[Rarebooks] FS: Barrett's THE MAGUS, 1801, in contemporary vellum

[Michael John Thompson]

We can offer:

BARRETT, Francis.

THE MAGUS, Or Celestial Intelligencer; Being a 
Complete System of Occult Philosophy
.

London: Printed for Lackington, Allen and Co. 1801.

First Edition, First Printing. Quarto, bound in 
contemporary full vellum. 175 pp + 198 pp + [2] 
pp ads. Half-title, engraved portrait 
frontispiece, twenty-two engraved plates and 
tables including four hand-coloured engravings of 
Demons, one plate partially folding, publishers 
advertising leaf at rear; separate part-title to 
Parts 3 and 4 and separate title and pagination 
to Book Two. Vellum soiled, lower corner torn 
from front free endpaper (a blank, no loss of 
text); browning and some minor staining 
throughout, small chip to vellum at spine head. A 
very good copy. Rarely encountered in a 
contemporary binding, this copy is in 
contemporary vellum, and is the only copy as such of which we are aware.


¶ The First Edition. Not to be confused with the 
1875 Second Edition (i.e,: reprint), which is 
sometimes called 'identical', but isn't. Aside 
from the difference in paper, the 1875 edition is 
not a straightforward ‘facsimile’ at all. The 
1801 edition has the long ‘s’ throughout - the 
one that looks a bit like a tall ‘f’. The second 
edition has the normal ‘s’ throughout - a simple 
method of distinguishing the two. 'The Magus' 
played a role in the Gothic movement and more 
then any other book facilitated the modern 
revival of magic by making information from 
otherwise rare books more readily available. The 
works of Eliphas Levi, The Golden Dawn, MacGregor 
Mathers, Aleister Crowley and many others all owe 
a debt of gratitude to this work.

The full title reads: THE MAGUS, OR CELESTIAL 
INTELLIGENCER; BEING A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF OCCULT 
PHILOSOPHY. IN THREE BOOKS; Containing the 
Antient and Modern Practice of the Cabalistic 
Art, Natural and Celestial Magic, &c.; shewing 
the wonderful Effects that may be performed by a 
Knowledge of the Celestial Influences, the occult 
Properties of Metals, Herbs, and Stones, AND THE 
APPLICATION OF ACTIVE TO PASSIVE PRINCIPLES. 
EXHIBITING THE SCIENCES OF NATURAL MAGIC; 
Alchymy, or Hermetic Philosophy; ALSO THE NATURE 
CREATION, AND FALL OF MAN; His natural and 
supernatural Gifts; the magical Power inherent in 
the Soul, &c.; with a great Variety of rare 
Experiments in Natural Magic: THE CONSTELLATORY 
PRACTICE, or TALISMANIC MAGIC; The Nature of the 
Elements. Stars, Planets, Signs, &c.; the 
Construction and Composition of all Sorts of 
Magic Seals, Images, Rings, Glaffes, &c.; The 
Virtue and Efficacy of Numbers, Characters, and 
Figures, of good and evil Spirits. MAGNETISM, AND 
CABALISTICAL OR CEREMONIAL MAGIC; In which, the 
fecret Myfteries of the Cabala are explained; the 
Operations of good and evil Spirits; all Kinds of 
Cabalistic Figures, Tables, Seals, and Names, 
with their Use, &c. THE TIMES, BONDS, OFFICES, 
AND CONJURATION OF SPIRITS. TO WHICH IS ADDED 
Biographia Antiqua, or the Lives of the most 
eminent Philosophers, Magi, &c. The Whole 
illustrated with a great Variety of CURIOUS 
ENGRAVINGS, MAGICAL AND CABALISTICAL FIGURES, &c. 
BY FRANCIS BARRETT, F.R.C. Professor of 
Chemistry, natural and occult Philosophy, the Cabala, &c., &c.


$8,500.00 Cdn, trade discount allowed.

A few images can be seen here:

http://www.thompsonrarebooks.com/shop/thompson/309200.html

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Michael John Thompson, Antiquarian Bookseller
Imladris House
5275 Jerow Road
Hornby Island, BC
Canada V0R 1Z0
Ph:  250-335-1182
Fax: 250-335-2241

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