THE HAND-BOOK OF ASTROLOGY, BY WHICH EVERY QUESTION OF THE FUTURE, OF WHICH THE MIND IS ANXIOUS, MAY BE TRULY ANSWERED — by Zadkiel (Richard James Morrison) — 2nd Edition, 1862 — Exceedingly Scarce, PROVENANCE EX LIBRIS OF JOSCELYN GODWIN Publisher: G. Berger, London (1862)
Very scarce second edition of Volume I from 1862, which is a stand-alone book as it contains separate subject matter and is not dependent on Volume II, as explained in the author's Preface of Volume II. Dark brown embossed boards. The book is in well preserved condition. The boards and binding are solid and tight save for light shelfwear. The pages are crisp and clean save lovely Ex Libris bookplate of Joscelyn Godwin, some notes on the top cover of the inside board and a small bookstore label on the front inside board. Small bookstore label on bottom corner of inside back board. Pages are free of interior markings. Please see below for more information on Zadkiel, his work and influence.
Biography Zadkiel
The contemporary revival of interest in astrology reversed a trend that saw astrology almost disappear from Western culture by the end of the eighteenth century. Richard James Morrison was one of the fundamental Astrologers responsible for its return with his core foundational books most notably, The Hand Book of Astrology, which is still used to this day.
Morrison was born on June 15, 1795, in London. He joined the navy at the age of 11 and rose to the rank of lieutenant in 1815 during the Napoleonic wars. He retired in 1817, still a young man. He became interested in astrology through R. C. Smith, better known under his pen name, Raphael. Morrison adopted the pen name Zadkiel and began an astrological almanac, The Herald of Astrology.
Biography of Joscelyn Godwin
Joscelyn Godwin (born 16 January 1945 at Kelmscott,
Oxfordshire, England) is a composer, musicologist, and translator, known for
his work on ancient music, paganism, and music in the occult. He was educated as a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral
School, Oxford, then at Radley College (Music Scholar), and Magdalene College,
Cambridge (Music Scholar; B.A., 1965, Mus. B., 1966, M.A. 1969).
He moved to the US in 1966 to undertake post-graduate work
in musicology at Cornell University, where he gained his PhD in 1969 with a
dissertation on "The Music of Henry Cowell". He then taught at
Cleveland State University for two years before moving to Colgate University
Music Department in 1971. During his tenure in the music department at Colgate
University, he often taught semester-long courses delving into the life and
work of a single composer. He also taught "The Atlantis Debate," a
class which focuses on the feasibility of the flood myth, as well as
"Western Esoteric Tradition." He retired from Colgate University in
2016 as Professor of Music Emeritus. His work includes the first complete English language
translation (1999) of one of the first illustrated printed texts, the
incunabulum Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499). His only work of fiction to date is the novel The Forbidden
Book, co-authored with Guido Mina di Sospiro, which has been translated into
eight languages.
