The vanity of arts and sciences. by AGRIPPAE, Henri Cornelius - 1676

1676 1ed Agrippa Occult Philosophy WITCHES Demons Magic Witchcraft Incertitudine

An incredibly rare 1676 1st English printing of Henri Cornelius Agrippae. Agrippa was an early 16th-century scholar who specialized in occult writings. Many of his works dealt with dark magic and the practice of occult arts; however, it is known that he argued against the persecution of witches. One of his most important works was "Incertitudine" or "Declamation of Arts and Sciences" which was a satirical account of the disappointing state of science during the 1520s. It was an important contributor to skepticism and philosophers such as Montaigne, Descartes, and Goethe. According to Jones, this book is

"one of the great classics of skeptical literature."

"Incertitudine" covers a wide variety of occult topics including alchemy, astronomy, theurgy, magic rituals, summoning gods, discovering one's psyche, mysticism and the cabala, Abraxas stones and charms, general magic and natural magic, dreams and dream interpreting, dangers of witchcraft, phantasms and miracles, and much more. Agrippa's aim with this work was

"to propose a cultural alternative, delineating a different philosophical approach, capable of forming a new intellectual élite, who would be seriously interested in the moral and religious progress of human community." (SEP)

This English edition features changes and edits, most likely by James Sanford, which were completely foreign to Agrippa's original text. One such instance is that of Sanford referring to Gypsies as cattle – something not found in Agrippa's. (Whitford, p. 73)

Item number: #6556

Price: $1250

AGRIPPAE, Henri Cornelius

The vanity of arts and sciences.

London: Printed by J.C. for Samuel Speed, 1676. 1st edition

Details:

· Collation: Complete with all pages

o [18], 368

· References: Wing A 790; Arber's Term cat. II 49; Jones, Anthology of Ceremonial & Transcendental Occult Magic; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 'Agrippa'; Whitford, Curse of Ham in the Early Modern Era

· Provenance: Armorial Bookplate

o Wm. Wollascott, Esq.

· Language: English

· Binding: Leather; tight & secure

· Size: ~7.25in X 4.5in (18cm x 11.5cm)

· Extremely rare with no other example for sale worldwide

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6556

Photos available upon request.