History of Conjuring and Magic

Evans's compact history of conjuring from the earliest times to his own day. This scan is the revised 1930 edition.

What’s inside

1. Proem — what magic meant in the ancient world
2. Thaumaturgy of the temples — natural magic of the Egyptian and Greek priests, fire-walking, Heron of Alexandria
3. Superstition and escamotage — medieval conjurers, Roger Bacon, Reginald Scot’s “Discoverie of Witchcraft”, cups and balls
4. The crystal gazers — crystal gazing, Dr. Dee and Edward Kelly
5. Fantaisistes of the fairs and theatres — De Grisy, Pinetti, Breslaw, Katterfelto, Fawkes, automata
6. A Rosicrucian of the eighteenth century — Cagliostro and the diamond necklace affair

Henry Ridgely Evans, 1928 · William W. Durbin. Complete 96-page PDF. Free to download: check out at $0 and the file arrives by email and on your order page.

This classic is in the public domain. Scans come from library copies, so expect the odd stain or stamp of an old book.