<p>First published in 1957, <em>The Secret Lore of Magic</em> contains within it a series of major source-books of magical arts. Many of them translated into English for the first time, these works are annotated and fully illustrated.</p><p>The book&#39;s title in itself signalled the fact that the bulk of material in this bibliographical study had never been published openly before. Together with <em>Oriental Magic</em> which appeared in the preceding year, it provided a complete survey of fundamental magical literature, and thus a comprehensive reference system for psychologists, ethnologists and others interested in the rise and development of human beliefs.</p><p>Both books also introduced the general reader to dependable information about what was a shadowy and confusing subject.</p>