Francis Barrett - The Magus, or Celestial intelligencer

The Magus is one of the primary sources for the study of ceremonial magic, and for a long time was one of the rarest and most sought after of the 19th century grimoires. Barretts magnum opus embodies deep knowledge of Alchemy, Astrology, and the Kabbalah, and has been cited by the Golden Dawn and other occult and esoteric movements as source material. Written in 1801 in the middle of the Age of Reason, sandwiched between Newton and Darwin, this was possibly the last epoch that a work like this could be composed.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: The Magus is broken down into two physical volumes. The reference to three books on the title page may be confusing. The third book is the biographical section and comprises part of the second volume. The biographical section has been deprecated by authorities such as Waite, and its not even certain that it was written by Barrett; it may have been added as filler by the printer.

THE

MAGUS,

OR

CELESTIAL INTELLIGENCER;

BEING

A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF

OCCULT PHILOSOPHY .

IN THREE BOOKS;

Containing the Antient and Modern Practice of the Cabaliftic Art, Natural and Celeftial Magic, &c.; fhewing the wonderful Effects that may be performed by a Knowledge of the

Celestial Influences, the occult Properties of Metals, Herbs, and Stones,

AND THE

APPLICATION OF ACTIVE TO PASSIVE PRINCIPLES .

EXHIBITING

THE SCIENCES OF NATURAL MAGIC;

Alchymy, or Hermetic Philosophy;

ALSO

THE NATURE CREATION, AND FALL OF MAN;

His natural and fupernatural Gifts; the magical Power inherent in the Soul, &c.; with a great Variety of rare Experiments in Natural Magic:

THE CONSTELLATORY PRACTICE, or TALISMANIC MAGIC;

The Nature of the Elements. Stars, Planets, Signs, &c.; the Conftruction and Compofition of all Sorts of Magic Seals, Images, Rings, Glaffes, &c.;

The Virtue and Efficacy of Numbers, Characters, and Figures, of good and evil Spirits.

MAGNETISM,

AND CABALISTICAL OR CEREMONIAL MAGIC;

In which, the fecret Myfteries of the Cabala are explained; the Operations of good and evil Spirits; all Kinds of Cabaliftic Figures, Tables, Seals, and Names, with their Ufe, &c.

THE TIMES, BONDS, OFFICES, AND CONJURATION OF SPIRITS.

TO WHICH IS ADDED

Biographia Antiqua, or the Lives of the most eminent Philosophers, Magi, &c.

The Whole illustrated with a great Variety of

CURIOUS ENGRAVINGS, MAGICAL AND CABALISTICAL FIGURES, &c.

BY FRANCIS BARRETT, F.R.C.

Professor of Chemistry, natural and occult Philosophy, the Cabala, &c., &c.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR LACKINGTON, ALLEY, AND CO., TEMPLE OF THE MUSES,
FINSBURY SQUARE.

1801.

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, October 2002. J. B. Hare, redactor.

[xv]

IN this Work, which we have written chiefly for the information of those who are curious and indefatigable in their enquiries into occult knowledge, we have, at a vast labour and expence, both of time and charges, collected whatsoever can be deemed curious and rare, in regard to the subject of our speculations in Natural Magicthe CabalaCelestial and Ceremonial MagicAlchymyand Magnetism; and have divided it into two Books, sub-divided into Parts: to which we have added a third Book, containing a biographical account of the lives of those great men who were famous and renowned for their knowledge; shewing upon whose authority this Science of Magic is founded, and upon what principles. To which we have annexed a great variety of notes, wherein we have impartially examined the probability of the existence of Magic, both of the good and bad species, in the earliest, as well as in the latter, ages of the world. We have exhibited a vast number of rare experiments in the course of this Treatise, many of which, delivered in the beginning, are founded upon the simple application of actives to passives; the others are of a higher speculation.

In our history of the lives of Philosophers, &c. we have omitted nothing that can be called interesting or satisfactory. We have taken our historical characters from those authors most deserving of credit; we have given an outline of the various reports tradition gives of them; to which are annexed notes, drawn from the most probable appearance of truth, impartially describing their characters and actions; leaning neither to the side of those who doubt every thing, nor to them whose credulity takes in every report to be circumstantially true. [xiv] At this time, the abstruse sciences of Nature begin to be more investigated than for a century past, during which space they have been almost totally neglected; but men becoming more enlightened, they begin to consider the extraordinary effects that were wrought by ancient philosophers, in ages that were called dark. Many, therefore, have thought that time, nature, causes, and effects, being the same, with the additional improvements of mechanical and liberal arts, we may, with their knowledge of Nature, surpass them in the producing of wonderful effects; for which cause many men are naturally impelled, without education or other advantage, to dive into the contemplation of Nature; but the study thereof being at first difficult, they have recourse to lay out a great deal of money in collecting various books: to remedy which inconvenience and expence, the Author undertook to compose THE MAGUS, presuming that his labours herein will meet with the general approbation of either the novitiate or adept: for whose use and instruction it is now published.

But to return to the subject of our Book: we have, in the First Part, fully explained what Natural Magic is; and have shewn that, by the application of actives to passives, many wonderful effects are produced that are merely natural, and done by manual operations. We have procured every thing that was valuable and scarce respecting this department of our work, which we have introduced under the title of Natural Magic; and a variety of our own experiments likewise. In the possession of this work, the laborious and diligent student will find a complete and delectable companion; so that he who has been searching for years, for this author and the other, will in this book find the marrow of them all.

But I would advise, that we do not depend too much upon our own wisdom in the understanding of these mysteries; for all earthly wisdom is foolishness in the esteem of GodI mean all the wisdom of man, which he pretends to draw from any other source than God alone.

We come next to the Second Part of our First Book, treating of the art called the Constellatory Practice, or Talismanic Magic; in which we fully demonstrate the power and efficacy of Talismans, so much talked of, and so little

p. xv

understood, by most men: we therefore explain, in the clearest and most intelligible, manner, how Talismans may be made, for the execution of various purposes, and by what means, and from what source they become vivified, and are visible instruments of great and wonderful effects. We likewise shew the proper and convenient times; under what constellations and aspects of the planets they are to be formed, and the times when they are most powerful to act; and, in the next place, we have taught that our own spirit is the vehicle of celestial attraction, transferring celestial and spiritual virtue into