Demonology and Devil-Lore (Two volumes).
London: Chatto and Windus, 1880. Second Edition, Revised. Hardcover. Octavos. Two volumes. xvi + 428 pp & xii+ 478pp (ipp advert). Original brown cloth with gilt titling and rules to spine, blind rules & gilt "demon face" design to upper boards, beveled edges, b&w illustrations, index. An extensive study of demon-lore. In the Preface the author observed that "The natural world is overlaid by an unnatural religion, breeding bitterness around simplest thoughts, obstructions to science, estrangements not more reasonable than if they resulted from varying notions of lunar figures, all derived from the Devil-bequeathed dogma that certain beliefs and disbeliefs are of infernal instigation. Dogmas molded in a fossil demonology make the foundation of institutions which divert wealth, learning, enterprise, to fictitious ends." Conway's investigations into Devil-lore were thus undertaken from the perspective that the superstitions and practices that had grown out of belief in the devil, his influence, and infernal hordes still had a major and generally negative influence on the way humanity shaped its affairs. In the course of exploring this thesis, he produced this major and almost encyclopaediatic study of devil-lore. Moncure Daniel Conway (1832 - 1907), was an American abolitionist, clergyman, author and humanitarian, who in later life embraced the ideals of Free-thought, and moved away from the established Church. In addition to the present work, Conway wrote a well-known biography of Thomas Paine, several books on the subject of emancipation, and edited & contributed to a number of journals and newspapers. "Demonology and Devil-Lore" was first published in 1879, and obviously sold well, as this new edition, "revised and enlarged" and with a new Preface, was issued the following year. The bindings show typical moderate shelf-wear for a set of this age, the corners are bruised, there is occassional rubbing to the cloth of the heads and tails of the spines and the points. Two small chips to front free endpaper of Vol. I, occasional toning and pale foxing to the pages. Still a tight, solid, unmarked VG+ set and unusual thus, as the bindings were not particularly solid, and are usually cracked and chipped. Good sets of the the early editions surprisingly scarce. A relatively heavy set that due to its size and value will require additional shipping and insurance charges to the amount automatically quoted, the exact cost varying according to destination. Item #71709
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