Religion and the Decline of Magic;
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971. First US Edition (?). Hardcover. Large octavo. xx + 716pp. Fine brown cloth with gilt lettering to black panel on spine, notes and index. Thomas offers a scholarly analysis of supernatural belief and practice - in its various manifestations of astrology, witchcraft, divination, ghosts, magical healing - etc, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England, a time when things occult were assumed to be a real and important part of daily human existence. The publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons, had a rather idiosyncratic ways of identifying their first editions - this has the copyright year 1971 and a line with "A-1-71 (I)" which we believe signifies first edition, although we cannot guarantee it and are pricing it as though it is in early reprint. Just a hint of shelfwear, very light bruising to spine ends and corners, a few faint marks to fore-edge, coloured top edge a bit darkened and dusty. Internally fresh and unmarked- appears unread. A tight, clean VG+ copy in VG+ mylar protected dust jacket. (Dust jacket has just a hint of edge wear, not clipped.). Item #69461
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