Short Studies in the Science of Comparative Religions. Embracing all the Religions of Asia.
London: Bernard Quaritch, 1897. First Edition. Hardcover. Small thick quarto. xxviii + 664pp. Original green cloth with gilt title, etc. to spine and front cover, blind rules, patterned endpapers. duo-tone fold-out maps, b&w illustrations. Index. The author of the work, Major-General James George Roche Forlong (1824-1904) was a soldier, engineer and surveyor, who used his more than thirty years of service in India, and his retirement thereafter, to delve into the study of comparative religion and archaeology. The fruit of his labour appeared in several works, notably his massive study of comparative religion and the origin and inter-connectedness of beliefs "Rivers of Life. Or Sources and Streams of The Faiths of Man in all Lands." The present work, although complete in itself, is effectively a companion to that volume, offering a series of essays on different religions, notably those with their roots in Asia and the Middle-East. Although now generally rejected in scholarly circles, Forlong's theories, which often stressed the sexual origins of various religious and initiatory rites and customs, found some favour at the time. Amongst those who held them in high regard was Aleister Crowley, who stated that "Rivers of Life" was "An invaluable text-book of old systems of initiation," and listed Forlong amongst the Saints of his Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae. Cloth slightly discolored - mostly at upper spine and top of rear board. Spine ends and corners lightly bruised and rubbed, a few spots to page edges, very light foxing to early and later pages. Still overall a sound, internally clean VG or better copy. Item #35045
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