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This edition is a fully illustrated reprint of the 1904 publication by Aleister Crowley and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. This edition of The Lesser Key of Solomon the King contains all of the over 150 seals, sigils, and charts of the original lesser book of Solomon. Beware of other editions that do not contain the Lesser Key of Solomon seals; they were painstakingly researched by Mathers and Crowley, and Solomon’s lesser key is enhanced by their inclusion. This edition also contains Crowley’s original comments located in over 35 annotations to help the reader understand the lesser keys of Solomon the king.In this work, Crowley and Mathers assemble descriptions and directions for the invocation of over 72 demons or spirits. Included are: illustrations of Solomon’s Magic Circle & Triangle, Enochian translations of the Goetia book, step by step guides for invocation, as well as definitions and explanations for the ancient terms seen throughout the Lesser Key of Solomon book.The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or “grimoire.” Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into their own great works.As a modern grimoire, the Lesser Key of Solomon has seen several editions with various authors and editors taking liberty to edit and translate the ancient writings and source material. In 1898, Arthur Edward Waite published his The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, which contained large portions of the Lemegeton. He was followed by Mathers and Crowley in 1904 who published The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon. Many others have assembled their own version of this ancient material since, and it is important to realize that it is the contents rather than the book itself that make up the Lesser Key. Traditionally, the source material is divided into five books: Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia Goetia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria. Mathers and Crowley indicate their edition is a translation only of the first book: Goetia.In the preface to this edition, it is explained that a “Secret Chief” of the Rosicrucian Order directed the completion of the book. The original editor was a G. H. Fra. D.D.C.F. who translated ancient texts from French, Hebrew, and Latin, but was unable to complete his labors because of the martial assaults of the Four Great Princes. Crowley was then asked to step in and finish what the previous author had begun. Traditionally, S. L. MacGregor Mathers is credited as the translator of this edition, and Crowley is given the title of editor. Although impossible to verify, it is often claimed that Mathers did not want to publish this work, but Crowley did so anyway without his permission.

Complete and unabridged with all original illustrations.The Collected Works of Ingersoll Lockwood: The Baron Trump Novels & 1900; Or, The Last President, have seen a resurgence in interest since Donald Trump's election to President of the United States in 2016. All of these titles were written before the turn of the 20th Century, but both contain eerie similarities with modern day political events. For the first time, all the works are presented in a single volume so readers can decipher for themselves whether Lockwood's words were a telling of things to come, or just a curious coincidence of American literature.In the 1890s, Ingersoll Lockwood authored a series of children's books about the escapades of his character, the young Baron Trump: Travels and Adventures of Little Baron Trump and his Wonderful Dog Bulger, and Baron Trump's Marvellous Underground Journey. The series followed a literary trend of the time, which had child protagonists adventuring to enchanted lands and encountering fantastic beings. Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, and L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are two famous examples of this genre.Lockwood's Baron is an aristocratic youth bored with his life of luxury in Castle Trump. Searching for adventure, Baron travels to Russia to discover an underground world beneath his feet. He journeys downward and finds himself lost in peculiar settings surrounded by the strange inhabitants of this new world. The stories follow his adventures and eventual struggle to find his way back to the surface he left behind.The Baron Trump novels were obscured by the more successful children's books of the time. Lockwood's tall tales seemed destined for the literary dust bin, but the election of Donald Trump in 2016 renewed interest in these works due to the President's youngest son's name: Barron Trump. Now, back in print, the Baron Trump series is enjoying considerable interest and success.In 1900; Or, The Last President, Ingersoll Lockwood paints a picture of a politically charged New York City, where a political outsider has overcome stiff opposition to be elected President of the United States. Mob rule threatens, and marching protests rove up and down Fifth Avenue. The scene is an uncanny reflection of what happened as Donald Trump spent his days as President Elect holed up in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue as he awaited his inauguration.

This is a hardrback reprint edition of S.L. MacGregor Mathers' The Key of Solomon the King first published in 1888. It contains the original text, all 91 illustrations, and over 80 footnotes composed by Mathers, which detail his original research and translation of ancient manuscripts located in British Museums. Also provided by Mathers is the Order of the Pentacles of Solomon, the Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon, The Qabalistic Invocation of Solomon, and 15 plates full of figures, seals and charts to aid the reader in their work. Beware of other editions that do not contain all of the original material, as the the book is rendered useless without them.The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. Book One explains the operation of conjurations, curses, spells and other magical works. Book Two instructs the practitioner on the proper attire, purification rituals and other means of obtaining the goals of the Goetia. Between these two books is the list of plates that contain numerous illustrations and secret seals of Solomon, including the Mystical Seal of Solomon, the Pentacles of Solomon, and the Mystical Alphabet, which impart the mechanisms and requirements for the invocation of spirits and demons and other magical works or spells.Sometimes referred to as the Greater Key of Solomon, this work should not be confused with the Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, which is based on similar source material and was also researched by S. L. MacGregor Mathers with the aid of Aleister Crowley. It is thought that The Greater Key of Solomon later inspired The Lesser Key as a derivative work: one with its own substantial value through the addition of various illustrations and guides such as the Magic Circle of Solomon, the 72 Seals of Solomon or King Solomon Seals, and the Pentagram of Solomon. But, although both grimoires are inspired by the same material, they are separate and distinct works.It is important to note the Solomon Key is not any one particular book. The material has been collected in various forms and published by many authors, including Armand Delatte, and L. W. de Laurence. The earliest versions of the text can be found in ancient manuscripts in different languages all dating from the 16th century or later and spread across the globe in various libraries or private collections. For example, a Hebrew edition survives in the British Library, while a Latin version is kept at the University of Wisconsin. Various French editions as well as English translations are located throughout the world.According to the mythical history of the document, King Solomon wrote the book for his son Rehoboam and commanded him to hide the book in his sepulchre upon his death. After many years, the book was discovered by a group of Babylonian philosophers repairing Solomon's tomb. None could interpret the text until one of them, Iohé Grevis, suggested that they should entreat the Lord for understanding. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and extracted a promise that he would keep the text hidden from the unworthy and the wicked, after which he was able to read it plainly. Iohé Grevis then placed a conjuration on the book preventing the unworthy, unwise, and godless from attaining the desired effect of its practices.Scholars however believe the work and its many iterations derive from the ancient practices of Jewish Kabbalah and Arab Alchemy. After time, it is thought Greek and Roman influences were added until, finally, the work was used and molded by high Renaissance magicians. This book, as well as other King Solomon books, such as the Magical Treatise of King Solomon and the Testament of Solomon, were brought back to modern times through the labors of occult practitioners such as S. L. MacGregor Mathers and others around the turn of the last century.

The Collected Writings of Edward Leedskalnin is a compilation of two of Leedskalnin's works, Magnetic Current and A Book in Every Home. This eccentric sculptor and amateur scientist devoted most of his life to creating a large complex of megalithic stones that he quarried and carved himself. Edward Leedskalnin was born in Latvia in 1887. Although he only received formal education up to the fourth grade, he was very inquisitive and spent a large part of his youth reading. He was said to be a sickly boy and grew into a small man-reportedly measuring just 5 feet tall and weighing 100 lbs. At age 26, he was engaged to marry a 16-year-old girl named Agnes Skuvst, but the wedding was called off. Accounts differ, some claiming the wedding was canceled the day before it was scheduled and others saying that Leedskalnin was jilted at the altar. Regardless, he was heartbroken and shortly after emigrated to America. After reaching New York in 1912, he continued on to Oregon where he worked for an ax-handle manufacturer. By 1923, he had contracted tuberculosis. The illness prompted him to move to a warmer climate for his health. He chose Florida, where he purchased an undeveloped acre of land in Florida City. It was on this modest plot that he began Rock Gate (later renamed Coral Castle). This ambitious project involved extracting enormous pieces of oolite stone from his land, moving them into position, and carving them-entirely alone. The pieces include sculptures and carved stone furniture, as well as a two-story tower that served as his living quarters. The project was devoted to his "Sweet Sixteen," the woman who had rejected him many years earlier.Due to the scale of the project, some have dubbed it "Florida's Stonehenge." While it's unclear how Leedskalnin was able to complete it, it is all the more impressive considering his small stature and questionable health. When he wasn't hewing or carving stone, Leedskalnin was also conducting experiments and writing. His first published work was a pamphlet titled A Book in Every Home, published in 1936. The book is divided into three parts, with the first section focusing on Leedskalnin's views on relationships and education. In the second section, Leedskalnin offers his opinions on domestic arrangements and the raising of children. And in the third, he shares his views on voting and the role of government, advocating that "the weaklings" should not be allowed to vote. Leedskalnin also spent two years testing magnets and recording his findings from Rock Gate. These experiments would form the basis of Magnetic Current, published in 1945. In the book, Leedskalnin argues that electricity and magnetism are not separate phenomena but are instead two aspects of the same fundamental force, which he calls "magnetic current." He also proposes a new model of atomic structure and suggests that the fundamental particles of matter are tiny magnets that are constantly in motion.Leedskalnin presents a variety of experiments throughout the book, many of which involve the manipulation of magnetic fields using simple items like various magnets, car batteries, light bulbs, and coils of wire. He believed that his discoveries could provide insights into the mysteries of the universe, including the relative positions of the celestial bodies.Both works demonstrate Leedskalnin's unique view of the world and his eccentric personality. While some of his ideas may be seen as outdated or controversial, the books offer an intriguing glimpse into the mind of a self-taught philosopher and inventor who had a unique perspective on the world around him.

The Collected Writings of Edward Leedskalnin is a compilation of two of Leedskalnin's works, Magnetic Current and A Book in Every Home. This eccentric sculptor and amateur scientist devoted most of his life to creating a large complex of megalithic stones that he quarried and carved himself. Edward Leedskalnin was born in Latvia in 1887. Although he only received formal education up to the fourth grade, he was very inquisitive and spent a large part of his youth reading. He was said to be a sickly boy and grew into a small man-reportedly measuring just 5 feet tall and weighing 100 lbs. At age 26, he was engaged to marry a 16-year-old girl named Agnes Skuvst, but the wedding was called off. Accounts differ, some claiming the wedding was canceled the day before it was scheduled and others saying that Leedskalnin was jilted at the altar. Regardless, he was heartbroken and shortly after emigrated to America. After reaching New York in 1912, he continued on to Oregon where he worked for an ax-handle manufacturer. By 1923, he had contracted tuberculosis. The illness prompted him to move to a warmer climate for his health. He chose Florida, where he purchased an undeveloped acre of land in Florida City. It was on this modest plot that he began Rock Gate (later renamed Coral Castle). This ambitious project involved extracting enormous pieces of oolite stone from his land, moving them into position, and carving them-entirely alone. The pieces include sculptures and carved stone furniture, as well as a two-story tower that served as his living quarters. The project was devoted to his "Sweet Sixteen," the woman who had rejected him many years earlier.Due to the scale of the project, some have dubbed it "Florida's Stonehenge." While it's unclear how Leedskalnin was able to complete it, it is all the more impressive considering his small stature and questionable health. When he wasn't hewing or carving stone, Leedskalnin was also conducting experiments and writing. His first published work was a pamphlet titled A Book in Every Home, published in 1936. The book is divided into three parts, with the first section focusing on Leedskalnin's views on relationships and education. In the second section, Leedskalnin offers his opinions on domestic arrangements and the raising of children. And in the third, he shares his views on voting and the role of government, advocating that "the weaklings" should not be allowed to vote. Leedskalnin also spent two years testing magnets and recording his findings from Rock Gate. These experiments would form the basis of Magnetic Current, published in 1945. In the book, Leedskalnin argues that electricity and magnetism are not separate phenomena but are instead two aspects of the same fundamental force, which he calls "magnetic current." He also proposes a new model of atomic structure and suggests that the fundamental particles of matter are tiny magnets that are constantly in motion.Leedskalnin presents a variety of experiments throughout the book, many of which involve the manipulation of magnetic fields using simple items like various magnets, car batteries, light bulbs, and coils of wire. He believed that his discoveries could provide insights into the mysteries of the universe, including the relative positions of the celestial bodies.Both works demonstrate Leedskalnin's unique view of the world and his eccentric personality. While some of his ideas may be seen as outdated or controversial, the books offer an intriguing glimpse into the mind of a self-taught philosopher and inventor who had a unique perspective on the world around him.

Mary Howitt's classic 19th Century poem, "The Spider and the Fly," warns its young readers against the danger of flattery and evil counsel. In her famous tale, the flitting Fly is overwhelmed by the cunning Spider, due in part to the Spider's deception, but also because of the Fly's own sins of vanity and naivety. The poem is told in an engaging rhyme and rhythm and is colorfully illustrated by Ukrainian artist Yelyzaveta Anysymova. This edition of Howitt's tale of moral hazard is a great addition to any child's bookshelf.Mary Howitt (1799-1888) was an English author of over 180 books, many written for children. Among her literary accomplishments were her translations of many tales by Hans Christian Andersen and her work as an editor on the Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book. She was recognized and rewarded for her life's work with a silver medal from the Literary Academy of Stockholm and a Civil List Pension from the United Kingdom.Yelyzaveta Anysymova is a self-taught children's book artist from Ukraine. She draws inspiration from the people and beauty of her hometown of Zaporizhzhia.

The Holy Science is a book of theology written by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in 1894. The text provides a close comparison of parts of the Christian Bible to the Hindu Upanishads, meant "to show as clearly as possible that there is an essential unity in all religions...and that there is but one Goal admitted by all scriptures." Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri was born Priya Nath Karar in 1855 to a wealthy family. As a young man, he was a brilliant student of math and science, astrology and astronomy. He joined a Christian missionary school where he studied the Bible and later spent two years in medical school. After completing his formal education, Priya Nath married and had a daughter. But he continued his intellectual and spiritual pursuits, depending on the income from his property to support himself and his family. After the death of his wife, he entered the monastic Swami order and became Sri Yuktesvar Giri, before becoming a disciple of famed guru Lahiri Mahasaya, known for his revitalization of Kriya Yoga. Then in 1894, Sri Yuktesvar Giri met Mahavatar Babaji, an ageless wise man who is said to have lived for untold hundreds of years. At this meeting, Mahavatar Babaji gave Sri Yuktesvar the title of Swami, and asked him to write this book comparing Hindu scriptures and the Christian Bible. Swami Sri Yuktesvar obeyed. He also founded two ashrams, including one in his ancestral home. He lived simply as a swami and yogi, devoted to disciplining his body and mind, and thus to liberating his soul. Among his disciples was Paramahansa Yogananda, credited with bringing yoga and meditation to millions of Westerners. The Holy Science consists of four chapters. The first is titled "The Gospel," and is intended to "establish the fundamental truth of creation." Next is "The Goal," which discusses the three things all creatures are seeking: "Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss." Chapter three, "The Procedure," is the most practical of the sections. It describes the natural way to live for purity and health of body and mind. The final chapter is called "The Revelation," and discusses the end of the path for those who are near the "three ideals of life." Swami Sri Yukteswar also displays his impressive knowledge and understanding of astrology by proposing his theory of the Yuga Cycle. Each yuga is an age of the world that tracks the movement of the sun, Earth, and planets. Each age represents a different state of humanity. There are four yugas: - Satya Yuga is the highest and most enlightened age of truth and perfection. - Treta Yuga is the age of thought and is more spiritually advanced than Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. - Dwapara Yuga is an energetic age, although not a wise one. During this yuga, people are often self-serving and greedy. The age is marked by war and disease.- Kali Yuga is the age of darkness, ignorance, and materialism. This is the least evolved age. Today, The Holy Science is highly respected among those seeking to understand the relationships between world religions and cultures. While some still believe that we are in Kali Yuga, many others believe that Swami Sri Yukteswar was accurate, and that his calculations correct previous errors that artificially inflated the length of the Yuga Cycle.

This book features Ginsburg's best-known dissents in a format accessible to the non-lawyer, giving RBG's worldwide fans an approach to their hero's life's work. Each dissent is prefaced with an explanation of the case to help prepare the lay reader for approaching difficult legal prose.Ginsburg is renowned for her feisty and fearless dissents, which are her arguments in opposition to the Court's majority opinion. Through this book, the reader will read Justice Ginsburg at the zenith of her passion as she fights to persuade the public and future generations of the Court's error. Through this book, we hope fans of Justice Ginsburg-especially the young-will gain better insight into the impact a single voice can have in the halls of our country's most powerful institutions.From the introduction: Why does the practice of dissenting exist? Do dissents matter? Do they ever have lasting impact? Why do judges write dissents? Why, even, do judges write at all? Does the written opinion, and especially the written dissent, impart special impact to the words of the court or judge issuing it? And what do the answers to these questions tell us about Ruth Bader Ginsburg's role and legacy both as a justice and as the Court's most famous dissenter?This book features Ginsburg's best-known dissents-formatted for the non-lawyer-and aims to show them within their proper context, both historically and in terms of how they reflect Ginsburg's life experience and jurisprudential philosophy.It is hard to pinpoint the commencement of Ginsburg's elevation from judge to hero for millions of idealistic Americans. Perhaps it was in 2015 with the publication of Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a New York Times bestseller that chronicled Ginsburg's life in the informal argot of its self-described "#millennial" authors. Though surely the process began earlier than that, on June 25, 2013, with the first post (celebrating Ginsburg's dissent lamenting the Supreme Court majority's gutting of the Voting Rights Act) on a popular blog devoted to celebrating all things Ginsburg. Regardless, it is safe to say that by 2018, Ginsburg's status as a cultural icon was cemented. That year saw the release of two films about her-On the Basis of Sex, a biopic chronicling her years as a women's rights lawyer; and RBG, a documentary about her life.What do millions of Americans see in her? She is, quite simply, the embodiment of nearly everything inspirational and aspirational about the better angels of the American experiment. Ginsburg is a gladiator. As a woman, she is one of the first of her kind. To the fight, she brings nothing but a pen. When the lions roar, she roars back, and with equal aplomb. She is ferocious. She is unafraid. Presented here are some of her most noble efforts. Although they are her last words in a losing battle, they have left an indelible mark up on the landscape of American jurisprudence."A dissent in a court of last resort is an appeal to the brooding spirit of law, to the intelligence of a future day when a later decision may possibly correct the error into which the dissenting judge believes the court to have been betrayed."-Charles Evans Hughes

Hardcover volume containing G.K. Chesterton's great companion apologies Heretics & Orthodoxy.Gilbert Keith Chesterton has become synonymous with modern Christian apologetics. But his impact goes beyond just those interested in a defense of Christian thought. His writings have influenced such diverse authors as C.S. Lewis, Marshall McLuhan, and Jorge Luis Borges, and remains a subtle and unseen presence in contemporary Catholic thought. At his funeral, Ronald Knox said "All of this generation has grown up under Chesterton's influence so completely that we do not even know when we are thinking Chesterton." Before his conversion from atheism to knowing God, C.S. Lewis, the author of Mere Christianity & The Great Divorce, said "in reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere -"Chesterton wrote in a time when materialism and new forms of political theory were soon to cause havoc in the western world. His was a voice calling for restraint - pointing back to the fundamentals of Christian doctrine, the purpose and value of which was being lost in the noise and commotion of the post industrial age. Describing the rush towards less familiar and attractive ideologies, Chesterton wrote: "In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, 'I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away.' To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: 'If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.'"Chesterton was a man who continually showed us the use of orthodoxy in Christianity - most of all in his great companion apologies: Heretics & Orthodoxy.In Heretics, he first points to the flaws in the beliefs of the moderns. In Orthodoxy, he defends the values handed down through millennium of Christian dogma.Chesterton was a great debater, often trading blows with modern thinkers such as George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell and Clarence Darrow. He became known as the "prince of paradox," He was also a prolific writer, producing biographies on St. Augustine and St. Francis, and touched on many of the varieties of religion in his writings. He wrote fiction as well, authoring the famous Father Brown books and the Man Who Was Thursday.Chesterton was certainly not the imitation of Christ in his personal life. A large man fond of food and drink, he was almost childlike in wonder of the magic of the world, while expressing the wit of an ancient. He gave no secret doctrine or systematic theology, but his "goodness" and basic "common sense" led many to the Church. One commenter stated: first you read C.S. Lewis, then Chesterton, then you become Catholic. Despite his less than temperate life, he is now under investigation by the Church for Beatification: such was his impact.

In the 1890s, Ingersoll Lockwood authored a series of children’s books about the escapades of his character, the young Baron Trump: Travels and Adventures of Little Baron Trump and his Wonderful Dog Bulger, and Baron Trump’s Marvellous Underground Journey. The series followed a literary trend of the time, which had child protagonists adventuring to enchanted lands and encountering fantastic beings. Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, and L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are two famous examples of this genre.Lockwood’s Baron is an aristocratic youth bored with his life of luxury in Castle Trump. Searching for adventure, Baron travels to Russia to discover an underground world beneath his feet. He journeys downward and finds himself lost in peculiar settings surrounded by the strange inhabitants of this new world. The stories follow his adventures and eventual struggle to find his way back to the surface he left behind.The Baron Trump novels were obscured by the more successful children’s books of the time. Lockwood’s tall tales seemed destined for the literary dust bin, but the election of Donald Trump in 2016 renewed interest in these works due to the President’s youngest son’s name: Barron Trump. Now, back in print, the Baron Trump series is enjoying considerable interest and success.

Ingersoll Lockwood's two books, Baron Trump's Marvellous Underground Journey & 1900; Or, The Last President, have seen a resurgence in interest since Donald Trump's election to President of the United States in 2016. Both books were written before the turn of the 20th Century, but both contain eerie similarities with modern day political events. For the first time, both works are presented in a single volume so readers can decipher for themselves whether Lockwood's words were a telling of things to come, or just a curious coincidence of American literature.Lockwood's Baron Trump character shares a similar name to President Donald Trump's youngest son Barron Trump. Baron, in the novels written by Lockwood, is a wealthy young prince living in "Castle Trump." He takes on magical adventures in a series of stories after Don, the "master of masters," shows him a secret portal in Russia which leads to various enchanted worlds Baron goes on to explore.In 1900; Or, The Last President, Ingersoll Lockwood paints the picture of a politically charged New York City, where a political outsider has overcome stiff opposition to be elected President of the United States. Mob rule threatens, and marching protests rove up and down Fifth Avenue. The scene is an uncanny reflection of what happened as Donald Trump spent his days as President Elect holed up in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue as he awaited his inauguration.

This hardback volume contains both The Key of Solomon the King (The Greater Key) and The Lesser Key of Solomon, including all of the original illustrations, diagrams and annotations to aid the reader in their understanding of the Solomon Key.The Key of Solomon the King was originally researched and translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from ancient manuscripts in the British museums. Included by Mathers is the Order of the Pentacles of Solomon, the Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon, The Qabalistic Invocation of Solomon, and 15 plates full of figures, seals and charts, as well as the original text giving detailed instruction for spells and invocations.The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. Book One explains the operation of conjurations, curses, spells and other magical works. Book Two instructs the practitioner on the proper attire, purification rituals and other means of obtaining the goals of the Goetia. Between these two books is the list of plates that contain numerous illustrations and secret seals of Solomon, including the Mystical Seal of Solomon, the Pentacles of Solomon, and the Mystical Alphabet, which impart the mechanisms and requirements for the invocation of spirits and demons.The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or "grimoire." Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into their own great works.As a modern grimoire, the Lesser Key of Solomon has seen several editions with various authors and editors taking liberty to edit and translate the ancient writings and source material. In 1898, Arthur Edward Waite published his The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, which contained large portions of the Lemegeton. He was followed by Mathers and Crowley in 1904 who published The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon. Many others have assembled their own version of this ancient material since, and it is important to realize that it is the contents rather than the book itself that make up the Lesser Key. Traditionally, the source material is divided into five books: Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia Goetia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria. Mathers and Crowley indicate their edition is a translation of the first.In the preface to this edition, it is explained that a "Secret Chief" of the Rosicrucian Order directed the completion of the book. The original editor was a G. H. Fra. D.D.C.F. who translated ancient texts from French, Hebrew, and Latin, but was unable to complete his labors because of the martial assaults of the Four Great Princes. Crowley was then asked to step in and finish what the previous author had begun. Traditionally, S. L. MacGregor Mathers is credited as the translator of this edition, and Crowley is given the title of editor.Scholars believe these books of Solomon and their many iterations derive from the ancient practices of Jewish Kabbalah and Arab Alchemy. After time, it is thought Greek and Roman influences were added until, finally, the work was used and molded by high Renaissance magicians. This book, as well as other King Solomon books, such as the Magical Treatise of King Solomon and the Testament of Solomon, were brought back to modern times through the labors of occult practitioners such as S. L. MacGregor Mathers, Aleister Crowley and others around the turn of the last century.

The three great apologies of G.K. Chesterton in one volume: Heretics, Orthodoxy & The Everlasting Man. Gilbert Keith Chesterton has become synonymous with modern Christian apologetics. But his impact goes beyond just those interested in a defense of Christian thought. His writings have influenced such diverse authors as C.S. Lewis, Marshall McLuhan, and Jorge Luis Borges, and remains a subtle and unseen presence in contemporary Catholic thought. At his funeral, Ronald Knox said "All of this generation has grown up under Chesterton's influence so completely that we do not even know when we are thinking Chesterton." Before his conversion from atheism to knowing God, C.S. Lewis, the author of Mere Christianity & The Great Divorce, said "in reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere -" Chesterton wrote in a time when materialism and new forms of political theory were soon to cause havoc in the western world. His was a voice calling for restraint - pointing back to the fundamentals of Christian doctrine, the purpose and value of which was being lost in the noise and commotion of the post industrial age. Describing the rush towards less familiar and attractive ideologies, Chesterton wrote: "In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, 'I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away.' To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: 'If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.'" Chesterton was a man who continually showed us the use of orthodoxy in Christianity - most of all in his three great apologies: Heretics, Orthodoxy & The Everlasting Man. In Heretics, he first points to the flaws in the beliefs of the moderns. In Orthodoxy, he defends the values handed down through millennium of Christian dogma. In The Everlasting Man, he tells the grand story of Christianity itself and the often ignored miracle of its appearance in the life of man. Chesterton was a great debater, often trading blows with modern thinkers such as George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell and Clarence Darrow. He became known as the "prince of paradox," He was also a prolific writer, producing biographies on St. Augustine and St. Francis, and touched on many of the varieties of religion in his writings. He wrote fiction as well, authoring the famous Father Brown books and the Man Who Was Thursday. Chesterton was certainly not the imitation of Christ in his personal life. A large man fond of food and drink, he was almost childlike in wonder of the magic of the world, while expressing the wit of an ancient. He gave no secret doctrine or systematic theology, but his "goodness" and basic "common sense" led many to the Church. One commenter stated: first you read C.S. Lewis, then Chesterton, then you become Catholic. Despite his less than temperate life, he is now under investigation by the Church for Beatification: such was his impact.