Description
Francis Barrett
Citadel Press/University Books, New York, 1995. Paperback. 398 pages. Introduction by Timothy d’Arch Smith. Mild shelf-wear, small Sorcerer’s Apprentice bookseller label to rear. A nice Very Good copy.
The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer; being a Complete System of Occult Philosophy is a handbook of the occult and ceremonial magic compiled by Francis Barrett and published in 1801. This book facilitated the modern revival of magic by making information from otherwise rare books readily available. It may have influenced novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton and occultist Eliphas Levi. More controversially, it has been identified as an influence on Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, in Reed C. Durham, Jr.’s speech “Is There No Help for the Widow’s Son? ” Reproduction of 1801 Edition.
