- VIALS OF MAGICRY -
The Editor of Round Robin has lately discovered, in a library of occult works, a fine and complete copy of the The True Relation. Tho the great interest of this book will be apparent only to occultists, and among these chiefly to Qabalists, yet the title pages alone will cause a watering of the mouth to any bibliophile. Round Robin space is at a premium, and we cannot print in both red and black, nor use Old English lettering, and five sizes of capitals - but we cannot resist giving you the substance of this page. It's about 8½ x 13 in. long, and reads like this.
A TRUE AND FAITHFUL
RELATION
of
What Passed for many Years Between
Dr. John Dee
(A Mathematician of Great Fame in Q. Eliz. and King James, Their Reigns) and
SOME SPIRITS
Tending (had it Succeeded)
To a General Alteration of most STATES and
KING-DOMS in the World.
His Private Conferences with Rodolphe Emperor of Germany, Stephen K. of Poland, and divers other PRINCES about it.
The Particulars of his Cause, as it was agitated in the Emperor's Court; by the Pope's Intervention; His Banishment, and Restoration in part
As Also
The Letters of Sundry Great Men / and Princes (some whereof were present at some of the Conferences and Apparitions of Spirits) to the said Dr. Dee
Out of
The Original Copy, written with Dr/Dee's own Hand: Kept in the Library of / Sir THO. COTTON, K's Baronet
With a
PREFACE
Confirming the fealtity (as to the Point/of Spirits) of This Relation: and shewing the several good Uses that a sober Christian may make of All
by
Meric. Casaubon, D.D. / London / Printed by D.Maxwell, for T. Garthwait, / and sold at the Little / North door of S.Paul's, and by / other Stationers. 1659.
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So much for this singular title page; the text, heavily sprinkled [7] with Latin, runs to about 550. And a most notable sensation it made, these near 300 years back! "I make no question," writes the learned Casaubon in his preface, "but there will be men enough found in the whole world whose curiosity will lead them to Read what I think is not to be parallelled in that kind by any book that hath been let out in any age to read."
So say we (some of us) these near three centuries later, O learned Doctor! For here is a fountain head of esoteric Qabalism, or Qabalistic Rosicrucianism, of the mystery of Enochian, language of Angels, and of the inviolable heights of the Sigillum of the God of Truth. We mention this in part, because the true radiance of the Golden Dawn has not yet wholly departed from our world.
(It is with the help of this True Relation that we hope, without infringement on the rights of others, to offer to friends of Flying Roll our own reproduction of the Sigillum Dei Aemeth - tho especially to those Who have already some instruction in this matter).
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Iconoclast
That story about Washington's vision - you have all heard it. In the darkest hours of Valley Forge an Angel - or a "beautiful female" - appeared to him, and revealed a symbolic vision of the future of our country. "Son of the Republic, look, and learn," quoth the visitant. Spiritualist papers are fond of reprinting this incident, or alluding to it; now and then it gets into some book of "prophecies". At long last, however, comes Round Robin friend Mr. C. Q. Wesner, writer, lecturer and librarian, sniffs suspiciously, makes inquiry of the Library of Congress, Division of Manuscripts, and gets in substance the following reply:
"There is no evidence in his own papers and writings that George Washington experienced any visions whatsoever. The story of Washington's vision was undoubtedly written by Charles Wesley Alexander (1836-1927), who published many romances and stories dealing with notable events during and after the Civil War period. Alexander wrote under the pen names of Wesley Bradshaw and Wellesley Bradshaw. During the war he edited patriotic magazines. Washington's Vision was probably written in 1860 or 1861. Records of the Copyright Office show that on Oct. 6, 1865, C.W. Alexander & Co. entered the title of a book called 'Washington's Vision', by Wesley Bradshaw."
Sic transit! But the yarn will live as long as hatchet and cherry tree and many another fable, in the minds of most. Theosophical Forum XXII - 11 contains the above data.
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'The universal subconscious mind corresponds in each individual to that individual's attitude toward it. This theory underlies nearly all forms of "mental science". Hence, the psychological value of conceiving this Mind as a benign Father - and also the effects of concentration, healing, and other occult phenomena.'
"S.T." A Modern in Search of Truth
References
- Dee, John, Meric Casaubon, and Edward Kelly. A True & Faithful Relation of What Passed for Many Yeers between Dr. John Dee ... and Some Spirits: Tending, Had It Succeeded, to a General Alteration of Most States and Kingdomes in the World ... As Also the Letters of Sundry Great Men and Princes ... Out of the Original Copy Written with Dr. Dee's Own Hand, Kept in the Library of Sir Tho. Cotton, Kt. Baronet. London: Printed by D. Maxwell for T. Garthwait, 1659. Print. [Digital: <https://archive.org/details/truefaithfulrela00deej>]
- Bradshaw, Wesley. Washington's Vision: The First Union Story Ever Written. Philadelphia: C.W. Alexander, 1864. Print. [Digital: <http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/wright/VAC5570>]
- S. T. "A Modern in Search of Truth." Century Magazine May 1928: 108-20. Print. [Digital: <http://www.unz.org/Pub/Century-1928may-00108>]