[Astronomy and Magic]. Discoveries and Practice in Astrology Magic Witchcraft and the Occult Sciences by [unknow...
Description
A Fascinating and Beautiful Nineteenth-Century Manuscript of Astronomy, Magic and Witchcraft
[Astronomy and Magic]. Discoveries and Practice in
Astrology Magic Witchcraft and the Occult Sciences by
[unknown], Astrologer of the 19th Century. Ars longa, Vitae brevis.
[and:] Circle Containing Magic and Witchcraft.
[and:] Circle 3rd. Occult Physic, or the, Magical and
Physical virtues of Beasts, Trees and Herbs With the Art of Curing
Sympathetically, containing Many Rare Secrets gathered out of the
Wilderness and Labyrinth of Alchemical Books. [N.p.,
probably London, n.d., ca. 1840's]. Folio. Approximately 14.75 x 9
inches. [4, blank], 267 pages. Final blanks, with manuscript
material, and twelve blank pages reckoned within pagination. Five
pages throughout have hand-coloring (mainly featuring hand-colored
letters). Page 51/52 missing. Bound in contemporary half brown calf
over marbled boards. Rebacked to style in modern full brown calf,
spine tooled in blind and lettered in gilt in compartments, six
raised bands, marbled endleaves. Some minor wear to binding, the
author's name neatly cut out of the title-page, also his name
heavily crossed out in ink on the dedication page (this volume is
dedicated "To Her most Gracious Majesty Queen Adelaide"). Many
newspaper clippings on front endleaves and front blank leaves, a
few newspaper clippings on final few pages. Overall, a near fine
example of a beautiful and fascinating manuscript. From the library
of Dr. Charles Rooke, with his armorial bookplate on the front
pastedown. From the John McLaughlin/Book Sail Collection.
More Information:
This book has chapters on Astronomy ("To Calculate the Solar Arc," "To erect a Horoscope by the Celestial Globe," etc.), Geomancy ("Time of the Explosion of the Infernal Machine at Paris," "The Horoscopes of Two Girls of Ill Fame," etc.), Magic and Witchcraft ("Crystalomancy, or the art of drawing Spirits into Crystils," "An Experiment with the Dead and how to obtain in the Crystil a Vision of the Fairy Sibylia," and recipes for various charms, etc.). With beautifully executed tables, horoscopes, arcane symbols, illustrations and text, all in excellent manuscript (mainly in a single hand, although there are some examples of another hand).
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