The Book of Ceremonial Magic; The Secret Tradition in Goëtia, including the rites and mysteries of Goëtic theurgy, sorcery and infernal necromancy. Illustrated
New Hyde Park, NY: University Books, (1961). First US Ediion. Hardcover. Large Octavo. xliv + 338pp. Contrasting red and black cloth with gilt titles to spine. Frontis, illustrations. First published in 1911 "The Book of Ceremonial Magic", was a revised and enlarged edition of Waite's "Book of Black Magic and of Pacts" (1898) "with the addition of an Introduction, a Conclusion and three new sections to Chapter 3 in Part 1." (Gilbert p. 48). This is the first US Edition, a reduced format photolithographic reprint of the first British edition which was issued some 50 years earlier. In "The Book of Ceremonial Magic" Waite sets out to provide a methodical survey of the practice of ritual magic, based on the original texts found in rare medieval book and manuscript grimoires, many of which were all but unprocurable, and had to be translated from a number of different languages. It is in two main parts, the first, The Literature of Ceremonial Magic, looks at the history of ritual magic, and provides studies and excerpts from the most important medieval magical texts, including the famous texts of black magic: The Grimoire of Honorius, The Black Pullet, etc. etc. The Second 'Forms a complete Grimoire of Black Magic,' and includes chapters on 'The Preparation of the Operator, the Initial Rites and Ceremonies', 'The Mysteries of Goetic Theurgy According to the Lesser Key of Solomon the King,' and 'The Mysteries of Infernal Evocation According to the Grand Grimoire,' etc. This US edition has a new seven page Foreword by John C. Wilson. A little shelf-wear to binding, cloth lightly chafed at points, one small spot (tea drop?) on fore-edge of text block, not really affecting the margins, a few of the illustrations have been very neatly hand-coloured by a previous owner and about half a dozen pages have a few lines underlined in coloured pencil. Otherwise a tight, VG copy (lacks dust jacket). Item #68630
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