The History of Magic

Table of Contents

• Preface to the English translation
• Introduction
• Part I. The Derivations of Magic:
• 1. Fabulous sources
• 2. Magic of the magi
• 3. Magic in India
• 4. Hermetic magic
• 5. Magic in Greece
• 6. Mathematical magic of Pythagoras
• 7. The holy Kabalah
• Part II. Formation and Development of Dogmas:
• 1. Primitive symbolism of history
• 2. Mysticism
• 3. Initiations and ordeals
• 4. The magic of public worship
• 5. Mysteries of virginity
• 6. Superstitions
• 7. Magical monuments
• Part III. Divine Synthesis and Realisation of Magia by the Christian Revelation:
• 1. Christ accused of magic by the Jews
• 2. The witness of magic to Christianity
• 3. The devil
• 4. The last pagans
• 5. Legends
• 6. Some kabalistic paintings and sacred emblems
• 7. Philosophers of the Alexandrian schools
• Part IV. Magic and Civilisation:
• 1. Magic among barbarians
• 2. Influence of women
• 3. The Salic laws against sorcerers
• 4. Legends of the reign of Charlemagne
• 5. Magicians
• 6. Some famous prosecutions
• 7. Superstitions relating to the devil
• Part V. The adepts and the priesthood:
• 1. Priests and popes accused of magic
• 2. Appearance of the Bohemian nomads
• 3. Legend and history of Raymund Lully
• 4. On certain alchemists
• 5. Some famous sorcerers and magicians
• 6. Some magical prosecutions
• 7. The magical origin of Freemasonry
• Part VI. Magic and the Revolution:
• 1. Remarkable authors of the eighteenth century
• 2. Thaumaturgic personalities of the eighteenth century
• 3. Prophecies of Cazotte
• 4. The French revolution
• 5. Phenomena of mediomania
• 6. The German illuminati
• 7. Empire and restoration
• Part VII. Magic in the Nineteenth Century:
• 1. Magnetic mystics and materialists
• 2. Hallucinations
• 3. Mesmerists and somnambulists
• 4. The fantastic side of magical literature
• 5. Some private recollections of the writer
• 6. The occult sciences
• 7. Summary and conclusions
• Appendix
• Index.
Show more