Evolution of Immortality.
Salem, MA: Eulian Publishing Company, ND (1900). First Edition. Hardcover, Octavo, 145pp [ + 3pp advertisements ]. Original blue cloth with gilt triangle and "TRY" within an ouroboros design stamped in gilt to front board. Gilt title and author to front board and spine, and additional gilt rules and publisher's name to spine. An unusual work written under the pseudonym "Rosicruciae" by Freeman Benjamin Dowd (1825-1910), who was, for many years, Paschal Beverly Randolph's best known follower. Dowd was a strong proponent of sexual occultism, who saw the Theosophical preoccupation with celibacy as not only selfish, but likely to lead to delusion. In these essays Dowd explores ideas of energy and its various manifestations, the divine spark within, etc. Contents: Preface; I. The Divinity of Energy; II. The Evolution of Consciousness; III. The Incarnation of Life; IV. The Power of Love; V. The Force of Truth; VI. The Wisdom of the Serpent; VII. Christ, the Light of Immortality; Appendix: The Rosy Cross. Although Dowd undoubtedly drew many of his ideas from Paschal, they were far from the more mystically inclined Rosicrucianism of other groups, with A. E. Waite writing somewhat acidly that although Dowd had an "evidently sincere interest in his subject [Rosicrucianism], ... he seems to have known nothing about it."
Cloth at head and tail of spine chafed, spine darkened, cloth a little rubbed at points. Edges of text block darkened, pages evenly toned throughout. Still overall a tight and clean VG+ copy, with just the predictable modest signs of aging. No dust jacket if called for. Item #73079
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