The History of Magic

Born Alphonse Louis Constant, French magician Éliphas Lévi (1810–75) wrote prolifically on the occult sciences. His Histoire de la magie was first published in 1860. In it, Lévi recounts the history of the occult in Western thought, encompassing its biblical, Zoroastrian and ancient Greek origins, various magical practices of the medieval and early modern periods - including hermeticism, alchemy and necromancy - and the role of magic in the French Revolution. The last section of the book describes nineteenth-century magical practices and includes details of Lévi's own occult experiences. Prepared by Arthur Edward Waite (1857–1942), this English translation was first published in 1913. An editor and translator of numerous magical texts, Waite includes here a preface comprising an eloquent defense of Lévi and intellectual magic. The original French edition is also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.