THE CLOUD UPON THE SANCTUARY by Von Eckartshausen, Karl

Holmes Publishing Group, 1992. Sewn quality paper edition; A FINE COPY. Classic work of Rosicrucian mysticism and mystery in six letters. Very influential work on the early Order of the Golden Dawn. Translated by Isabel DeSteiger. 8vo.A very important edition of the famous and influential work by German mystic Karl Von Eckartshausen (1752 - 1803) in which he outlined the existence of a secret order or "hidden church" that guided human destiny. The work is known to have played a signal role in Aleister Crowley's embrace of occult pursuits. This is very likely the same edition that Crowley would have used, as it was published early in 1896, the same year that Arthur Edward Waite recommended to Crowley that he read it. Although Crowley would not have known it at the time there were several threads connecting the work with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The translator, Isabelle de Steiger (1836-1927), was a writer and artist, and one of the earliest members of the Isis-Urania Temple of the Golden Dawn, who knew many of the occult luminaries of the time, including of course A. E. Waite (of whom she was an enthusiastic supporter during the ructions within the G.D. in 1903). She was also a friend of John William Brodie-Innes (1848 - 1923), a leading member of the Amen-Ra Temple of the Golden Dawn, to whom she dedicated the work, and who supplied the Preface.