“History of Genii and Familiar Spirits”, first published in 1705, presentsahistoryofcommunicationwiththepersonal Genius and Familiar Spirits that draws on sources as diverse as Neo-Platonism, Renaissance occultism, Greco-Roman history, and cross-cultural comparisons with the Sami people and Native Americans. Beaumont presents examples of contact with spirits through visions, dreams, aparitions, and magic, stretching from Socrates to his own day. John Beaumont, (c.1650-1731), was a physician, antiquarian, mystic, geologist, and fellow of the Royal Society.

Robert Cross Smith (1795-1832) was an astrologer, magician, and geomancer. Smith founded the periodicals, “The Straggling Astrologer” and “The Familiar Astrologer”, which published magical material as well as astrological advice. The magical material dealt with topics as varied as alchemy, charms, the virtues of herbs and stones, invoking spirits into crystals, evoking demons, evoking spirits into circles, necromancy, invoking the fairy king Oberion, writings about fairies, geomancy, palmistry, physiognomy, divination by the “Wheel of Pythagoras”, and Behmenist Theosophy. “A Sorcerous Anthology” collects these writings, plus several pieces from Smith’s other publications, and presents them for the first time in one place. Certain of the writings have not been in print since the 1840s, and none have been presented without the other content of the magazines. Divided into four parts, “A Sorcerous Anthology” contains sections on Divination, Low Magic, and High Magic, as well as selections on the history of astrology and the powers of the planets, Smith’s original introductions to the publications, and an obituary and horoscope for Smith written by fellow astrologer “Zadkiel”.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1872.

Many people today are entranced by the idea of speaking with the dead or else immersing themselves in vampire tales and wonder. What most people don't realize is how old and revered these stories really are. Within this work Calmet attempts to show where the idea of spirits and apparitions comes from and then within the second part of the main work where the idea and history of the vampire itself comes from. This work simply is not just a history text of ancient religious beliefs but also explains the thinking and beliefs that surrounded the spirits and vampires in the day and age when Calmet wrote this work.