Serpent Worship and other Essays, with a Chapter on Totemism.
London: George Redway, 1888. First Edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. iv + 300pp + 48 page publisher's catalog at rear. Original green cloth with gilt titling and rules to spine and gilt ouroboros design to upper board. The author follows on from Forlong's 'Rivers of Life,' and the works of Godfrey Higgins in his search for the origins of religious life. In particular he concentrates on serpent-worship and phallicism: with chapters on Phallism in Ancient Religion, The Origin of Serpent-Worship, The Adamites, The Descendants of Cain, Sacred Prostitution, Spiritism and Modern Spiritualism, Totem and Totemism - etc. etc. Edges lightly rubbed and bruised, spine ends and corners lightly bumped and chafed, small abrasion to front pastedown (likely from removal of bookplate), front endpaper hinge cracked but holding firm, page edges a bit darkened, pages lightly toned. Still overall a tight, unmarked VG+ copy. Item #62680
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