The Philosophy of Mystery

$245.00

Dendy, Walter Cooper (1794-1871)

In stock

Description

Dendy, Walter Cooper (1794-1871). The Philosophy of Mystery. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1857. pp. vi, 442. 12mo., measuring 4.75″ x 7″. Original black ribbed cloth over boards with lovely blind-stamped floral motifs to borders; gilt lettering and decoration to the front board and spine. A few light chips to the spine ends, light foxing to the foredge, neat bookplate affixed to the front pastedown, some foxing to the endpapers (strictly confined to the endpapers). Contents remain remarkably bright, clean, and unmarked with tight, sound binding. A very lovely presentation of a scarce, and highly unusual book. Hardcover. See Crabtree’s, Animal Magnetism Early Hypnotism and Psychical Research; p. 438 wherein he states that Dendy presents “a critical examination in the form of a dialogue of the question of ghosts, specters, fantasies, mythology, and demonology. There are sections on sleep, dreams, sleepwalking, and trance. A chapter on mesmerism follows the tone of the rest of the book, seeking to bring a skeptical attitude to the extraordinary magnetic phenomena, and explaining all in terms of natural law, as opposed to supernatural intervention. A great deal of attention is devoted to detecting the presence of imagination, suggestion, and outright fraud.” Sections in this later edition include discussions on: the Nature and Motives of Ghosts; [distinguishing] Fantasy from Cerebral Excitement and Congestion; Mysterious Forms and Signs; Fairy Mythology; Demonology; Nature of Soul and Mind; Nature of Sleep; Sublimity and Imperfection of Dreaming; Prophecy of Dreams; Moral Causes of Dreaming; Material Causes of Dreams; Influence of Dark Blood in the Brain; Incubus, or Nightmare; Somnolence – Trance – Catalepsy; Mesmerism, etc. (#1717) $245.00