Three books of occult philosophy or magic (1898) PDF by Cornelius Agrippa

Three books of occult philosophy or magic Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, (born Sept. 14, 1486, Cologne—died Feb. 18, 1535, Greno...

Three books of occult philosophy or magic

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, (born Sept. 14, 1486, Cologne—died Feb. 18, 1535, Grenoble, Fr.), court secretary to Charles V, physician to Louise of Savoy, exasperating theologian within the Catholic Church, military entrepreneur in Spain and Italy, acknowledged expert on occultism, and philosopher.

Judicious Reader: This is true and sublime Occult Philosophy. To understand the mysterious influences of the intellectual world upon the celestial, and of both upon the terrestrial; and to know how to dispose and fit ourselves so as to be capable of receiving the superior operations of these worlds, whereby we may be enabled to operate wonderful things by a natural power— to discover the secret counsels of men, to increase riches, to overcome enemies, to procure the favour of men, to expel diseases, to preserve health, to prolong life, to renew youth, to foretell future events, to see and know things done many miles oft, and such as these. These things may seem incredible, yet read but the ensuing treatise and thou Shalt see the impossibility confirmed both by reason and example.

In the last half of 1509 and the first months of 1510, Cornelius A^jrippa, known in his day as a Magician, gathered together all the Mystic lore he had obtained by the energy and ardour of youth and compiled it into the elaborate system of Magic, in three books, known as Occult Philosophy, the first book of which — Natural Magic— constitutes the present volume. Agrippa published his Occult Philosophy, with additional chapters, in 1533. The only English translation appeared in London in 1651. It is a thoroughly edited and revised edition of this latter work that we produce. Some translating has been done and missing parts are supplied. The reader is assured that while we have modified some of the very broad English of the seventeenth century, that he has a thoroughly valid work. Due care has been taken to preserve all the quaintness of the English text as far as consistent with plain reading. We have endeavored to do full justice to our author, the demands of those purely mystical, and the natural conservatism of the antiquary and collector. In this, we believe we have fully succeeded.


The life of Agrippa, up to the time of writing his Occult Philosophy, is also given, drawn mostly from Henry Morley's excellent life of Cornelius Agrippa. That part of the volume credited to Mr Morley may be designated as an honest skeptic's contribution to Mysticism, and his chapters are produced entire, as justice to both he and Agrippa cannot be done otherwise, and they are an especially valuable part of Mystic literature.

The book is translated by  Willis Whitehead
author:: Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa  died18 February 1535
Download 7.3 MB PDF book

publishing company Chicago: Hahn & Whitehead