Ritual magic

1st pub. by Cambridge University Press, 1949.. 1st Noonday paper ed. 1959.

Part 1 - Pre-Christian rites and ceremonies. 1 Some ancient magical texts: the Akkadian inscriptions; the Graeco-Egyptian magical papyri. 2 Poetical records of magic. 3 Jewish elements in magic: the Testament of Solomon; the Kabbala. Part 2 - Medieval and modern rites and ceremonies. 1 The Solomonic cycle: the Clavicles; the Grimoires; 'Honorius'. 2 The disciples of 'Solomon': Bluebeard of Orleans; a non-conformist; the Nigromant of Norcia; the Sieur de Seingalt; followers of 'Honorius'. 3 The Faustian school: Magia naturalis et innaturalis; minor Faustian rituals. 4 The Faustian adepts: Harrowing hell; raising Cain. 5 The art in England: Scot; anti-Scot; the magus. 6 Exponents of the art: The magic crystal; the fairy folk; Apollonius of Tyana in London. Conclusion: The myth of Satanism.

'This famous study by E.M. Butler examines critically the books of ceremonial used by the traditional magicians. It is Professor Butler's contention that the so-called Black Books, which described ceremonies to force obedience from fiends, helped produce an art comparable to Greek mythological tragedy or to the medieval passion plays. Out of them, she maintains, there came the notion of a Pact, which finally transformed the figure of the mighty magician into that of a lost soul aspiring to forbidden knowledge and power, and fit to be immortalized in tragedy. So the Faust-myth is to be found in sixteenth-century chapbooks, in Elizabethan tragedy, pantomime, Hogarth engravings....'

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