The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts
by Arthur Edward Waite

$12

(1 review, 1 customer rating) ★★★★★

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The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts by Arthur Edward Waite

The primary reason we are offering this work is that Ted Annemann included it in his "Five-Foot Shelf of Magic". I am assuming he included it because he felt a conjurer needed to have some understanding of black magic and be able to converse intelligently about it. It may also be a source for plots and scripts for routines.

PREFACE
EXPLANATION OF FULL-PAGE PLATES
PART I THE LITERATURE OF CEREMONIAL MAGIC
- CHAPTER I The Antiquity of Magical Rituals
  - §1. The Importance of Ceremonial Magic.
  - §2. The Distinction between White and Black Magic.
  - §3. The Unprinted Literature of Ceremonial Magic
- CHAPTER II The Rituals of Transcendental Magic
  - §1. The Arbatel of Magic.
  - §2. Theosophia Pneumatica.
  - §3. The Enchiridion of Pope Leo.
  - §4. The Seven Mysterious Orisons.
  - §5. Summary of Transcendental Magic.
- CHAPTER III Composite Rituals
  - §1. The Key of Solomon the King.
  - §2. The Lesser Key of Solomon.
  - §3. The Fourth Book of Cornelius Agrippa.
  - §4. The Heptameron.
- CHAPTER IV The Rituals of Black Magic
  - §1. The Grimorium Verum.
  - §2. True Black Magic.
  - §3. The Grand Grimoire.
  - §4. The Grimoire of Honorius.
  - §5. Minor and Spurious Rituals of Black Magic.
  - §6. The Black Pullet.
  - §7. Talismans of the Sage of the Pyramids.
  - §8. The Gold-Finding Hen.
PART II THE COMPLETE GRIMOIRE
- CHAPTER I The Preparation of the Operator
  - §1. Concerning the Love of God.
  - §2. Concerning Fortitude.
  - §3. Concerning Continence and Abstinence.
  - §4. Concerning the External Preparation of the Operator, and firstly Concerning Ablution.
  - §5. Concerning the External Preparation of the Operator, and secondly Concerning the Vestments.
- CHAPTER II The Initial Rites and Ceremonies
  - §1. Concerning the Virtues of the Planets.
  - §2. A General Instruction concerning the Instruments required for the Art.
  - §3. Concerning the Rod and Staff of the Art.
  - §4. Concerning the Pen and Ink of the Art.
  - §5. Concerning Virgin Wax or Virgin Earth.
  - §6. Concerning the Silken Cloth.
  - §7. Concerning the Victim of the Art.
  - §8.—Concerning Aspersion and Fumigation.
  - §9. Concerning the Time of Operation.
- CHAPTER III. Concerning the Descending Hierarchy
  - §1.—The Names and Offices of Evil Spirits.
  - §2.—Concerning the Forms of Infernal Spirits in their Manifestations.
- CHAPTER IV. The Mysteries of Goëtic Theurgy According to the Lesser Key of Solomon the King
  - §1.—Concerning the Spirits of the Brazen Vessel, otherwise called the False Monarchy of Demons.
  - §2. Concerning the Rite of Conjuration from the “Lemegeton.”
- CHAPTER V. Concerning the Mystery of the Sanctum Regnum, or the Government of the Evil Spirits; being the Rite of Conjuration according to the Grimorium Verum
- CHAPTER VI The Mysteries of Infernal Invocation according to the Grand Grimoire
  - §1. The Rite of Lucifuge.
  - §2. Concerning the Genuine Sanctum Regnum, or the True Method of Making Pacts.
- CHAPTER VII. The Method of Honorius
- CHAPTER VIII. Miscellaneous and Minor Processes
  - §1. Concerning Works of Hatred and Destruction.
  - §2. Concerning Venereal Experiments.
  - §3. Concerning the Experiment of Love.
  - §3. Concerning the Experiment of Invisibility.
  - §4.—Concerning the Hand of Glory.
  - §5.—Concerning the Vision of Spirits in the Air.
  - §6.—Concerning Divination by the Word of Uriel.
  - §7.—Concerning the Mirror of Solomon, suitable for all Kinds of Divination.
  - §8.—Concerning the Three Rings of Solomon, Son of David.
- CHAPTER IX. Concerning Infernal Necromancy

1st edition 1910, 296 pages; PDF 205 pages.
word count: 82539 which is equivalent to 330 standard pages of text

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Reviewed by Gregg Webb (confirmed purchase)
★★★★★ Date Added: Monday 19 February, 2024

Arthur Waite designed the Tarot deck most people know, and wrote the book most people learn from. Turns out he knows his stuff about demonology too. It looks like all the manuscripts derive from the Keys of Solomon. He has gathered them all and compares and analyzes them all for differences and similarities and he also makes interesting commentaries. The paraphernalia needed for the ceremonies is complicated to make. The wording for the prayers have an unbelievable number of unusual names for god and angels and of course the demons. Names for chemicals in those days were different from what we know today. The artwork is interesting mainly in the sigils and seals needed to control the demons once you call them and again when you put them away. Getting demons to stay away after one is done with them has been a problem as we know from the Faust incident.

Comic book and movie fans may know of Hellboy comics and graphic novels and near the end of this work I found where Mike Mignola may have researched and found some of his ideas and also artwork for seals and sigils is his books, as well as "the Hand of Glory". Really near the end is explained how you can resurrect the dead so that you can ask them questions such as where they buried their treasure. This features in at least one Hellboy story. Also interesting among all of the information provided is the construction and use of The Blasting Rod which can be useful for keeping stubborn demons in line. Lovers of bizarre magic should find many patter possibilities here. If you summon demons to work for you, please put them back where they belong when you are done.

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