Item #69035 The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull. Comte de Gabalis, Nicolas-Pierre-Henri de Montfaucon de Villars.
The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull.
The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull.
The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull.
The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull.

The Count de Gabalis: Being a Diverting History of the Rosicrucian Doctrine of Spirits, viz. Sylphs, Salamaders, Gnomes, and Dæmons: Shewing their Various Influence upon Human Bodies. Done from the Paris Edition. To which is prefix'd Monsieur Bayle's Account of this work: And of the Sect of the Rosicrucians. Quod tanto impendio abscontitur, etiam solummodo demonstrare, distruere est. Tertull.

London: B. Lintott and E. Curll, 1714. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Octavo. (i-viii) 88pp. Late nineteenth century (?) half-leather binding. Brown morocco spine and corners over green patterned cloth boards. Gilt chain rules to margins of rules on both boards, gilt title and groups of double rules to spine. Decorated initials, head and tail pieces. An English translation, with commentary, of the fictionalized French account of a meeting between the author, the Abbé de Villars (1635-ca. 1673), a French clergyman, and the mysterious esoteric master, the Comte de Gabalis. The Comte supposedly initiated de Villars into the occult sciences and the Rosicrucians, and introduced him to the inhabitants of the elemental realms discussing the benefits and dangers of seeking intimacy with them. The book was first published in French in 1670 by C. Barbin of Paris under the title "Le Comte de Gabalis, ou entretiens sur les sciences secrètes" and was reprinted in French several times before the end of the century. It was first published in English in 1680 with two different editions appearing almost simultaneously, the first being "The Count of Gabalis: or, The Extravagant Mysteries of the Cabalists [...] done into English by P[hilip]. A[yres]. Gent" (London: "B. M.", 1680), and the second being translated by "A[rchibald]. L[ovell]." under the title "The Count of Gabalis: or, Conferences about secret sciences" (London, Robert Harford, 1680). In 1714 Alexander Pope published an expanded version of his poem "The Rape of the Lock: An heroi-comical Poem" (Bernard Lintott, London, 1714) which included an introductory dedication addressed to Mrs. Arabbela Fermor that was effectively a testimonial for the "de Gabalis" text: "The Rosicrucians are a people I must bring you acquainted with. The best account I know of them is in a French book called Le Comte de Gabalis, which both in its title and size is so like a Novel, that many of the Fair Sex have read it for one by mistake. According to these Gentlemen the four Elements are inhabited by Spirits, which they call Sylphs, Gnomes, Nymphs, and Salamanders. The Gnomes or Demons of Earth delight in mischief; but the Sylphs, whose habitation is in the Air, are the best conditioned Creatures imaginable. For they say, any mortals may enjoy the most intimate familiarities with these gentle Spirits, upon a condition very easy to all true Adepts, an inviolate preservation of Chastity." Clearly Pope, and other later writers like Bulwer Lytton, viewed the work more as a vessel for the subtle spread of esoteric knowledge and Rosicrucianism than a work of fiction. Pope's comments sparked the interest of the publisher of "The Rape of the Lock", Bernard Lintott, who in partnership with E. Curll, commissioned and published this new translation of "The Count de Gabalis." It included, for the first time, a prefaratory essay "Some Account of the Rosicrucians" which is apparently translated from an unspecified Paris edition of Pierre Bayle's monumental "Dictionnaire Historique." A truly rare edition - Worldcat only locateds 3 institutionally held copies, none of which are in the USA. There is some rubbing to the leather at the front hinge, and at the head and tail of spine. Two private bookplates at the front, one on the front pastedown and one on the front free endpaper. Internally there is a little darkening to the page edges, but otherwise it is remarkably bright. A lovely, tight, clean, VG+ or better copy of a rare volume. Item #69035

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