Historical Sketches of Magic and Witchcraft in England and Scotland
Witch, Warlock and Magician is divided into two parts. The first part of the book, English Magicians, gives an overview of the progress of magic and alchemy in England and Scotland as well as an account of the lives of the most notable historical figures in this field, including Rosicrucians. The second part, Witches and Witchcraft, is devoted to an historical review of witchcraft in Britain and some of the most important witch-trials.
More books have been published on these themes, yet this work retains its unique position. Especially because Davenport Adams has amply provided his work with biographical anecdotes, abundant in unknown or humorous facts about the British front-liners of the secret sciences, including Roger Bacon, William Lilly and the Elizabethan magician John Dee. The book is also rich in factual occult data, including an overview of 15 different types of divination (..mancy), used in ancient times and to some extend in later centuries. The section on British witchcraft contains fascinating details on how witches affected the weather, entered an animal’s body and more. These testimonies are directly taken from official reports of witch trials.
