The Book of Secrets of Albertus Magnus; Of the Virtues of Herbs, Stones, and Certain Beasts, Also a Book of the Marvels of the World.
York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1999. First Weiser Edition. Hardcover. Small octavo. xlviii + 128pp. Black cloth with gilt title, etc. to spine, gilt illustration on front cover. Illustrated. "The Book of Secrets of Albertus Magnus" comprises a very eccentric mixture of natural magick practices, spells, prayers and - primarily - folk-remedies. Some of the latter sound potentially toxic - if not actually deadly- and cover everything from curing consumptive lungs and the gout, to getting rid of bedbugs and spiders. Copies of early German editions were brought to the US by the Pennsylvania Dutch (German immigrant) community, and served as the basis for locally compiled grimoires and natural magic collections. The first Weiser / US printing of this edition. The publisher described the book as divided into five main parts: "[1] Of the Virtues of Herbs - Describes 23 herbs, their magical, astrological, and medicinal properties, as well as preparations and recipes; [2] Of the Virtues of Stones - Presents 45 entries from the lapidary of Albertus Magnus, Mineralia, listed by their particular effect or specific magical property; [3] Of the Virtues of Beasts - Lists 18 animals, their natural powers, and their use in performing magical feats; [4] Of the Planets - A treatise on the hours of the day governed by the various planets, and a discussion of their astrological qualities; [5] The Marvels of the World - A theoretical discussion of magic emphasizing the necessity of experiment, followed by a large number of recipes from various sources." "This edition features an in-depth introduction by scholars Michael R. Best and Frank H. Brightman outlining the history of the text, its historical/cultural context, and the variant manuscripts sourced. It is an invaluable study of students of the history of Western magic, and those interested in the evolution of printed works through the ages. Includes a list of works cited, a collation of the different editions and manuscripts, and an index." A lovely copy, "as new", thus Fine condition in mylar protected near Fine dust jacket. This hardcover edition has become quite scarce. Item #68930
ISBN: 9780877289258
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