Orpheus. A Lyrical Legend ( 2 Volume Set ).
Boleskine, Foyers, Inverness, Society for the Propagation of Religious Truth, 1905. First Edition - First issue. Hardcovers. Large Octavos. Two volumes. Volume I: 156 pp, Volume II: 148pp. Original cream-coloured quarter cloth with paper spine-labels and paper-covered boards. Title pages in red and black. Crowley had only 500 sets of the sheets of Orpheus printed - divided between various editions, this being the first, of which probably no more than 100 sets were produced (see further below). "Orpheus" is a long, magical poem, with various invocations etc. in the latter books. In his "Confessions" Crowley writes of the invocation to Hecate that is in Book III of Orpheus, and recounts that "I recited [it] at Akyab with full magical intention. The goddess appeared in the form of Bhavani. The fact made more concrete my perception of the essential identity of all religions. ... From the beginning I had wanted to use my poetical gift to write magical invocations. Hymns to various gods and goddesses may be found scattered through my works; but in Book III of Orpheus, Persephone is invoked directly by commemorating her adventures. I developed this much further in Book IV of Orpheus. The idea was put into my mind by Euripides, whose Bacchae I had been reading at odd times ..." Perhaps as a bibliographic joke - or in an effort to make it appear that his works were selling better than they were, Crowley had these divided up into five different 'editions.' The "later editions" were differentiated from one another by a printed note on the verso of the title-page and the use of different colored papers (symbolic of the Spirit and Elemental colors) on the boards. Thus the "first edition" has white boards and no statement of edition (being the "first"), the 'second' has yellow boards and "second edition" printed in it, the 'third' rose-colored boards etc., the 'fourth' blue boards etc. and the 'fifth' edition dark green boards etc. This set is a "First Edtion" - "First Issue", with both volumes having white boards and free of any statement to indicate a later edition. Such sets are extremely scarce as it seems likely that fewer than 100 were issued. This set formerly in the library of J. Edward ("Jerry") Cornelius, Frater Achad Osher 583, former Lodge Master of Brocken Mt. Lodge of the Ordo Templi Orientis, A.'. A.'. initiate; co-publisher of the "Red Flame" series of journals, author of "The Aleister Crowley Desk Reference" and numerous other Crowley-related works. Both volumes of this set have his large private stamp with hand drawn magical monogram and a small "Brocken Mountain Lodge" paper label on the front pastedown. A small "Brocken Mt. Lodge / Ordo Templi Orientis" stamp is in the bottom margin of the front pastedown. There is also a small label with the name and address of the Brocken Mountain Lodge at the foot of the title-page. Spine and boards somewhat yellowed / darkened (almost inevitable given they are white), paper spine labels respectively 95% and 75% intact. Corners bumped and a bit rubbed. Internally tight, clean and unmarked. Overall, a better than VG matched set (no dust jackets issued). Item #61770
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