of Dromore in Ireland. with Annotations on Them Both.

Several Treatises comprised within the First Part are: "Of the Consideration of our Latter End"; "Of Wisdom and the Fear of God"; "Of the Knowledge of Christ Crucified"; "The Victory of Faith over the World"; "Of Humility"; "Jacob's Vow"; "Of Contentation"; "Of Afflictions"; "A good Method to entertain unstable and troublesome times"; "Changes and Troubles: A Poem"; "Of the Redemption of Time"; "The great Audit"; "Directions touching the Keeping of the Lord's Day, in a Letter to his Children"; "Poems upon Christmas Day".

Several Treatises comprised within the Second Part are: "An Inquiry touching Happiness"; "Of the chief End of Man"; "Upon Eccles. XII.1.Remember thy Creator, &c. " ; "Upon Psalm LI.10.Cor mundum crea, &c. "; "A Poem"; "The Folly and Mischief of Sin"; "Of Self-Denial (not finished) "; "Motives to Watchfulness, in reference to the Good and Evil Angels"; "Of Moderation of the Affections"; "Of Worldly Hope and Expectation"; "Upon Heb. XIII.14. We have here no continuing City"; " Of Contentedness and Patience"; "Of Moderation of Anger"; "A Preparative against Afflictions"; "Of Submission, Prayer, and Thanksgiving"; "Of Prayer and Thanksgiving, on Psalm CXVI.12."; "Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer"; "A Paraphrase upon the Lord's Prayer".

William Rider & Son, Limited, London, Maroon cloth. upper board decorated with with gilt panels. gilt titles to upper board and spine. xxxiii,522pp. 2pp ads at rear. illustrated. The 1st printing of Waite's greatly enlarged, annotated, edition of his 1896 translation. Bumped at head and tail of spine. Spine sun faded with light soiling in the bottom half, covers also faded, but to a far lesser degree than the spine. Very occasional light foxing to the pages. Corners are not blunted at all and remain unusually sharp, cover gilt is clean.

The extensively revised edition of Waite's translation of Levi's Transcendental Magic. "Waite states in the preface 'An annotated translation exceeded the scope of my original undertaking in 1896, but is offered in the present edition'. The annotations are extensive, for Waite had worked on them sporadically for seven years". Includes all original engravings and a portrait of the Author.

Printed by Abrahami Commelini et Davidis Lopez de Haro, Lugduni Batavorum. Volume bound in contemporary full vellum; moderate cover wear with some staining along top edges, old paper spine label, hinges starting, front endpaper lacking, a few ink marks to title page, scattered light marginal damp staining, mild toning, some old manuscript annotations to rear endpaper and inside of back cover, generally clean internally. Text in Latin. Volume numbers 359 pages [i.e., 358] with additional engraved title page and preliminaries. Small, measures approx 5.5" tall x 3.25" wide x 1" thick.

Author was a famous German magician and alchemist who wielded considerable influence through his writings. The present treatise is one of his principle works, in which he denounces some positions articulated in his previous manuscript which later morphed into his other major work, "De occulta philosophia". Both works were highly influential throughout Renaissance and Elizabethan Europe.

Agrippa deals succinctly here with all forms of science then practiced, extending to astrology, magic, alchemy, the Kabbalah and other occult practices. This is a particularly scarce early edition.

Agrippa's two major works, 'De occulta philosophia'...and 'De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarum et artium (Eng tr 'Of the Vanitie and Uncertaintie of Artes and Sciences'), were known throughout Europe and were drawn upon by many Elizabethan writers. These two works may appear to contradict one another. But the magical Hermetic-Cabalistic-Neoplatonic syncretism of the former and the loosely skeptical fideism of the latter are both based upon an Hermetic doctrine of regeneration and deification which Agrippa also found in Christian, Cabalistic, and Neoplatonic texts, and which he understood as the central principle of both magic and the Christian religion. Moreover, while 'De vanitate' does not spare such disciplines as logic, dicing (i.e., gambling), prostitution, and scholastic theology, it attacks only the most demonic forms of magic, and actually praises others...the attractiveness of Agrippa's two major works (and of 'De vanitate' especially) seems to have lain in their unstable but persuasive fusion of apparently Protestant doctrines with Occult and Neoplatonic ideas." [See: A. C. Hamilton's "The Spencer Encyclopedia", pp. 10-11].

"In the 'De vanitate' [Agrippa] tried to demonstrate the uncertainty and the sheer vanity of all the sciences and scientific practices then is use. However, occult disciplines enjoy a rather disproportionate importance in his review, and indeed occupy almost exclusively a third of the entire work (i.e., 48 chapters). 'De vanitate' deals also with the disciplines and philosophical topoi of the Church, the economy, society and crafts; the first subject is central to the apologetic writings for the 'De vanitate'...". [See: Paola Zambelli's "White Magic, Black Magic in the European Renaissance", pp. 120-121].

"Some influential scholars maintain that Agrippa's final standpoint regarding alchemy is to be sought in 'De vanitate scientiarum et artium' (1530). In fact, this radical dismissal of human reason would constitute Agrippa's last word on all occult sciences and the culmination of a profound intellectual evolution, brought on by the events of the Reformation. According to this view, there is a clean cut between the young Agrippa, who in 1510 drafted the project for the restoration of magic in 'De occulta philosophia', and the later Agrippa, a radical reformer and skeptic, who from 1526 on no longer believed in the conceptual foundations of his early project." [See: Early Science and Medicine, Vol. 5, No. 2, Alchemy and Hermeticism, 2000, pp. 160-177].

Askin. London. Deluxe Quarter-Leather Facsimile Edition - Limited Edition One of 500 Copies, being #189. Quarter leather & green cloth binding, and gold blocking on the front. Green cloth boards with a slight hint of mustiness, and light damp stains on the back cover board cloth, slight bow on back board, not too noticeable unless viewed from the top/bottom. Previous owners signature on front white page, otherwise pristine inside. In most respects, this book is in fine condition, excepting the back cover board and signature.

The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy is classic medieval grimoire by Cornelius Agrippa. The contents includes a number of other texts, in addition to the Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy, there are a number of other grimoires added, incl, Heptameron, and "Of the Magick of the Ancients" from the grimoire Arbatel. There are also a number of other essays on Geomancy & "Isagoge:..Nature of Spirits...."

Asmodeus: or The Devil Upon Two Sticks receded by Dialogues, serious and comic between two chimneys of Madrid

J. C. Nimmo and Bain, London. Tight leather binding with beautiful floral gilt detail. Mild fading discoloration to portion of cover board leather, with only mild wear to surface - a scratch along the front cover. Gilding and the shine on the leather itself is superb. Personal bookplate inside the front cover.  Limited edition no.20 out of 100, hand numbered.  Includes four original etchings by R. de Los Rios.  Translated from the French of Alain Rene Le Sage.    Measures 6 x 9 inches with 332 pages.

A translated english copy of 'The Devil on Two Sticks', the story about the Demon Asmodeus, king of demons mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. He was supposed by some Renaissance Christians to be the King of the Nine Hells. Asmodeus also is referred to as one of the seven princes of Hell. Each one of these princes represents one of the seven deadly sins, of which Asmodeus is the demon of lust.

New York, Privately Published. 487 pages. Illustrated with wood-engravings. 8 1/2 x 5 inches. With many in-text wood-cut illustrations throughout, highlighting various views, scenes, places, people and events. Contemporary calf, with tooled borders and small gilt circular stamping on covers; rubbed; lacking front free end paper; foxing. Boards gently scuffed with and edge worn. Edges, joints and spine leather somewhat rubbed although boards remain firmly attached, moderate scattered foxing and light soiling on title page. Gilt & embossed full leather binding. Measures c. 5" W x 8 1/2" H.

A privately published treatise. The title-page lists many of the subjects discussed and ends with "also an account of persons with two souls, and five persons who told colors by the touch."

A System of Human Nature, With the Phenomena of the Heavens and Earth. Among the topics are Egyptian & Indian Magic, American Antiquities, Remains of Giants, Geology, Volcanoes, Egyptian and Indian Magic, Diet, Dress, Drinks, Disease Sleep, Somnambulism, Trances, Resuscitations.

The Oxford University Press London. Bright red cloth covers pristine, I would guess it has to have been rebound, but I am unsure what the original binding would look like. Internally very clean, slightly aged, with a mild damp stain on top page edges aout 1 inch by 1 cm, and the previous owners name on the front internal cover. Otherwise fine condition.

A History of Witchcraft In England From 1558 To 1718 is an excellent research work in which the history of witchcraft with true example cases have been presented.

First Editions. Two Volume Set of De Vesme's Experimental Spiritualism. Primitive man & Peoples of Antiquity. 9.5" x 7 3/4". Blue cloth hardcover, no DJ.

This work investigates various peoples of the past and begins with Egypt and the origin of Egyptian civilization. Bible times and the Hebrews are discussed, the Greeks, the Romans, and the divinations of the Oracles as well as magic and sorcery.

Austin Publishing, Rochester NY. Boards in very good shape - mild corner bruising, little to no soiling, pages clean, age toned, but clean, no inscriptions or markings.

Truth and Mystery; God's Universal Providence; The Miracles of this Age; The Decay of Superstition; The Guardianship of Spirits; The Discernment Spirits; The Stratford Mysteries; The Doctrine of Evil Spirits; The Origin of Spirit Sounds; Concerning Sympathetic Spirits; The Formation of Circles; The Resurrections of the Dead; A Voice from the Spirit Land; The True Religion.

Swan Sonnenschein & Co., London. First Edition. Three quarter vellum over grey cloth covered boards. gilt tooled raised bands. gilt lettered green morocco label to second compartment. gilt rules to top and tail of remaining compartments, further gilt rules to edges of vellum on boards. decorative red speckle to all page edges. pale blue endpapers. vellum, as so often, ia a little soiled in places. some pages somewhat unevenly opened. small nick to cloth at top edge of lower board, bookplate of Egerton Castle (himself the author of some fiction classed as fantastic!) to front pastedown. xvi,336,[4]pp. p118.

The Dead Leman and Other Tales from the French, A collection of supernatural stories.

Edinburgh : John Grant In a cloth binding. Externally very clean with mild corner bumping and mild wear to the extremities, Pages very clean and white. Includes a frontispiece photogravure portrait of the author. 6" by 9", 328pp

A fascinating copy of 'Folk Tales and Fairy Lore; in Gaelic and English, collected from Oral Tradition'. Written by James Macdougall, sometime minister of Duror, author of "Craignish Tales" and "Folk and Hero Tales"'.

Gale Research Company, Detroit, MI, Second, Revised Printing. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. This set is the second printing with revisions. Ex-library with some stamping and stickers, on page edges, catalog stickers on bottom of spine. Hinges and gutters are repaired, though no major damage is visible. Very little corner bumping or edge wear. Interior's have slightly yellowed with age, clean and solid in binding. This three volume set consists of : Volume 1, A-L; Volume 2 M-Z; Supplement with Cumulative Index.

Translated by James F Anderson, Loyola University, Chicago. Sheed & Ward 8vo 7.5" -x 5". 122 pp Antique library discard in original binding - has library name plate on endsheet and call number on spine. A few pencil marks, a stamp on one of the title pages. Tan boards, some wear to spine ends, and the cloth is split along the side of the book where the spine meets the front cover, hinges intact.

Regarding the nature of Zimzoum, among other theological and religious precepts.

Rider & Co, London 8vo 7.5" x 5.5". 122 pages, small book. First edition; red cloth hard cover, black title to spine and front cover; no marks to text, pages clean, boards only lightly soiled and worn, spine cloth has gap when opened wide, but hinges perfectly intact with no cracking.

This book contains her original work Spiritualism in the Light of Occult Science with commentaries by Gareth Knight that quote extensively from now largely unobtainable material that she wrote on the subject during her life. It includes transcripts from her own trance work and rare articles from old magazines and journals.

New, limited edition. Comes as a box-set bound in black suede and branded with the sigil of the Temple of THEM, containing four booklets (fully illustrated by the devious hand of Namtaru Creations) and spanning over 200 pages of pure Satanic Revolutionism and Heretic Supremacy. A highly thought-provoking work of psychological warfare and magical self-transformation, only available in the limited amount of 338 copies, with no further reprints

Threshold: Black Magic and Shattered Geometry exposes to the modern Satanist the problems our reality holds, and more importantly, it gives him the tools necessary to shatter it, and create a New World Order. The Ego must be tricked into defeating itself. It's abstractions must be torn apart piece by piece, its processes broken down and made visible to the individual, so that a special instant occurs in that individual similar to an Out of Body Experience – With the exception that is it Out Of Mind. In this instant, a sudden flash of the awakened Self can see the actions of the Ego consciously and understands its own involvement in its perception.

Prepared for Publication in the United States by L. W. de Laurence. Chicago, IL First American Edition. Publisher: The de Laurence Company Size: (8¾ x 5¾ inches) Pages: xi, 400

In Oriential and Occidental spirituality and occultism among primitive race, in antiquity, the middle ages, and modern times.

London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd. Hardcover. 8vo. xvi + 118 pp. White leatherette looking cloth? boards with black titling to spine and design to upper board, black endpapers and page edges. Slight smudges on DJ, page edges are a bit yellowed slightly from age/smoke?, as are the covers. Spine is whiter than the boards which have just a hint of discoloration.

The first reprint of one of the scarcer of Crowley's books. This edition limited to 1,000 hand-numbered copies, this being no 53. It is commonly believed that most of the original 1898 edition was destroyed by British Customs on account of the book's allusions to bestiality, necrophilia, and sodomy, and kindred subjects, although no-one has been able to pinpoint exactly when this destruction took place. There is however no doubt however that it is scarce, and so this particular edition is the closest to a "first" that is generally accessible.

Heritage Club Edition, New York. Would have been fine, but it looks like a library stamp or something has been removed from the front end page. Barely noticeable, but roughened page. Everything else, fine - text clean, pages crisp, binding perfect, covers unscarred.

De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things) is a 1st century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores Epicurean physics through richly poetic language and metaphors.[1] Lucretius presents the principles of atomism; the nature of the mind and soul; explanations of sensation and thought; the development of the world and its phenomena; and explains a variety of celestial and terrestrial phenomena. The universe described in the poem operates according to these physical principles, guided by fortuna, "chance", and not the divine intervention of the traditional Roman deities.

Boston : The Christopher Publishing House. Hardcover, Size: (8 x 5½ inches) Pages: 330 First Edition signed by Author. Clothbound hardcover in Good condition with light wear and soiling to the covers. Minor gutter separation at front inner hinge. The pages are clean with no markings noted. Inscribed and signed by the author on front free endpaper.

Being an account of what is known of the Aryan race as it lived some five thousand years ago in Central Asia, of the migrations of the different branches, of their history down to the formation of the modern nations, and of their influence upon the character of these nations, with a history of the Howell name, and a genealogy of one line of the Howell family.

Philadelphia: David McKay. Binding tight, all pages are crisp and clean. There is no foxing on any of the pages.  The front end page is signed by a previous owner.  This book contains 12 full page plates as well as 100 other illustrations throughout the text.  Green cloth, gold gilt letters on the front and spine of the book.  The inside hinges show the beginning of cracking but the boards are still very secure.  The corners and edges show only mild to moderate wear.

This book includes Greek and Roman Mythology, Norse and Old German Mythology, Mythology and Religion of the Hindoos and Egypt.

Random House, New York. With an Introduction by Raphael Demos, printed in Two Volumes, this being volume 2 only.

First Edition, Methuen. Binding worn/rubbed with about tiny split on the top of the spine at middle, a good copy of a scarce book. A few pen underlinings, not many. Measures approx. 5 1/2" x 9"

The present work is the only non-fiction book Sax Rohmer wrote. He was thirty when it was published, and it shows that by then he was a profound student of things occult. In this books he comes to the conclusion, in a very sane and reflective way, that the occult contains a great deal of truth which we can find only by the occult path. Sorcery is for Sax Rohmer a synonym for magic; he believes that the great magical tradition comes to us from Egypt; and he believes that this magic, rightly understood and practiced, brings about mental and physical results which are very valuable for the human race.

London: John Murray. Fourth edition. xx + 264 pages. 12mo (7 x 4 1/2 inch) hardcover, beautifully bound in full red leather, raised bands to spine, leather label, all edges marbled, a few small scrapes where leather is stripped, spine has been sunned to a uniform brown, marbling to page edges has considerably faded. This fine binding was obvious executed for the owner whose armorial bookplate appears on the front pastedown and probably in the 1840’s to ’60’s. a secondary owner has put his name to the book in 1903 above the bookplate.

The Zincali; or, An Account of the Gypsies of Spain. This famous account of the spanish gypsies by Borrow (author of The Bible in Spain) was originally published in two volumes. this is a one volume edition with all three parts and with extra material not included in the first edition.

Spain: Primal Craft Publishing. First Edition. Bound in shimmering mahogany silk and embossed in gold with the seal of the Book of Forbidden Wisdom. Printed on thick high quality paper and finished with black endpapers. Twelve powerful full page illustrations.

Forbidden Wisdom of Belial

2012 marks the changing of the aeon. It is the dawn of the Age of the Lightbearer. The Forbidden Gnosis and Power of Belial is manifested within the pages of The Scorpion God to herald this era of Re-Awakening and the return, in full, of the Primal Atlantean Current which empowered the Ancient Witchcraft, the First Faith of man.

The third volume of the Trident consists of the Six Books of the Forbidden Wisdom of Belial, which open the gates of the Depths to the soul who follows the Path of Flames in search of the Three Great Crowns of Divinity. As Lord of the Heights and the Depths, Belial grants keys to the hidden power of the Atlantean realm. The Gates of Amenta are opened both within the soul and throughout the inner planes, allowing the adept to follow the Path of Lucifer's Flames as it descends into the realm of the Gods of the first incarnate race. Assimilation, at soul level, of the power of the Scorpion Godform of Belial is granted in order to facilitate this transition. This is the culmination of the Path of Flames which leads the Godsoul, forged from the spirit of man, beyond the Gate of Souls and back to the throne of Hecate.

Released in one strictly limited edition of 999 standard copies. All copies are hand numbered by the author.

London: Richard Bentley. First Edition. xiv + 182 pages. Engraved plates, fold-out plates, fold-out map at rear. Octavo (8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch) hardcover in full green cloth, gilt design front, gilt titling to spine. Corners a touch bumped, some wear to cloth, some light superficial spotting to cloth, but firm and tight.

"Traced experimentally through ancient inscriptions in alphabetic characters of lost powers from the four continents: including the voice of Israel from the rocks of Sinai: and the vestiges of patriarchal tradition from the monuments of Egypt, Etruria, and Southern Arabia. Translations of some very old inscriptions discovered in the 6th century AD in the desert of Sinai deciphered with the use of Egyptian (Coptic), Arabic and Hebrew." This work was later supplemented by two further volumes, but was complete as such when first published.

London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. First Edition. 894 pages with Index. Heavily illustrated throughout. Large octavo (9 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch) hardcover in dark blue cloth, gilt title & design to spine, top edge gilt. Rubbing to boards, corners bumped, wear to edges, joints & head and base of spine, spine slightly cocked, library call number near base of spine, library plate to front pastedown, library stamp bottom of title page and bottom of page 1, some wear to top front joint, hinges a touch soft but holding fine. Overall sound.

A huge tome on everything archaic to do with England, including a full-page illustration of Stukeley’s Avebury, discussions of folklore and the folk memory, standing stones, the White Horse, holy wells, &c. The author’s earlier book THE LOST LANGUAGE OF SYMBOLISM has been much reprinted, but ARCHIC ENGLAND for some reason has not received any subsequent printings to this First British Edition in 1919 and a Second British Edition and First American Edition in 1920.

I.) INTRODUCTORY. * II.) THE MAGIC OF WORDS. * III.) A TALE OF TROY. * IV.) ALBION. * V.) GOG AND MAGOG. * VI.) PUCK. * VII.) OBERON. * VIII.) SCOURING THE WHITE HORSE. * IX.) BRIDE’S BAIRNS. * X.) HAPPY ENGLAND. * XI.) THE FAIR MAID. * XII.) PETER’S ORCHARDS. * XIII.) ENGLISH EDENS. * XIV.) DOWN UNDER. * XV.) CONCLUSIONS. * APPENDIX. * INDEX.

London: Chatto & Windus. First Edition. 423 pages with Bibliography. Large octavo (9 by 6 inch) hardcover, rebound in attractive full brown cloth with cloth label to spine.

Introduction: progress of alchemy in europe.

Book i: The English magicians.
* i.) Roger Bacon: the true and the legendary.
* ii.) the story of Dr. John Dee.
* iii.) Dr. Dee’s diary.
* iv.) magic and imposture: a couple of knaves.
* v.) the last of the English magicians: William Lilly.
* vi.) English Rosicrucians.


Book ii: Witches and witchcraft.
* i.) early history of witchcraft in england.
* ii.) witchraft in England in the 17th century.
* iii.) the decline of witchcraft in England.
* iv.) the witches of Scotland.
* v.) the literature of Witchcraft.

Mount Vernon: Peter Pauper Press. 141 pages. Tall octavo (9 by 5 1/2 inch) hardcover, rebound in a very high end blue morocco leather binding, blue cloth boards, raised bands, fine giltwork to spine. Some light sunfading to spine, o/w Fine condition.

Epictutus was a freed slave who lived in the 1st to 2nd century AD and wrote a very practical, down to earth philosophy of life based on Roman Stoicism. Though the Emperor Marcus Aurelius lived after Epictetus’s time, he considered himself to be a disciple of this wise and very moral slave, inspiring him to write his own book on Stoic philosophy now called The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.

New York: Harper's. 8vo, 403 pages. Hardcover book in Good condition with moderate wear. Green cloth boards mildly rubbed and soiled. Hinges loose. Internally bright and unmarked. Illustrated with wood-cuts.

Facts, Figures, and Fancies from Transylvania. "More decidedly evil is the nosferatu, or vampire, in which every Roumanian peasant believes in as firmly as he does in Heaven or Hell."

327 pgs. Quarto size (12 by 9 inch) hardcover with tan-colored cloth boards, dark burgundy almost black leather spine, raised bands, red leather label with marbled cardboard slipcase. Slipcase has suffered considerable wear, but is still wholly intact, with only minor wear to the book itself.

Czech. This is the work of the experimental parapsychologist Bretislav Kafka who, according to Ostrander and Schroeder in Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain, undertook some very unusual experiments on his subjects: things which no one would be allowed to do today. He also pioneered what later became known as remote viewing:

“… on June 18, 1925, Kafka and his psychics were in the town of Krasno nad Becva in Czechoslovakia. The expedition of Roald Amundsen was on its way to the North Pole. Kafka commanded his psychics to clairvoyantly see what was happening at the North Pole. ‘There’s a terrible fog and a strong wind at the Pole,’ they said. ‘No one from the expedition has gotten here yet. The storm is too severe to reach the Pole by air.’ On June 20 the Czechs heard the news. Amundsen had returned with one airplane without reaching the Pole.”

He also used his psychics to keep track of what was going on at the front during World War Two. He also reportedly kept one man hypnotized for three weeks and throughout that time fed him only on imaginary food. The result? – the man reportedly came out of it not only in the best of health, but had actually gained weight!

The text here is in what I believe to be the Czech language, though my knowledge of Slavic languages is limited.

First Edition. Harper and Brothers, New York. Binding tight, boards and covers slightly worn, text clean throughout. Would have been listed in fine condition if not for light corner bruising, and mild wear to the extremities of the dusk wrapper, and a slight discoloration where an inlaid card used to occupy the front of the book in the end papers.

This book details Huxley's experience with and views on the controversial Bates method, which Huxley believed improved his eyesight.

In the preface to the book, Huxley describes how, at the age of sixteen, he had a violent attack of keratitis punctata which made him nearly completely blind for eighteen months, and left him thereafter with severely impaired sight. He managed to live as a sighted person with the aid of strong spectacles, but reading, in particular, was a great strain.[1] In 1939 his ability to read became increasingly degraded, and he sought the help of Margaret Corbett, who was a teacher of the Bates method. He found this immensely helpful, and wrote “At the present time, my vision, though very far from normal, is about twice as good as it used to be when I wore spectacles, and before I had learned the art of seeing”.

The book is not an autobiography, however. Although his own history fueled his interest in vision, and there are references in passing throughout the book to his own case, it is written as a general study of the Art of Seeing as he came to understand it.

Huxley writes that his aim in writing the book was "to correlate the methods of visual education with the findings of modern psychology and critical philosophy. My purpose in making this correlation is to demonstrate the essential reasonableness of a method, which turns out to be nothing more or less than the practical application to the problems of vision of certain theoretical principles, universally accepted as true."

2nd Edition, 6th printing. Harvard University Press, Cambridge Mass. Blue cloth, lightly faded, with corner bruises. Light markings and notes in the text, library card glued to the front cover.

Sanskrit Grammar: Including both the Classical Language, and the Older Dialects, of Veda and Brahmana.

Mild wear, a bit musty, with edge scarring to the dust jacket, which is still in great shape.

Many sincere occultists have hesitated to study the notorious left hand path for fear of stumbling into incalculable evil and ultimate damnation. As the last student of Aleister Crowley, Kenneth Grant has no such hesitations. He shows that the left hand path is a legitimate balance to the right hand path dating back to the primeval phases of consciousness. Grant leads us on a dark pathway through Africa's Ophidian (snake) tradition Egypt's Draconian cult and the Tantric secrets of India and Tibet into the present day.

Mild rubbing to dust jacket, small creases and tears to the very edges of the dust jacket folds, otherwise pristine, clean internally. Most of these floating around are are ex-library, this copy is not.

The Book of Merlyn is an Arthurian fantasy book written by T. H. White. It is the conclusion of The Once and Future King, but it was published separately and posthumously. This magical account of King Arthur's last night on earth spent weeks on the New York Times best-seller list following its publication in 1977. Even in addressing the profound issues of war and peace, The Book of Merlyn retains the life and sparkle for which White is known. The tale brings Arthur full circle, an ending, White wrote, that "will turn my completed epic into a perfect fruit, 'rounded off and bright and done."

First English Edition, New York, Henry Holt and Company. Translated into English by H. Wildon Carr. Slight age toning to spine, blue cloth boards, minor age toning to pages, text still bright, a few light pencil markings.

Bergson (1859-1941) is one of the truly great philosophers of the Modernist period, and there is currently a major renaissance of interest in his unduly neglected texts and ideas amongst philosophers, literary theorists, and social theorists. Mind-Energy is a collection of essays and lectures from the period 1901-13 and has long been out of print. It features essays on life and consciousness, soul and body, mind and brain, and on dreams, memory and the phenomenon of false recognition; the insights Bergson develops in them remain highly pertinent to contemporary work in the philosophy of mind.

Fourth Impression. Slight wear to dust jacket, now protected in mylar sleeve. Pages clean, a few light pencil underlinings present, ex owners signature and stamp on end page.

This book contains information relative to the more familiar occult doctrines such as evolution, reincarnation, soul memory and Karma...Discussion into the inner government of the world and its works, the occult significance of Christianity, spiritualism and theosophy, Rudolph Steiner and Anthroposophy, as well as other writers. The final section entails practical occultism, clairvoyance, etc.

New York: Viking.  Hardcover book with minor wear to dust jacket - light chipping and closed tears at edges, else Good.  FIRST EDITION.

Clean books in slipcase. Mild shelf wear to slipcase. Random House publishing.

4 Volume set in Slipcase

Man and Man: the Social Philosophers
Man and the State: the Political Philosophers
Man and the Universe: the Philosophers of Science
Man and Spirit: the Speculative Philosphers

First edition hardcover, Minimal wear to dust jacket, binding firm.

Watson, who labels himself "an old-fashioned naturalist," ranges through philosophy, psychology, anthropology, history, ecology and especially biology. He begins with the unlikely pair of Aristotle and Goldilocks, the former who urged humans to strive for "the golden mean" and the latter who was satisfied only when things were "just right".

We living creatures are pawns of our genes, no matter what species we belong to, and the genes operate on three rules, according to Watson: be nasty to outsiders, be nice to insiders and cheat where possible.

It is because of these rules that our bodies repel parasites, that Serbs kill Croats and that human babies often pretend to be younger or hungrier than they are. Watson believes that aggression is in our genes and examines such phenomena as war, rape and murder as manifestations of that aggression. But while he firmly believes that humans are made up of both good and evil and that natural selection is completely amoral, he is sanguine about humans as the world's first ethical animals with the capability of making moral decisions.

Watson examines evil's many manifestations, from corporate national evil (e.g., the death camps of Nazi Germany) to shocking cases of personal evil (e.g., the two English boys who kidnapped and killed a toddler in 1993) to common street malevolence. He considers humanity's darker nature clinically, albeit within the framework of his view of evil as "a force of nature," a "part of the ecology [that] needs to be seen as such."

He suggests that, although inherent to human existence, evil can be controlled and maybe eliminated if humans manage to "evolve" away from it. This thoughtful book, while certainly not light literature, will reward those diligent enough to digest its complex but well-argued points.