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  3. Cambridge Library Collection - Spiritualism and Esoteric Knowledge

Magic, superstition, the occult sciences and esoteric knowledge appear regularly in the history of ideas alongside more established academic disciplines such as philosophy, natural history and theology. Particularly fascinating are periods of rapid scientific advances such as the Renaissance or the nineteenth century, which also see a burgeoning of interest in the paranormal among the educated elite. This series provides primary texts and secondary sources for social historians and cultural anthropologists working in these areas, and all who wish for a wider understanding of the diverse intellectual and spiritual movements that formed a backdrop to the academic and political achievements of their day. It ranges from works on Babylonian and Jewish magic in the ancient world, through studies of sixteenth-century topics such as Cornelius Agrippa and the rapid spread of Rosicrucianism, to nineteenth-century publications by Sir Walter Scott and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Subjects include astrology, mesmerism, spiritualism, theosophy, clairvoyance and ghost-seeing, as described both by their adherents and by sceptics.

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145 results in Cambridge Library Collection - Spiritualism and Esoteric Knowledge

Page 5 of 8

On the Phenomena of Dreams, and Other Transient Illusions
  • Walter Cooper Dendy
  • Published online:
    05 January 2012
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1832
  • The distinguished surgeon and medical writer Walter Cooper Dendy (1794–1871) published On the Phenomena of Dreams in 1832. The work carefully traces the history of western thought and philosophy on the topic of dreams and visions, examining authors from Aristotle to Hume and Pyrrho to Berkeley, and maps the development of poetical and literary traditions on the subject. Dendy's work then moves to an attempt to find a medical explanation and material source for dreams, psychic visions and illusions. Dendy presents his concept of a ghost as an intense idea, and attempts to classify and categorise different types of psychic experiences. Dendy's work was a pioneering attempt to find scientific solutions to supernatural phenomena. Very popular at the time, it now offers an invaluable insight into the Victorian fascination with the occult and the desire to approach the supernatural with reason and the rigours of scientific investigation.

Phantasms of the Living
  • Volume 2
  • Edmund Gurney, Frederic William Henry Myers, Frank Podmore
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1886
  • This two-volume work, co-authored by Edmund Gurney (1847–1888), Frederic W. H. Myers (1843–1901) and Frank Podmore (1856–1910), all leading members of the Society for Psychical Research, was first published in 1886. This collection, containing over 700 case studies of sensory phantasms and hypnotic experiments, was one of the first attempts to deal scientifically with the hypothesis of psychic thought-transference and to catalogue and provide a body of evidence in its support. Volume 2 presents data and analyses of auditory, visual, and tactile hallucinations, and those of a reciprocal or collective nature. It contains addenda and a conclusion for the two volumes. This pioneering study is an indispensable source for the history of psychical research and nineteenth-century attitudes to the idea of telepathy. It provides detailed insights into the Victorian fascination with the occult and the supernatural.

The Existence of Evil Spirits Proved
  • And Their Agency, Particularly in Relation to the Human Race, Explained and Illustrated
  • Walter Scott
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    27 January 2011
    First published in:
    1843
  • Walter Scott (1779–1858), President and Theological Tutor at Airedale College in Bradford, delivered a series of lectures on the occult at the Congregational Library, London, in 1841. This 1843 volume is a collection of Scott's lectures, in which he employs scriptural and testimonial evidence to support his claim that evil spirits exist. Scott describes the character and behaviour of evil spirits and the methods they employ to contact and influence humans; for example witchcraft, divination, possession and temptation. Scott draws on Jewish and ancient Egyptian literature, as well as accounts of the oracles of classical antiquity to illustrate his thesis, as well as numerous anecdotes from famous cases like the Salem witch trials. A passionate and colourful example of non-conformist Christian thought on the occult, and on the significance of what Scott explains are 'fallen angels who were transformed by their own wilful rebellion and apostasy into demons'.

Theosophy, Religion and Occult Science
  • With Glossary of Eastern Words
  • Henry Steel Olcott
  • Published online:
    25 October 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1885
  • The renowned lawyer and journalist Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907) published this work in 1885. In this work Olcott carefully lays out his arguments for the basis of theosophy, arguing for the truth of all religions because they share the same ancient roots or 'ur-religion'. As a founding member and the first president of the Theosophical Society, Olcott uses the work to set out the aims and objectives of the Society and attempts to reconcile his spiritual beliefs with science, reason and modernity. The work also includes accounts of his attempted empirical investigations into hypnotism, mesmerism and other spiritualist activities. The final chapters include discussions of India, Buddhism and Zoroastrian religion. The work was deeply influenced by Helena Blavatsky (1831–1891), then Olcott's close friend but later his opponent. It is a key text of the nineteenth-century theosophical movement and is an indispensable source for research into Victorian occult philosophy.

The History of Spiritualism
  • Volume 1
  • Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1926
  • The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) is best known for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes. Trained as a medical doctor, Doyle - like many Victorian intellectuals - became fascinated by spiritualism and its promise of communication with the afterlife. Doyle was a firm believer in the movement, claiming as evidence 'sign[s] of a purposeful and organized invasion' from the spirit world. In 1926, towards the end of his life, he published this influential two-volume history. Volume 1 covers the background and origins of spiritualism, beginning with Swedenborg before turning to the 'supernatural' events in upstate New York in 1848 that are generally regarded as the beginning of modern spiritualism. It then focuses on key individuals including D. D. Home, and on scientific investigations of spiritualist phenomena. The History provides valuable insights into Victorian and early twentieth-century culture and the controversies generated by spiritualism at that time.

The History of Spiritualism
  • Volume 2
  • Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1926
  • The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) is best known for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes. Trained as a medical doctor, Doyle - like many Victorian intellectuals - became fascinated by spiritualism and its promise of communication with the afterlife. Doyle was a firm believer in the movement, claiming as evidence 'sign[s] of a purposeful and organized invasion' from the spirit world. In 1926, towards the end of his life, he published this influential two-volume history. Volume 2 focuses on celebrated mediums from 1870 to World War I and explores topics such as 'ectoplasm', 'spirit photography' and 'voice mediumship'. Doyle also discusses spiritualism as practised in Europe and the religious aspects of the movement. The History provides valuable insights into Victorian and early twentieth-century culture and the enthusiasm and controversies generated by spiritualism at that time.

Old Diary Leaves 1875–8
  • The True Story of the Theosophical Society
  • First series, 1875–8
  • Henry Steel Olcott
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1895
  • Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907), co-founder of the Theosophical Society, was a versatile man. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of American agricultural education and also served in the U.S. War Department. Later Olcott was admitted to the New York Bar and became interested in psychology and spiritualism, travelling to India and Sri Lanka with Madame Blavatsky to explore eastern spiritual traditions, especially Buddhism. This volume (1895) describes the first meeting between Olcott and Madame Blavatsky and the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875. Olcott continued to practise as a lawyer (and supported the Society financially) while in the evenings he and Madame Blavatsky would entertain visitors or collaborate on the book Isis Unveiled. The author portrays his friend as a spiritual medium and describes how Madame Blavatsky's body was from time to time possessed by other 'entities'.

Old Diary Leaves 1883–7
  • The Only Authentic History of the Theosophical Society
  • Third series, 1883–87
  • Henry Steel Olcott
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1904
  • Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907), co-founder of the Theosophical Society, was a versatile man. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of American agricultural education and also served in the U.S. War Department. Later Olcott was admitted to the New York Bar and became interested in psychology and spiritualism, travelling to India and Sri Lanka with Madame Blavatsky to explore eastern spiritual traditions, especially Buddhism. This volume covers the period 1883–1887: Olcott tells of his meetings with many of the 'Masters' of the Society and considers what has been achieved since he and Madame Blavatsky met in Vermont in 1874. He is invited to Burma by its king, who is interested in hearing about Olcott's work; Madame Blavatsky resigns as Corresponding Secretary of the Society and goes into exile in Europe. The author, however, is determined to give a fair assessment of her invaluable contribution to the Society.

Sleep and its Phenomena
  • An Essay
  • James N. Pinkerton
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1839
  • James N. Pinkerton published Sleep and its Phenomena in 1839. The essay is a revision of a lecture first given to the medical faculty of the University of Edinburgh. In this work Pinkerton introduces his theory of types of sleep, analysing sleep in terms of its completeness. He follows with discussions of dreaming, sleepwalking, spectral illusions, sleep-time apparitions, hibernation and the sleep of plants, analysing each sleep-time activity in terms of sleep type. This work was one of the first to link the activities of the facial muscles and the nervous system during sleep with dreamed movements, thoughts and emotions. It was a pioneering work of nineteenth-century medical research into sleep and helped to establish Pinkerton's reputation. He is still well known today as one of the first to find a correspondence between sleep-actions and dreamed thoughts. It is an important work of Victorian medical research.

Anna Kingsford
  • Her Life, Letters, Diary and Work
  • Volume 1
  • Edward Maitland
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1896
  • First published in 1896, this two-volume biography details the life of physician and spiritualist Anna Kingsford (1846–1888). Kingsford, one of the first women to obtain a degree in medicine, began her literary career at the age of thirteen and in her lifetime was known for campaigning against vivisection, involvement in the suffragette movement, and promotion of vegetarianism, as well as her spiritualist exploits. This biography was written by her friend and colleague, the spiritualist Edward Maitland (1824–97), who served as Kingsford's protector while she studied in Paris. At the time of its publication, the work was not well received; the main criticism directed towards the book was that it focused on Maitland's psychic experiences rather than on Kingsford herself. Volume 1 focuses on Kingsford's early life, Maitland's first meeting with her, their time in Paris and their first supernatural experiences together.

Anna Kingsford
  • Her Life, Letters, Diary and Work
  • Volume 2
  • Edward Maitland
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1896
  • First published in 1896, this two-volume biography details the life of physician and spiritualist Anna Kingsford (1846–1888). Kingsford, one of the first women to obtain a degree in medicine, began her literary career at the age of thirteen and in her lifetime was known for campaigning against vivisection, involvement in the suffragette movement, and promotion of vegetarianism, as well as her spiritualist exploits. This biography was written by her friend and colleague, the spiritualist Edward Maitland (1824–97), who served as Kingsford's protector while she studied in Paris. At the time of its publication, the work was not well received; the main criticism directed towards the book was that it focused on Maitland's psychic experiences rather than on Kingsford herself. Volume 2 details the later part of Kingsford's life, including extensive travel, the foundation of the Theosophical and Hermetic societies, her eventual decline in health and her death.

Lights and Shadows of Spiritualism
  • Daniel Dunglas Home
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1877
  • Daniel Dunglas Home (1833–1886) was a charismatic medium whose seances were attended by European royalty and eminent Victorians like Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Thrown out by his aunt because of the paranormal events which plagued him since childhood, Home became a 'professional house guest' and medium at the age of 17. During seances he purportedly levitated, handled hot coals and channelled the voices of the dead. This volume, first published in 1877, is an evocative examination of spiritualism which explores the history of the practice via the Greeks, the Romans, and Joan of Arc. Simultaneously attacking fraudulent mediums while celebrating 'true' spiritualist practitioners, this fascinating work details both the criticism and support received by Home and features reproductions of numerous fan letters. Although colourful and impassioned, Home's polemic is written in an amiable style and provides fascinating insights into the life and work of the self-proclaimed 'Grandfather of English Spiritualism'.

Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions
  • Volume 1
  • Charles Mackay
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    27 January 2011
    First published in:
    1852
  • This book is a joy to read and remains relevant in the current era of financial boom and bust. Mackay examines animal magnetism, money-mania, tulip-mania, the history of hair and facial hair, the crusades, haunted houses, and much more. Throughout history, the most extraordinary fashions and trends have been followed unthinkingly, and occasionally this crowd fever has overtaken not only a town but a whole country; in some cases much of western Europe was engulfed simultaneously. The ability of some manias to be so far-reaching, and for common sense and intelligence to abandon such large populations seem incredible, though the book is as thought-provoking now as it was when first published in 1852. Brought to life with exquisite engravings and witty commentary, the first volume focusses on the financial bubbles in Europe and the wide-ranging consequences of fashions in hair, prophecies and alchemy.

The History of the Supernatural in All Ages and Nations
  • Volume 1
  • William Howitt
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    27 January 2011
    First published in:
    1863
  • This two-volume history of the supernatural, first published in 1863, is a staggering feat: extending his work across almost a thousand pages, William Howitt attempts to describe the engagement with the supernatural in all ages and all parts of the world in order to identify a common link between them. Howitt (1792–1879), a well-known writer in his day, published over fifty books in his lifetime, some in collaboration with his wife, writer and translator Mary Howitt. His interest in the supernatural was precipitated by the untimely deaths of two sons. This first volume begins with an apology for faith in the nineteenth century and continues with spiritualist histories of Europe, the bible and apocrypha, the ancient world, the East, and Scandinavia, emphasising the persisting legacy and presence of human engagement with the supernatural in each case.

The History of the Supernatural in All Ages and Nations
  • Volume 2
  • William Howitt
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    27 January 2011
    First published in:
    1863
  • This two-volume history of the supernatural, first published in 1863, is a staggering feat: extending his work across almost a thousand pages, William Howitt attempts to describe the engagement with the supernatural in all ages and all parts of the world in order to identify a common link between them. Howitt (1792–1879), a well-known writer in his day, published over fifty books in his lifetime, some in collaboration with his wife, writer and translator Mary Howitt. His interest in the supernatural was precipitated by the untimely deaths of two sons. Beginning with a chapter on magic and its relation to the supernatural, this second volume concentrates mainly on Christian history, detailing the spiritualist aspects of the early church, medieval heresy, the Reformation, and nineteenth-century supernatural engagement, also including pagan and neo-platonic perceptions.

Mesmerism and Christian Science
  • A Short History of Mental Healing
  • Frank Podmore
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1909
  • For most of his life a clerk in the post office, Frank Podmore (1856–1910) was a prolific author on psychical research. As an undergraduate Podmore became interested in spiritualism, and he joined the British National Association of Spiritualists. Eventually disillusioned by that society, Podmore co-founded several organisations: the Progressive Association (in 1882); the Fellowship of the New Life (1883); and, spurred by his desire to see political change, the Fabian Society (1884). Podmore's membership in the Society for Psychical Research influenced his activities and interests, and he spent the next twenty years investigating and writing on psychical phenomena. Podmore's two-volume Modern Spiritualism (also reissued in this series) is a source for this 1909 work, which 'constituted the most scholarly history of mesmerism and its offshoots to that date', according to one reviewer. This work will interest historians of science and medicine, and scholars of Victorian religious movements.

The Supernatural?
  • Lionel A. Weatherly, John Nevil Maskelyne
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    16 June 2011
    First published in:
    1892
  • Lionel Weatherly (1852–1940) was a respected psychiatrist who advocated a more modern and sympathetic approach to mental illness than many of his contemporaries. In this work, first published in 1891, he discusses a variety of supernatural phenomena, seeking scientific and rational explanations for ghostly apparitions and paranormal experiences. Weatherly scrutinises stories of mirages, prophetic dreams and the experiences of historical figures like Joan of Arc. Also included is a chapter by famous illusionist and inventor J. N. Maskelyne. Maskelyne famously exposed the fraud of a number of spiritualists, and created illusions which are still performed today. His witty and colourful chapter examines the truth behind a number of famous Eastern magical illusions, sharing insights on trade secrets. Maskelyne also delves into mediumistic fraud, questioning the credibility of figures like D. D. Home and Madame Blavatsky, in an entertaining and carefully argued investigation of phenomena which have mystified for centuries.

That Other World
  • Personal Experiences of Mystics and Their Mysticism
  • Stuart C. Cumberland
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1918
  • Although Stuart Cumberland (1857–1922) was renowned for his mind-reading skills, he was a staunch critic of related spiritualist practices. He claimed that many séances and other events that he had seen confirmed his suspicions that 'the chief basis of the movement was money-making'. So he decided to launch his own campaign to uncover the truth about the methods of spirit-mediums, and in this work, published in 1918, he explains many mediums' tricks, such as making tables move using special silk thread, not spiritual aid. He lectured about the subject in places ranging from Cambridge University to Lambeth Palace, and attributed his own success to his ability to read muscle movement, rather than any supernatural communication. Providing a fascinating picture of the changing spiritualist movement, this work illustrates the extent of the social and political influence of some spiritualists, but also how credibility about their practices was being challenged.

La Magie et l'Astrologie dans l'Antiquité et au Moyen Âge
  • Ou, Étude sur les Superstitions Païennes que se sont Perpétuées Jusqu’a Nos Jours
  • L. -F. -Alfred Maury
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1860
  • Published just a year before his seminal Le Sommeil et les Rêves (1861), this book by French scholar L. -F. -Alfred Maury (1817–1892) examines the complex history of occult philosophy. A librarian by profession, Maury was widely published in geography, archaeology, medicine, law, psychology and bibliography as well as history, and was a well-known figure in Parisian intellectual circles. In this 1860 publication Maury considers the relationship between science and magic, purporting to demonstrate how people have been 'elevated' from the darkness of supernatural belief into the light of modern science. The book is divided into two parts. The first examines the traditions of magic and astrology in the ancient civilisations of Persia, Greece, Babylon, Rome, and the Orient, and the influence of Christianity on magic. The latter half includes an investigation of possible explanations, considering magic in relation to drugs, dreams, hallucinations, somnambulism, and the imagination.

Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky
  • Compiled from Information Supplied by her Relatives and Friends
  • Alfred Percy Sinnett
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1886
  • Ukrainian-born Madame Helena Blavatsky (1831–1891) was a co-founder of the theosophy movement in the United States, which she later extended to Europe and India, though her later years were dogged by ill health and controversy. In this book, published in 1886, A. P. Sinnett (1840–1921), a fellow theosophist and writer, sets out a defence of Blavatsky, writing that 'I have reason to believe that the attempt will respond to the wishes of a great many people ... who regard the current aspersion on Mme. Blavatsky's character with profound indignation'. He outlines the many extraordinary events in her life, covering her childhood in Russia and claims to an early connection with the supernatural world, her brief unhappy marriage and decade of extensive global travels, her time of study in India, and the criticism she received about some of her 'phenomena' and practices.

Page 5 of 8