The Lesser Key of Solomon

It is loftily amusing to the student of Magical literature who is not quite a fool--and rare is such a combination!--to note the criticism directed by the Philistine against the citadel of his science. Truly since our childhood has ingrained into us not only literal belief in the Bible but also substantial belief in Alf Laylah wa Laylah and only adolescence can cure us we are only too liable in the rush and energy of dawning manhood to overturn roughly and rashly both these classics to regard them both on the same level as interesting documents from the standpoint of folk-lore and anthropology and as nothing more. Even when we learn that the Bible by a profound and minute study of the text may be forced to yield up Qabalistic arcana of cosmic scope and importance we are too often slow to apply a similar restorative to the companion volume even if we are the luck holders of Burton's veritable edition.