Art Magic

Some readers there be whose chief aim is - unconsciously to themselves, perhaps - but greatly to the detriment of their higher natures - to search into what they read rather for the discovery of errors in orthography, and innovations upon conservative methods of typography, than for the elimination of ideas, or the enjoyment of soul intercourse with their author. To this class of readers our pages will doubtless present a fruitful soil for their special methods of criticism, and to such, we have no other apology to offer, than that contained in the few choice and pointed words of the Editor's Preface.

There is still another class whose methods of study have received the peculiarly significant soubriquet of, skimming. The chief delight of such persons is in an elaborately prepared Index, over the columns of which they rejoice to pore, industriously picking out just the particular words they have sympathy with, glancing at these - for Index worshipers only glance, do not read - and abandoning the rest of the volume to more patient and capable students than themselves.

Spiritualistic Literature

mikki — 2004-01-09T14:55:20-05:00

The Harmonial Philosophy And Its Founder - Modern Spiritualism - Its Universality Of Phenomena - Suggestions For School of Prophets - Dark and Light Circles - Epilogue To The Drama of "Art Magic."

We have reached that point in our review when we find ourselves at the final stage of our journey, standing face to face in fact with the last great spiritual dispensation of the ages, commonly termed "Modern Spiritualism."

In touching upon this part of our record the task resolves itself chiefly into the duty of cataloguing the many lucid and valuable expositions of the subject which are already extant, rendering the least attempt to add to this vast collection of special literature, a work of supererogation. In England, "The Two Worlds," by Thos. Shorter; "From Matter to Spirit," by Mrs. De Morgan, the admirable spiritualistic works of Wm. Howitt, and Mrs. Crowe's "Night Side of Nature," offer more food for reflection than it would seem the public mind has as yet been able to assimilate, whilst hosts of tracts, pamphlets, able magazines and newspapers, furnish continual streams of information from which no thirsting soul need go away empty. France is equally rich in the literature of Spiritism, although the general tone of its later writers is deflected to sustain the peculiar opinions of that body of believers known as "Reincarnationists." It would be as useless as impertinent to cite German literature in support of Spiritualistic doctrines or point to its phalanx of immortal writers whose affirmations of the Spiritual side of man's nature have never failed since the advent of the printing press to this hour. Holland in its excellent periodicals, and Russia in its liberal patronage of spirit media are also contributing their quota to the general storehouse of occult knowledge. In the meantime brave, unflinching defenders of these truths, writing in Spain from amidst the ghostly shadows of the grim old Inquisition, devoted bands of Spiritualists, writhing under the proscriptive ban of Priestcraft in South America, scattering forces from the Sandwich Islands, New Zealand, the East and West Indies, Australia, California, and indeed wherever civilization has a foothold, all contribute to fill up the columns of a world-wide Spiritual Almanac, and record the ceaseless irruptions of spirit people into this mundane world of ours.

History of Magnetism.

mikki — 2004-01-09T13:26:05-05:00

Psychology - Clairvoyance - Their Connection With Ancient Magic - The Great Modern Triad - Paracelsus - Swedenborg and Mesmer - Billot - Deleuze - Cahagnet, Etc.

Those who would write the true history of Magnetism must seek materials in that of magic, for the one is just as surely a record of the other, as the principles of Astrology are derived from the science of Astronomy.

We have written to little purpose if we have failed to impress our readers with the fact that the relations between the worlds of invisible and visible being, are only made known through the occult forces which enable the visible to penetrate into the realms of the invisible - also that the means by which Spirits, Angels, and even Tutelary Deities, communicate with mortals, depend wholly upon these same occult forces. Whether we call this all-pervading motor of being, "divine fire, astral light, electricity, magnetism or life," it is, as we have before shown, the eternal, indestructible, universal and infinite element of force. Magic. Deific relations. Angelic ministry, and spirit communion, are but applications of this force operating upon man, and the visible Universe is only a magnificent chess-board, on which Force is playing the eternal game of creation and destruction, with Suns and Satellites for its chess-men. Whilst it becomes evident that the ancients obtained a wide control over this stupendous motor power by long study and painful initiations, the men of the middle ages in a great measure lost the clue to its guidance, and the apparitional demonstrations of its eternal activity, revealed by glimpses from the worlds of invisible being, only served to startle them into superstitious terror, without instructing them concerning the potential agency at work.

The Magic Mirror - Its Composition

mikki — 2004-01-09T12:35:01-05:00

Communication From a Planetary Spirit - Formulae of Nostradamus - Call and Discharge for Spirits of the Crystal or Mirror.

The following mode of preparing and using a Magic Mirror, is recommended by Alphonse Cahagnet, author of the Celestial Telegraph, and, as the methods prescribed are simple, and the results obtained are generally efficacious, they are submitted to the reader in the words of Cahagnet himself:

MAGIC MIRROR

"I promised not to reserve to myself anything I had learned from spirits; I will keep my word by giving the secret of the magic mirror, revealed to me by the Spirit of Swedenborg, who himself, possessed one, and of which I have already spoken. I made two in the way recommended to me, one of which I presented to my friend, M. Renard, who after several experiments, gave a favorable report of it; mine was equally good. This is how we should go to work: Produce a piece of glass as fine as possible, cut it in the required size, place it over a slow fire, at the same time dissolving some very fine black lead in a small quantity of pure oil to give it the consistence of a liquid pomade, which may easily be spread over the glass when well diluted.

"The glass being hot, incline it on both sides, in order that the mixture may spread of itself all over alike; then, the glass being placed on something quite straight and flat, let the mixture dry without disturbing it; in a few days it will become as hard as pewter, presenting a very fine dark polish; put your glass in a frame, and after well wiping its surface, hang it up on a wall, as you would a looking-glass, but always in a false light. Place the person who desires to see a spirit, or scene before this mirror, station yourself behind him, fixing your eyes steadily on the hinder part of the brain, and summon the spirit in a loud voice in the name of God, in a manner imposing to the individual looking in the mirror.

Magical Elements

mikki — 2004-01-08T22:10:01-05:00

Divination - Belomancy - Elisha and the Arrows - Cleomancy - Geomancy - Crystal Seeing - Bath Kol - Chiromancy - The Color Doctor - Music - Spells - Amulets, Etc.

It has been intimated in various parts of this volume that the ancients attached the idea of occult virtue to herbs, plants, flowers, earths, minerals, metals, certain beasts, insects and reptile, colors, tones, words, forms, magical names, invocations, spells, charms, talismans, and fumigations.

Every object that could impress the senses - stimulate them to mantic frenzy, or subdue them into somnambulism, formed some element in ancient magical practice. We have written of the faith which all nations of antiquity cherished in astrological calculations, and unhesitatingly affirmed that the foundations for that faith exist to-day in as much force as in the Chaldaic Era, and that the basic idea of astrological truth is to be found in the fundamental principles which bind up the whole universe in one compendious system of mutual interdependencies.

Divination was also obtained through an immense variety of modes, chief amongst which were those already alluded to in the Section on Jewish Magic. Another was performed amongst the Arabians by the flight of arrows, and called Belomancy. Some allusion to this method is made in the Bible when Elisha the Prophet in his last hours was consulted by King Joash, whom he commanded to take bow and arrows and shoot forth from the window saying, "the arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria," &c., &c.

In the Arabian method it was customary to write on slips of paper, and attach them to the arrows, when, according to the place in which they alighted, or the object which they struck, so was the inscribed sentence accepted as oracular.

At the celebrated Temple of Hercules, in Achaia, the priests were accustomed to obtain oracular replies by the tossing of dice or marked stones; this mode was called Cleomancy.

Cornelius Agrippa's Philosophy

mikki — 2004-01-08T16:21:23-05:00

Paracelsus - The Power of the Magnet and Will - Weapon Salve - Witchcraft - The Case of Jane Brooks - Occult Virtues of Herbs, Stones, Gems and Crystals.

Although there are many remarkable features of interest in the writings of Cornelius Agrippa, we deem it unnecessary to give farther citations of magical practices. The reader, desirous to accomplish himself in the Magician's art, would derive but little encouragement from a study of Agrippa's works, especially as he repeatedly affirms that "a man must be born a Magician from his mother's womb." This passage, with others of a kindred character, plainly imply the great Magician's belief, that what we have so often termed naturally prophetic, or Mediumistic endowments, are far more available to procure communion with, and control of spirits, than any arts which he can recommend. Again and again, too, Agrippa enlarges on the potency of the will to produce magical results. His opinion of this great instrument of power is conveyed in the following quaint passage:

"Notwithstanding the use of all these signs, and whether or not the Magician shall make every pentacle duly, and write every name in order, even if he do speak all which is here set down in every circumstance; yet, when no spirit cometh, it is the mind of the invocant which doth fail him, for all these things are but as winds, which do blow on the temper of the mind, to stir it up to action." "Unless a man be born a Magician, and God have destined him even from his birth to the work, so that spirits do willingly come of their own accord - which doth happen to few - a man must use only of these things herein set down, or written in our other books of occult philosophy, as means to fix the mind upon the work to be done; for it is in the power of the mind itself that spirits do come and go, and magical works are done, and all things in nature are but as used to induce the will to rest upon the point desired."

Heptameron, or Magical Elements of Peter D'Abano

mikki — 2004-01-08T12:39:40-05:00

Circles and the Composition Thereof - Signs, Sigils, Names of Angels, Etc. - The Benediction of Perfumes - The Garment and Pentacle - Form of a Pentacle - Apparitions.

In the former book of Agrippa, it is sufficiently spoken concerning Magical Ceremonies and Initiations.

But because he seemeth to have written to the learned, and well experienced in this Art; because he doth not specially treat of the Ceremonies, but rather speaketh of them in general, it was therefore thought good to adde hereunto the Magical Elements of Peter de Abano: that those who are hitherto ignorant, and have not tasted of Magical Superstitions, may have them in readiness, how they may exercise themselves therein. For we see in this book, the distinct functions of spirits, how they may be drawn to discourse and communication; what is to be done every day, and every hour, and how they shall be read (as if they were described syllable by syllable).

In brief, in this book are kept the principles of Magical conveyances. But because the greatest power is attributed to the Circles; (for they are certain fortresses to defend the operators safe from the evil Spirits). In the first place we will treat concerning the composition of a Circle.

Alchemists and Philosophers

mikki — 2004-01-08T12:13:42-05:00

History of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries - The General Uniformity of Their Opinions - The Celebrated Gilles De Laval and His Infamous Practices.

It would be impossible in a work of this limited nature to cite all the names, much less the opinions, of that numerous class distinguished either as Alchemists, Rosicruicians, Astrologers, or Philosophers, who formed the ranks of Mysticism during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Amongst the most distinguished of these ill-understood classes, were Nostradamus, a celebrated astronomer, and an expert Astrologer; Paracelsus, an excellent Physician and a scholar, who either accidentally, or as the result of research, discovered those truths concerning mineral and animal magnetism which Mesmer subsequently reduced to a system; Van Helmont, a truly prophetic person, but one who cultivated his gifts of Seership by the study and practice of magical arts; Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Artephius, Arnold de Villeneuve, Raymond Lulli, Roger Bacon, Nicholas Flammel, George Ripley, and many other practical chemists, who perceived the possibilities of Alchemy, and who distinguished themselves from the thirteenth to the eighteenth centuries in writing on this subject and awakening the terror of the ignorant, and the denunciations of the bigoted.

In the early part of the fifteenth century, the study of Alchemy and the practices of Magic became at once famous and infamous, through the influence of the celebrated Gilles de Laval, a marshal of France, whose wealth, unbridled luxury and shameless debaucheries led him to the practices of magical art, for the sake of administering to the vilest of passions, and the replenishment of his exhausted coffers, drained by his unparalleled extravagance. As this monster in human form supplied to the fiction mongers of later times the original of the famous drama of "Blue Beard," some idea may be formed of the vast notoriety to which his crimes attained.

Spiritism and Magic in Transitional Eras

mikki — 2004-01-07T21:34:54-05:00

Witchcraft - Spirit of Persecution in Christian Churches - Causes of the Unpopularity of Spiritism - Alchemists - The Philosopher's Stone and Elixir Vitae.

The history of Spiritism and Magic recedes from view and becomes dim to the eye of the superficial observer, as the night of ruin and decay deepens into impenetrable gloom, and settles over the splendid Orient and the classic beauty of Greece and Rome.

With the extinction of national life and glory in these once powerful dynasties, the spiritualistic influences they diffused throughout the world seem to wane, and finally vanish from the page of history, becoming only a memory, a tradition, or a sacred myth.

But this absence of metaphysical life from physical history is more apparent than real. Many causes combined to prejudice public opinion against the belief in Spiritism, yet Spiritism stretching forward in one unbroken chain of influence from ancient to modern times, has never ceased to exist, and the changes effected by altered conditions, altered opinions, and the rise and fall of dynasties, have no more succeeded in obliterating spirit manifestations from the page of human destiny, than the overshadowing pall of midnight crushes out the fragrance and bloom of the flowers it effectually conceals.

The early Christian Fathers not only retained their faith in the power and ministry of Angels and Spirits, on earth, but they proved that faith by the works of the Spirit, which they performed as their Master commanded them, and for some centuries after His death they looked with suspicion on those who failed to render this important testimony to their belief in Christianity.

Medieval Theosophy - Elves or Fairies

mikki — 2004-01-06T18:25:05-05:00

Elementary and Planetary Spirits, or Sub-Mundane and Super-Mundane Spiritism - The Jewish Cabala - Schedim - The Intermediary Spirits - Their Four Orders.

In entering upon the third and concluding portion of this volume, it becomes necessary that we should explain to our readers what were the opinions cherished by the mystics of all ages, concerning the existence and influence upon earth of other than human spirits.

Ancient Theosophy in every land taught the existence of Spirits, both higher and lower than those of earth's inhabitants.

The Jewish Cabala, which, as we have before alleged, contain the sum of the opinions derived from Persia and Chaldea, and in all probability, from still older lands, teaches that besides the Angels and Archangels, who include many celestial orders, there are between men and the lowest condition of fallen or evil angels intermediary Spirits termed Schedim, who live in the elements, and were divided into four orders corresponding to Fire, Air, Earth and Water.

The first class belonged to the Fire, and in German Theosophy were termed "Salamanders." They were supposed to be wise, powerful and prophetic, partaking very nearly of the angelic nature, yet not sufficiently advanced in the scale of being, to become immortal. It was deemed that they knew many of the secrets of nature, and to those toward whom they were beneficently inclined, they would impart their knowledge freely. They were sometimes said to be fierce and even terrible in their wrath, and hence were as much dreaded as courted by the ancient Magians. The second class were spirits who partook of the fiery quality of the first order, but were more properly spirits of the air. The Scandinavian and Teutonic traditions simply define them as spirits of the earth, but give them a wide range of class and function, and represent them generally as dangerous and very capricious.

The Poetry of Life's Sterner Prose

mikki — 2004-01-06T14:41:16-05:00

Magic Amongst the Greeks and Romans - The Mysteries of Samothrace and Eleusis - The Grecian Sibyls and Delphic Oracle - Sorcery and the Dark Side of Spiritism.

Magic in the classical lands of Greece and Rome becomes so thoroughly transformed from the solemn metaphysics of India, the semi-savagism of Arabia, and the profound mysticism of Egypt, by the young life, blossoming intellect, and love of the beautiful which characterized Grecian genius, and in a measure imparted its grace to the sterner spirit of Rome, that no attempt to condense descriptions of their spiritism could do justice to the subject. On the other hand our available space has been too much taken up with analyses of the underlying principles of magical history in the Orient - the true fatherland of magic - either to permit of, or to need our dwelling at any length upon these fascinating themes, so clearly defined as the poetry of life's sterner prose.

Magic, sorcery and the correspondingly dark shades of Spiritism, were not in harmony with the graceful and elastic character of classic lands. Their peoples loved philosophy, and revealed in the subtleties of thought, as portrayed through the brilliant ideality of Greek and Roman history with stars of immortal lustre.

Strictly speaking, no well marked systems of religious belief prevailed in Greece and Rome. Their Pantheon of countless Gods and Goddesses were too closely allied with humanity to impress their votaries with the awe and majesty appropriate to the idea of Deity, and even their most exalted flights of imagination could not embody the creative principle in aught beyond an impersonated Demiurgus.

Magic and Spiritism Amongst the Chaldeans

mikki — 2004-01-05T12:28:24-05:00

The religious doctrines of the Chaldeans, varied from those of the Hindoos and Egyptians chiefly, in their different modes of expression, in the name appropriated to different Deities, and the functions which these mythical personages were supposed to be endowed with. The basic idea of Solar and Astral worship however prevailed in all nations alike, but the absence of sexual emblems on Chaldean monumental remains, seems to imply that this people adhered to the astronomical religion, without engrafting its popular successor, Sex worship, upon its purer Theosophy. Although our only information concerning the Spiritism of Chaldea is derived from monumental records, oral traditions, and contemporaneous history, these sources are abundantly sufficient to testify to the fact that Balylon the great and the Priests of Chaldea, so widely renowned for occult wisdom, acquired this vast reputation princiapply for transcendent skill in the arts of divination, and the methods of reading the future by Astrology. The Chaldeans were also celebrated for certain branches of chemical knowledge, especially for the means whereby they learned to resist the action of fire and poisons.

Schools of the Magi were established at Babylon, and as magic was deemed an essential item in the art of governing the nation, and conducting armies to victory, even Kings, Statesmen, and warriors, no less than the Sons of he Nobles and wealthy Citizens, resorted to these famous seminaries of occult learning, or sat at the feet of the magi to drink in the elements of their profound wisdom. It was in these schools that Daniel and some of the handsomest and most intelligent of the Hebrew captives were placed for education after the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians. It was from thence that the remarkable admixture of Chaldean and Persian philosophy was derived, which marks the literature of the Jews after the Babylonish captivity. There are many scholars who believe - and that upon good foundation - the writings of the Pentateuch, the composition of the Cabala, and the fables of the Talmud, owe so much of their peculiar spirit to the Caldean Magi, that those who are well acquainted with these Hebrew writings, lose nothing by the total lack of Chaldean Scriptures.

Idolatry and Ancient Scripture

mikki — 2004-01-05T11:10:31-05:00

Some of the Modes of Divination, Both Lawful and Unlawful, Practiced Amongst the Jews - First, Nebuah - Second, Rauch Hacodesch - Urim and Thummim.

This section is typed in exactly as in the book, including the really awful supposedly old spelling, the inconsistencies, and the improper punctuation and grammar. Proofreading this would be a waste of time. - ed.

"As Idolatrie originally sprang from mistaking of Scripture, so witchcraft and sorcery seemeth to have had its first beginning from an imitation of God's oracles. God spake in divers manners (Heb. i., 1); but the chief means of revealing himselfe observed by the Hebrew writers are foure, which they term foure degrees of prophecie or divine revelation.

The first degree was nebuah, which was, when God did by certaine visions and apparitions reveale his will.

The second was Ruach Hacodesch, or inspiration of the Holy Ghost, whereby the partie was enabled, without visions or apparitions, to prophecie. Some, shewing the difference between these two, adde, that the gift of prophecie did cast a man into a trance or extasie, all his senses being taken from him; but the inspiration of the Holy Ghost was without any such extasie or abolition of the senses, as appeareth in David and Daniel. Both these degrees, as likewise Urim and Thummim, ceased in the second Temple, whence their ancient Doctors say, that after the latter Prophets Haggai and Malachy were dead, the Holy Ghost went up, or departed from Israel. Howbeit they had the use of a voice or eccho from Heaven. In which speech we are not to understand that the Holy Ghost wrought not at all the sanctification of men, but that this extraordinary voice, enabling men to prophecie by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost then ceased; and in this sense the Holy Ghost was said to have departed from Israel.

The third degree was Urim and Thummim. Urim signifieth light, and Thummin perfection. That they were two ornaments in the High Priest's brest-plate, is generally agreed upon; but what manner of ornaments, or how they gave answer, is hard to resolve. Some thinke them to be the foure rowes of stones in the brest-plate, the splendor and brightnesse of which foreshewed victory, and by the rule of contraries, we may gather, that the darknesse of the stones not shining presaged evil. Others say it was the name Johovah, put in the doubling of the brest-plate, for that was double. Others declare the manner of consulting with Urim and Thummim consisted of all the Tribes' names, and likewise of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaak and Jacob, so that no letter of the Alphabet was wanting. The question being proposed, some say that the letters which gave the answer did arise and eminently appear above the others. An example they take from the 2nd Sam, 2: 1. When David asked the Lord, "Shall I goe up into any of the Cities of Judah?" the Lord answered, "Goe up." herre did they, that the letters which represented the Oracle, did, after a strange manner, joyne themselves into perfect syllables and intire words, and made the answer compleat. The fourth degree was Bath Kol, "the daughter of a voice" or an echo; by it is meant a voice from heaven, declaring the will of God; it tooke place in the second Temple, when the three former degrees of prophecie ceased.