The classic groundbreaking exploration of ancient occult philosophy by the author of The History of Magic.Steeped in the Western occult tradition, Éliphas Lévi (Alphonese Louis Constant) was a master of the Rosicrucian interpretation of the Qabalah, which forms the basis of magic as practiced in the West today.The first half of this book deals with the principles and theories that underlie magical work, covering the subject from the Qabalistic, Hermetic, and Christian points of view; while in the second half, instructions are clearly given for the preparation of the instruments of the art and of their ceremonial employment in the rites governing necromancy, spells, and divination.The translation and notes by A.E. Waite are immaculate. Waite, a noted scholar of his day, taught the theory and practice of magic in both the Hermetic and Rosicrucian orders. Due to the high caliber of both author and editor, this book maintains its preeminent position in the literature of the magic arts.