THE OCCULT SCIENCES. 



The Origin of Magic. The Savants and Philosophers reputed to be Magicians. Different Forms 

 of Occult Sciences. Oneiromancy. Oneirocritics and Diviners. Necromancy. Practices of 

 the Necromancers. Astrology. Celebrated Astrologers. Chiromancy. Ae'i-omancy and 

 other kinds of Divination. The Angelic Art and the Notorious Art. The Spells of the 

 Saints. Magic. The Evocation of Good and Evil Genii. Pacts wilh Demons. Celebrated 

 Magicians. Formula) and Circles. Incense and Perfumes. Talismans and Images. The 

 tormenting of Wax Images. The Sagittarii. The Evil Eye. Magic Alchemy. Cabalism. 

 The F.iiries, Elfs, and Spirits. The Were-wolves. The Sabbath. A Trial for Sorcery. 



JVERY illusion contains a principle, 

 every false science has its history," 

 says M. Ferdinand Denis, in a work 

 of which we propose to give an analysis. 

 " To imderstand as a whole the dif- 

 ferent branches of occult philosophy, 

 as it was understood in the Middle 

 Ages, it is necessary to say a few 

 words about magic as practised by the 

 ancients." 



To stud}' this vast subject in its primi- 

 tive sources, it would be necessary to explain the magic formulae of the Tcdas 

 in India, as handed down to us in the religion of the Hindoos, and to pene- 

 trate the systems of Hebraic cabalism. But we need not go back further 

 than Diodorus of Sicily, who in the time of Julius Caesar visited the most 

 distant countries of Asia and Africa, and who tells us of a Chaldean tribe 

 which composed a sacred caste, devoted exclusively to the study of the occult 

 sciences, and incessantly seeking to discover, by means of astrology and magic, 

 the secrets of the future. The same historian tells us that the Assyrians had 

 their diviners and augurs, to watch the flight of the birds and to offer up 

 sacrifices to the unknown gods, many centuries before these superstitious 



