Jacqueline,
The Hand of Glory actually illustrates even more of the complexities in determining it. Not only do we have issues of expense and time, but we have those of the law (I'm not entirely certain that taking the hand of an executed criminal was a crime in France, but it seems likely), ethics (was creating an item to aid in theft improper?), utility (is this something most clients would want?), and creativity (how much can I "wing it" regarding the requirements and effects?). Individual cunning folk, each of whom might have the same books on the shelf, might answer these questions in different ways, leading to considerably different practices.
Dan Harms
Coordinator of Instruction Librarian
State University of New York - Cortland
Memorial Library B-110
(607) - 753-4042
________________________________
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on behalf of jacqueline simpson
Sent: Wed 2/8/2006 11:01 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] grimoire reference
Cunning men must surely have had to modify the
instructions of some 'high magic' recipes, if only on
the grounds of expense -- unguents and special
incenses and robes of various colours and objects made
of various metals ... In contrast, a spell from
popular magic such as that for making a Hand of Glory
(from the Petit Albert, if I remember right) demands a
lot of time and care, but nothing expensive by way of
ingredients.
Jacqueline
--- Daniel Harms <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> In addition to the great suggestions from others
> (I'll definitely have to grab WITCHCRAFT
> CONTINUED...), I'd add Judith Devlin's THE
> SUPERSTITIOUS MIND. That's just in the European
> context, mind you - there's much more material on
> the use of such works overseas...
>
> On the other hand, I would also question whether I'd
> include your typical grimoire as "high magic" (which
> to me applies more to Ficino, Agrippa, and rites of
> a more theurgic character). Also, the term "use"
> could be problematic. Does a practitioner just keep
> the book on their shelves to establish their
> credentials? Do they make use of the charms within?
> Do they use some more than others? Are they unable
> to read the book, but do they take inspiration from
> the illustrations? I think Devlin and Davies will
> illustrate the complexity of these determinations.
>
> Dan Harms
> Coordinator of Instruction Librarian
> State University of New York - Cortland
> Memorial Library B-110
> (607) - 753-4042
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on
> behalf of jason winslade
> Sent: Fri 2/3/2006 5:08 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: grimoire reference
>
>
>
> This was mentioned some time ago in someone's post,
> but I was looking for some sort of academic
> reference to the fact that uneducated folk
> practitioners also used high magick grimoires.
> Basically, I just wanted to make the point that the
> distinction between high and low magick is less
> clear than is usually established. Just for a
> footnote, you know? If anyone can point me to a
> text, that'd be great. Thanks,
> JLW
> oisin
>
> ________________________________
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