The Lesser Key of Solomon Goetia - The Book of Evil Spirits (1916, Hardcover) - de Laurence, L. W.

Though dated as 1916, this is a much more recent edition. De Laurence never updated the dates on his reprint editions. Though neither Mathers' or Crowley's names are mentioned anywhere in this edition, this book is actually a pirated version of the edition Crowley first published at Boleskine in 1904, under the title 'The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King, which was issued in an edition of 200 copies. The Goetia contains descriptions and evocations of 72 demons. This version is based on manuscripts from the British Museum, with numerous additions by Crowley, including a Preliminary Invocation drawn from Goodwin's Fragment of a Graeco-Egyptian Work upon Magic, and the essay 'The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic'. It is not a faithful edition of the source manuscripts but contains several innovations, including some evocations in Enochian written by Crowley. In his introduction, Crowley argues that the work of demonic evocation is merely a form of psychological self-exploration. Crowley states thus: After returning from Edinburgh, I do not seem even to have kept a record and I remember nothing about my doings. July is however the date of an essay The initiated interpretation of ceremonial magick which I prefaced to my edition of The Goetia. I had employed Mathers to translate the text of The Lesser Key of Solomon the King of which The Goetia is the first section. He got no further; after the events of 1900, he had simply collapsed morally. I added a translation of the conjurations into the Enochian or Angelic language; edited and annotated the text, prefixed a Preliminary Invocation, added a prefatory note, a Magical Square (intended to prevent improper use of the book - this was removed by De Laurence for this edition), and ultimately an Invocation of Typhon when the First Magical War of the Aeon of Horus was declared The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. New York, NY. Hill and Wang, 1969. Page 362.

Hardcover. English. de Laurence, Scott & Co. 1916. ISBN: 0. 80 pp. In good black cloth, corners a little bumped; clean inside other than the bottom of the publisher's page blacked out and foxing on end papers. Book No: 502220