“ SCIENCE. By Henry S. Olcott, President of the Theosophical Society.
“This book, to which we can only allot an amount of space quite incommensurate with its intrinsic interest, is one that will appeal to the prepared student rather than to the general reader. To anyone who has previously made the acquaintance of such books as Mr. Sinnett’s ‘Occult World,’ and ‘Esoteric Buddhism,’ or has in other ways familiarized himself with the doctrines of the so-called Theosophical Society or Brotherhood, these lectures of Colonel Olcott’s will be rich in interest and suggestiveness. ”

“ A system of religious philosophy, or, more properly, of theosophy, which has not only exercised for hundreds of years an extraordinary influence on the mental development of so shrewd a people as the Jews, but has captivated the minds of some of the greatest thinkers of Christendom in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, claims the greatest attention of both the philosopher and theologian. ”

“ Sinnett’s previous works on ‘Esoteric Buddhism’ and ‘The Occult World’ in some way prepare the reader for the marvellous psychological phenomena with which the present volumes abound, and which cannot fail to have an irresistible charm for all those who love the byways of speculation.”—Literary World.
“There is, nevertheless, a weird attractiveness about ‘United’ which makes even the non-believer in theosophy loth to put down the book when once he has taken it up; while to the lovers of occult phenomena it will prove irresistibly fascinating.”—Literary World. ”

“ The American officer is a person of undoubted social position and unblemished personal reputation, and his main object is not to secure belief in the reality of any ‘phenomena,’ not to win a barren reputation for himself as a thaumaturgist or wonder-worker, but to win acceptance for one of the oldest philosophies of nature and human life—a philosophy to which of late years the thinkers of the West have been turning with noteworthy curiosity and interest. ”

“ For instance, though Arthur is an impalpable and shadowy personage, while Alfred is a most real and substantial one, yet the mingling of truth and fable in the story of each—as connected with Somerset—is only one of degree; and even in later times, myth is so intertwined with the lives of St. Dunstan, of Sir John de Courcy, of Roger Bacon, &c., that, if one tries rudely to tear away the accretions of myth and fable, a maimed and distorted picture is all that is left.
Among the legends of Saints are some of rare beauty, full of earnest thought and quaint suggestiveness. ”

“ As a contribution to what is called ‘occult science,’ the present book will, of course, find a welcome from many readers, among those especially whose passion it is to grope for the unseen, and to these the varied contents will give delight. The matter contained in Mr. Waite’s volume is wonderfully varied, and much of it worth reading, even by those who do not believe in magic of any kind, black or white.”—Glasgow Herald.
“No determined student of Nature’s higher mysteries, setting out from the standpoint of modern European culture, can afford to remain ignorant of Eliphas Levi’s works. ”

“ The movement implied by the term Theosophy is one that cannot be adequately explained in a few words ... those interested in the movement, which is not to be confounded with spiritualism, will find means of gratifying their curiosity by procuring the back numbers of ‘The Theosophist’ and a very remarkable book called ‘Isis Unveiled,’ by Madame Blavatsky.”—Literary World. ”

“ The true light-bearer is at war with no man; but it is his duty to serve humanity by opposing and denouncing everything which tends to hypocrisy, egotism, and the hurt of the many for the gain of the few. ”

“ The gradual transformation of the heroine from a young girl, full of high purposes and enthusiasm, into the hopeless drudge who in despair lays herself down to die, is painted with an almost Zola-like fidelity. Her tyrant, the popular curate, is also a powerful sketch. It is difficult not to think that an expiation worked out in the scene of his misdeeds, with people who pity while they blame him, is insufficient punishment for so contemptible a cur. ”

“ Of course, should the genuineness of the phenomena in question be satisfactorily established, there would undoubtedly be proof that the Eastern sages to whom Colonel Olcott bears witness do possess a knowledge of the laws of the physical universe far wider and more intimate than that which has been laboriously acquired by the inductive science of the West; but the theosophy expounded in this volume [Page 13] is at once a theology, a metaphysic, and a sociology, in which mere marvels, as such, occupy a quite subordinate and unimportant position. ”

“ It is not the impersonnel reviewer who is going through his paces ... it is Thackeray talking to us as few can talk—talking with apparent carelessness, even ramblingly, but never losing the thread of his discourse or saying a word too much, nor ever missing a point which may help to elucidate his subject or enhance the charm of his essay.... Mr. W. E. Church’s prefatory note on ‘Thackeray as an Art Critic’ is interesting and carefully compiled.”—Westminster Review. ”

“ Henry More (1614-1687) ; and that these men, after restlessly searching for a scientific system which should disclose to them ‘the deepest depths’ of the divine nature, and show them the real tie which binds all things together, found the cravings of their minds satisfied by this theosophy, the claims of the Kabbalah on the attention of students in literature and philosophy will readily be admitted. The claims of the Kabbalah, however, are not restricted to the literary man and the philosopher; the poet, too, will find in it ample materials for the exercise of his lofty genius. ”

“ Dr. Hartmann has compiled a very full and accurate glossary of occult terms, which will be of great use to future readers of Paracelsus; and for so much he is to be thanked.
“Dr. Hartmann quotes some of his recipes for transmuting metals and producing the ‘electrum magicum.’ But Paracelsus is the most transcendental of European mystics, and it is not always easy to know when he is writing allegorically and when practically. Dr. Hartmann says he has tried these prescriptions and found them all right ”

“ In the present work every important and available fact has been carefully collected, and the manifestoes and other documents of the Fraternity are republished in revised versions. The Rosicrucians as represented by themselves are, therefore, offered to English readers for the first time in the literature of the subject. The task has been performed by a sympathetic but impartial writer, purged from the bias of any particular theory, and above all uncontaminated by the pretension to superior knowledge, which claimants have never been able to substantiate. ”

“ With an Introduction to “The Virgin of the World” by A. K., and an Essay on “The Hermetic Books” by E. M.
“It will be a most interesting study for every occultist to compare the doctrines of the ancient Hermetic philosophy with the teaching of the Vedantic and Buddhist systems of religious thought. The famous books of Hermes seem to occupy, with reference to the Egyptian religion, the same position which the Upanishads occupy in Aryan religious literature.”—Theosophist, November, 1885. ”

“ The author gives a great deal of interesting information concerning the planting and growth of Christianity in these islands, the origin of parishes, and the founding and endowment of parish churches.... Mr. Clarke declares himself in his book to be a member of the Church of England. He thus writes in no spirit of hostility to her. But he rightly uses very plain language in giving his opinion on the wilful distortion of facts by Church writers aiming to defend their Church.... No one who wishes thoroughly to understand the history of tithes should be without this book. ”

“ Mr. Johnson has evidently done his work with so much loving care that we feel entire confidence in his statements. The prices that he has affixed in every case form a valuable feature of the volume, which has been produced in a manner worthy of its subject-matter.”—Academy.
“The list of works which Mr. Johnson supplies is likely to be of high interest to Thackeray collectors. His preliminary remarks go beyond this not very narrow circle, and have a value for all collectors of modern works.”—Notes and Queries. ”

“ One of the utmost importance in considering the growth of civilization.”
“A profound interest will be aroused by the keenness and clearness of vision, no less than by the wealth of learning, by means of which he follows a line of research, tracing through this one rite the cannibalism of savages to a religious impulse not essentially different in its symbolical aspect from one of the most vital principles of Christianity. In the details of the work will be found much to attract the attention of the curious. Its fundamental and essential value, however, is for the student of religions ”

“ There is something powerful in the way in which the reader is made to feel both the reality and the untrustworthiness of his (the hero’s) religious fervour, and the character of the atheist, Graham, is not less strongly and definitely conceived.... It is a work that shows imagination and moral insight, and we shall look with much anticipation for another from the same hand.”—Contemporary Review. ”

“ The probability is that the topic will always have its attractions for the lovers of the curiosities of history. Mr. Baring-Gould has declared that ‘the whole story of Pope Joan is fabulous, and rests on not a single historical foundation;’ but others are not so firmly convinced in the matter, and at all times there are those who are anxious to investigate singular traditions.... Rhoïdis discusses the topic with much learning and ingenuity, and Mr. Collette’s introduction is full of information.”—Globe.
“It is interesting enough, and is accompanied by curious illustrations.”—Notes and Queries. ”

“ And the substance of his teachings concerning Cosmology, Anthropology, Pneumatology, Magic and Sorcery, Medicine, Alchemy and Astrology, Theosophy and Philosophy. Extracted and translated from his rare and extensive works and from some unpublished Manuscripts, by Franz Hartmann, M.D., author of “Magic,” &c.
“Paracelsus was a high priest among mystics and alchemists; he left behind him one hundred and six treatises upon medical and occult subjects, which are likely to be read by the curious as long as mysticism remains a necessary study for whoever would trace the developments of civilization. ”

“ A guide to those who are great admirers of Thackeray, and are collecting first editions of his works. The dainty little volume, bound in parchment and printed on hand-made paper, is very concise and convenient in form; on each page is an exact copy of the title-page of the work mentioned thereon, a collation of pages and illustrations, useful hints on the differences in editions, with other matters indispensable to collectors.... Altogether it represents a large amount of labour and experience.”—Spectator. ”

“ But the primary one, and that which in this Magazine will always take the first place, is that of applying theosophic thought to the problems of life. There are things which can only be scrutinized to any effectual purpose by the application of a higher knowledge than that which is sufficient to deal with external facts. ”

“ That he will please every reader is not to be expected, but it will be generally admitted that he has made every effort to arrive at and record the truth, nothing extenuating nor setting down aught in malice.”—Globe, Aug. ”

“ But all is vague confusion to the uninitiated, and it has to be reluctantly admitted that if attracted one is sadly dazzled by the perusal of such a couple of volumes as ‘United.’ The purpose of ‘United’ is a good one ”

“ Scott should have called this volume ‘A Book for Members of Parliament.’”—London and China Telegraph.
“The sketch of Burmese cosmogony and mythology is very interesting.”—Nature.
“A competent historian. He sketches Burma and the Burmans with minute fidelity.”—Daily Chronicle.
“Probably no Englishman knows Burma better than Mr. J. G. Scott.”—Contemporary Review. ”

“ A Magazine devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, Theosophy in America, and the Study of Occult Science, Philosophy, and Aryan Literature. Edited by William Q. Judge. Published under the auspices of The Aryan Theosophical Society of New York. ”

“ So vivid is the impression produced by them that she is able to dispense with illustrations, the reader using the faces of his acquaintances for that purpose. The classification, too, is good, although the astrological headings may be regarded by the profane as fanciful. Physiognomy may now be scientifically studied by means of composite photography.”—Pall Mall Gazette. ”

“ Many people, we dare say, will consider the volume to be ‘full of nonsense,’ but it is really a very curious and improving [Page 6] work, going over a vast space of ground, and presenting a great deal of matter that is worth thinking over. ”

“ None knew better or saw more clearly than Mr. Westropp that in this oldest symbolism and worship lay the foundations of all the goodly systems we call Religions.”—J. G. R. Forlong.
“A well-selected repertory of facts illustrating this subject, which should be read by all who are interested in the study of the growth of religions.”—Westminster Review.
In crown 8vo., 676 pages, cloth, price 10s. 6d.
MYTHS, SCENES, AND WORTHIES OF
SOMERSET. By Mrs. E. Boger.
The author has somewhat departed from her original intention of making a collection of the myths and legends of Somerset. ”