The

Dark Side

Of

History

Magic

In The

The Making of Man

By

Michael Edwardes

Stein and Day

New York

1977

First Edition

This first edition examines the deeply rooted influence that magic has had on religious belief, social development and politics over the millennia. Examines the ancient texts of philosophers, mystics and magicians, demonstrating how most of the teachings of mainstream religious establishments were obtained from the so called "heretics" they later persecuted. Also demonstrates how much occult symbolism is still used in modern politics as well as in military circles.

 

Contents

Introduction

Prologue

The Morning of the Magician

Part One: Alchemical Arts and Natural Magic

Magisteries of Gold and Immortality - The Black Dog of Cornelius Agrippa - The Pope’s Magician

Part Two: Subversive Magic and the Occult Underground

An Invasion of Demons - Monsieur Mesmer’s Revolution - The Magician at the Barricades

Part Three: Industrial Revolution and Scientific Magic

The Medium and the Message - Wise Men from the East

Part Four: Magicians and Machine Guns

The Revolt of the Bird King - Chairman Mao and the Lord of the World

Part Five: Worlds of Light and Worlds of Darkness

The Surreal and the Swastika - The Raising of the Pentagon

Notes

Bibliography

Index

 

Excerpts:

Introduction

‘Magic involved not just witchcraft and pacts with the Devil, but also a whole concept of the world and man’s relation to it. Thinkers such as St. Albertus Magnus, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dante, believed in sympathetic bonds linking all reality, in the existence of occult qualities, astral influences, and the actions of good and bad demons as described in the books of magic compiled by lesser men. Most historians, particularly of science, have chosen to ignore this.’

An Invasion of Demons

‘None of the books of magic that proliferated in the Middle Ages, and after, suggested that, by controlling a demon, the magician was worshiping Satan or conspiring to bring to his kingdom the mastery of the world. On the contrary, Demons were there not to be honoured but commanded, and this could only be done through the power of God, who had created all spirits. The alliance was with God, not the Devil.

In general, the Church did not accept this view, and it was defined as heretical by a number of papal bulls. In the preface of a fourteenth-century magical manuscript sometimes known as the Sworn Book of Honorius it was stated that the pope and his cardinals had sworn to crush the magic art and to kill all magicians, because they were said to have been transgressing the ordinances of the Church, conjuring demons and making sacrifices to them, and deceiving ignorant people so as to drive them to damnation. But, went on the anonymous author, this was not true. It was the pope and the cardinals who had been deceived by the Devil. Magicians forced demons to act against their will, something that could only be achieved by the pure in heart. Wicked men could not practice the art with any success, and that was why the Devil had inspired the pope and others to legislate against the good magician.’

 

Book Format:

Octavo, 9.2" tall. Book is bound purple cloth with maroon spine; gilt lettering to spine; gilt signature of author on cover; Dust jacket included;

Pagination: 262pp;

Condition:

Very good + condition; Boards are in very good + condition with minor rubbing; corners bumped; name stamp to bottom edges of pages; small shop sticker to reverse side of front board; auction stamp on reverse side of front cover; interior is clean with no yellowing, foxing or underlining; Binding is tight.

Dust jacket: Fair condition; covers have been reinforced with sticky tape to top and bottom of jacket; some small tears and wearing along side top of jacket;

Price: US$75.00

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