Lives of the Necromancers. or, an Account of the Most Eminent Persons in Successive Ages, who have Claimed for Themselves, Or to Whom has Been Imputed by Others, the Exercise of Magical Power.
London: Frederick J. Mason, 1834. First Edition. Hardcover. Large Octavo. xx + 466pp. Nineteenth century full leather binding, boards with gilt ruled margins, spine with raised bands, gilt stamped leather title-label and gilt rules and decorations. Marbled endpapers, with fine gilt-decorated margins. An intelligent, skeptical account of witchcraft and the occult throughout history - far broader than the modern definition of Necromancy would allow. The chapters are divided into the following sections: Introduction; Ambitious Nature of Man; Examples of Necromancy and Witchcraft from the Bible; Greece; Rome; Revolution Produced in the History of Necromancy and Witchcraft upon the Establishment of Christianity; History of Necromancy in the East; Dark Ages of Europe; Communication of Europe and the Saracens; Revival of Letters; Sanguinary Proceedings against Witchcraft; Conclusion. The work includes one of the more important early nineteenth century biographical studies of Dee, of whom Godwin give a largely sympathetic, detailed account. That Godwin judged Dee to be of considerable importance can be seen from the fact that he devoted some 25 pages to his biography, and less than a page to Nostradamus. The volume has been rebacked, with the original backstip laid down. The leather of the original backstrip is darkened, and has some chips and rubs, but these do not affect its durability thanks to the reback. Boards a little rubbed and marked, more so at points. A light slanting crease across the first half-a-dozen leaves. Otherwise a tight, strong, VG + copy. Item #58993
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