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To: alt.lucky.w,alt.magick.marketplace,alt.paranormal.spells.hexes.magic,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick
From: catherine yronwode 
Subject: Review: Legends of Incense, Herb, and Oil Magic
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 22:19:42 GMT

New and online now is an illustrated review of Lewis de Claremont's
famous book "Legends of Incense, Herb, and Oil Magic." The text is
reproduced here, without the html links or picture, for those who read
news without a browser. To get the full impact, read the piece on the
web at the Lucky W Amulet Archive
     http://luckymojo.com/legendsofihomagic.html

 LEGENDS of INCENSE, HERB,and OIL MAGIC 
 by Lewis de Claremont

[IMAGE]                                  A strong influence on
                                  20th century hoodoo
                                  practices, this collection
                                  of occult tidbits by Lewis
                                  de Claremont integrates
                                  European and
                                  African-American
                                  traditions. 

                                  Included is basic
                                  information gleaned
                                  from a variety of
                                  ancient and modern
                                  sources on dressing oils
                                  in antiquity and in the
                                  contemporary
                                  traditions, Medieval
                                  philtres and potions,
                                  incense in Hebrew and
                                  Egyptian history and in
modern times, ancient and modern magical uses of dozens of
illustrated herbs and roots, how to use sachet powders for magical
ends, how to use baths and washes, and a series of philosophical
and mystical illustrations revealing the author's Hermetic-style
conceptions of the relationship between the material and spiritual
worlds. 

Most remarkable in this latter context are de Claremont's four-fold
illustrated distinction between Man (Earth), Chiram [Hiram]
(Water), Lucifer (Fire), and Satan (Air); and a cryptic diagram
labelled "Spirit / Matter : Dog / God." These diagrams are not
explained in the text and they bear no relation to any other
grimoire or book of alchemical or hermetic magic known to me.
Most likely, they constitute the author's own unqiue perspective
on reality. 

From the beginning, "Legends of Incense, Herb, and Oil Magic" was
intended as a companion to the same author's "Ancient Book of
Formulas" and was orignally marketed by the Oracle Company,
which manufactured compounds of essential oils and published
the latter book as well. Thus, although some formulas and recipes
are given, the bulk of "Legends" deals with the proper way to use
purchased spiritual supplies rather than how to make them from
scratch or grow them in one's garden. 

Like de Claremont's other works, "Legends of Incense, Herb, and
Oil Magic" is basically European and Medieval in orientation, but it
has from the first been packaged for sale to hoodoo practitioners in
the African-American community. It has proven consistently
popular and has never gone out of print, dspite the fact that in 1966
an important chapter on seals and talismans was eliminated by the
publisher, probably in the interest of saving paper and thus
reducing printing costs. The advertisement shown on this page is
apparently for the 2nd edition, and dates from the 1940s, as the
cover price can be seen at the lower left and later editions carried

no cover price. 

Bibliographic Addendum: 

Because this book has been extensively revised, i herewith append my key
to understanding the different editions, as found in my collection. 

First edition: 
"(c) 1936 by Oracle Publishing Co." 
cover: green index stock with black illustration 
interior paper: white with black ink 
typewriter-style type-setting 
square-bound 
cover price: $2.00 
10 chapters, last word is "Albert." 
112 pages (102 numbered pages, plus 10 pages of ads) 

Second (revised) edition: 
"revised edition, Dorene Publishing Co., Inc. (c) 1938" 
cover: dark pink index stock with black illustration 
interior paper: pink with black ink 
square-bound 
cover price: $2.00 
typeset in Times Roman style font 
10 chapters, last word is "Albert." 
104 pages. 

Third (reduced) edition): 
"(c) 1938 by Dorene Publishing... revised edition 1966" 
cover: red index stock with black illustration 
interior paper: white with dark blue ink 
saddle-stitched (stapled) 
no cover price 
typeset in Times Roman style font 
9 chapters, last word is "fragrance." (Chapter 10 deleted.) 
96 pages (98 numbered pages; title page and fly leaf were deleted) 

Fourth (reduced) edition): 
"(c) 1938 by Dorene Publishing... revised edition 1966" 
cover: white chrome-coat (shiny) stock with red illustration 
interior paper: white with black ink 
saddle-stitched (stapled) 
no cover price 
typeset in Times Roman style font 
9 chapters, last word is "fragrance." (Chapter 10 deleted.) 
96 pages (98 numbered pages; title page and fly leaf were deleted) 
CURRENTLY IN PRINT ($5.00 retail) 

There may be other editions, and if so, i would like to hear about them. 

The biggest difference between the various editions is the loss of
Chapter 10 (which deals with Talismans and Seals) at the Third edition
and afterwards. 

Also, the cover illustration, once very clear and easy to see in the
first edition, has been picked up and copied so many times that it is
now plugged in and lumpy-looking, while the interior illustrations have
become more faded and indistinct with each passing edition. 

-----
To order Legends of Incense, Herb, and Oil Magic 
from the Lucky Mojo Curio Co. go to:
     http://www.luckymojo.com/mojocatbooks.html
-----

cat yronwode 

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